How i Butterfly fillet gar

[brenton 637]

An often asked question is "how do i butterfly fillet a gar"well this is how i do it.I use a rounded butter knife sharpened to a nice edge.put the knife right through the fish just below its butt and cut down to the tail.now cut towards the head but don't cut through the ribs,then slice down behind the head too the backbone.now with an angled knife cut through the pin bones but over the top of the ribs but don't cut all the way through the fish and leave the gut intact.It will look like this when done but fold it back into place and turn the fish over.this time start with the downward cut behind the head then with an angled knife again run the knife towards the tail cutting through the pin bones but not the ribs.like this.then pick up the fish and fold the fillet near the head so it is skin on skin and tear the fillet away from the fish,it is important to get it started correctly so you don't end up with any black on the fillet.the end result is a clean fillet without any mess on the board or the fillet.Any errors you make like cutting through the ribs should be corrected before you start to tear the fillet away from the belly or you will get black lining on your fillet.It takes about 35 seconds per fish once you are proficient. cheers brenton

[Fishie 98]

That's a nice clean fillet Brenton :)It's a much better way than my old man showed me

[Tyke 0]

Cheers for that Brenton,very impressive and neat.Hopefully I'll have something to practice on later when we nip out for a few hours.I enjoyed filleting some Snapper the other day - watched on by a Master ;D ;D

[Borryking 6]

Nice one Brenton! This is a subject researched by many, and your post is the best I have seen. I have all but dismissed catching the fiddly little blighters due to the fiddly nature, but after seeing this I might have to do a re-take. And...I was lucky enough to find a couple of these magic filleting knives in the shack last time I was there

[brenton 637]

Thanks chaps,they can be fiddly but this is the easiest and cleanest way i know how to do them and thanks to Ranger for tidying up the post for me. cheers brenton

[Ranger 48]

A pleasure mate, and thank you for the effort your taken presenting this. One of the most informative and well presented topics to date, which will be referred to often by many members over the coming years!In fact, given the number of queries on this subject, I recon I might even sticky this one to keep it prominent!

[Fishie 98]

Not only Gar but wouldn't that technique also be suitable for filleting whiting

[1ONMEPILLIE 0]

Sure is fishie ;)my mates dad gave me the third degree when i was younger if i didn't do it that way it wasn't the right way ::)Give him credit now though butter-flying georgies is a breeze ;D

[jewie 3]

your butterfly fillest are held together by the belly meat, but the way i was shown its held together by the back meat. i have always wondered how it was done with the old butter knifes i will have to give it a go.so really you end up with the head bones and gut content in tact ?thanks for postin this anyways very informative

[brenton 637]

Yeah with some practice the gut stays intact and the fillets are joint at the belly.I reckon the commercial guys do it the other way because they get a slight percentage more meat and that enough to make it worthwhile for them. cheers brenton

[scorpion 95]

Great post there Brenton, :icon_e_biggrin:Was shown a few years back how to do it, but because i don't fish for gar regularly i forget "how to do it " :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:Was told the old bone handle knives with" made in sheffield" on them were the best. ;)So hit your local Op Shop,etc and grab any you can find. ;D ;DI will be able to refer back to this article next time i get some Garfish. Thanks for posting it up Brenton ,and Ranger for helping out ;D

[Captain Cockle 0]

Great that you posted this method. I have been using it for a long time and it really is the best way I have found to fillet gar. Good to see people sharing knowledge.Dave

[Del 245]

have never butterflyed them... think ill take your good work.. and give it a go the next time i get a feed of the lil shitters...

[SandyWhiting 0]

Good post, and great tips...Now to catch them :dry:

[shmick 0]

Thanks brenton, I'll give it a go next time i get some gar.

[Guest rowan]

Thanks for the great photos and description cant wait to try the new method!

[hoopsy 697]

great post m8 i was shown by yogi bear and dkerr the same way 2 years ago got it down too under 40 seconds a fish now(after about 500 fish lol)not bad for someone who never target gar coz couldnt fillet them and have shown fishos that have done the filleting coarse at pt adelaide and they all do it this way now gd stuff taking the time to show others

[Guest shagging]

Very well shown and presented mate its definatly better than the way i do it! i always leave too much off the black!cheers!

[yorke_angler 0]

i'll be printing this and sticking it on my fridge! awesome how to, thanks mate

[Ranger 48]

Isn't it funny how the cream of posts always keeps rising to the surface!

[Milky 0]

Well presented post B - let me add my 5 cents worth here to make the process even a bit easier. This relates to leaving the initial fillet partially on the frame and removing the second fillet before finally completely removing the first fillet!Let me explain .. Its usually more difficult cutting the second fillet off due to the "fatness" of the first fillet being already cut off and holding that side proud. So follow the steps exactly as explained however just before actually "tearing" the first fillet from the fish frame turn the fish over and start the second fillet removal and only when that is removed turn over and remove the almost tear away first fillet.Must add I havent tried this on Gar but it works on most other species.

[hoopsy 697]

@milky u dont cut 1st fillet off m8 just fold back and do other side it states that

[tonyb 1,017]

Good work Brenton, never have filleted them this way and was just reading in SA Angler a cracking article on "Butterflying" and was tempted to try it,after reading yours I'm all fired up now :woohoo: Karma your way

[hoopsy 697]

@tony yer ive done them both ways at 1st this method seems finicy but once u done a few u can realy fly through them have converted a few people to this method

[brenton 637]

Glad its working for you guys. cheers brenton

[onslaught 1]

Great job brenton but i'll need ya phone number so u can come do mine lol Onnie

[spog777 1]

Thx heaps-ive tried this b4 and always stuffed it up. Your info was so much easier to understand and the end resuly looks great

[voogoofish 1]

slightly different to what I do, but maybe your way is better... certainly is cleaner!!! :dry:

[wytang 0]

Great site lots of good information Will definitely try this method out

[manimal 0]

out to try and get some tomorrow so i'll give this method a shot... thanks, great post...

[manimal 0]

got a few gar and practiced on 20 odd - this method works a treat, thanks...

[jaffa 81]

Hey all, good post,can always learn something new. Cheers ppl.

[eagle4031 0]

excellent - looks easy -- wonder if it will be when i do it

[Barnes 0]

Thanks mate Ive been fishing sixty five years and still gratefull to learn thanks to you

[Kingsley 19]

Didn't know this post existed, this is how I do my gar now thanks to hoopsy passing on the knowledge at the crab and gar day.As someone mentioned, I find the second side more difficult than the first as it doesnt sit as nice once you do one side. But its all practice I suppose.