Jake Wallace shows his step by step process for filleting northern pike.

Filleting Northern Pike: Boneless Fillets

Northern pike can be found in most lakes, rives, and reservoirs across the Midwest and Canada. These hard fighting fish are willing biters and can be caught on a number of different presentations from spinnerbaits, crankbaits, spoons, jigs, and livebait.

Due to their aggressive nature and healthy populations northern pike are great fish to target for a shore lunch fish fry.

Filleting northern pike is easier than most anglers tend to think.

Northern pike often get a bad rap because of their y-bones, but these fish actually make a fantastic table fare and filleting northern pike is easy once you get the hang of it.

Filleting Northern Pike Step by Step:

1. On a clean, dry cutting board start by making a cut behind the head of the northern pike cutting down do the backbone.
2. Once you hit the backbone turn the knife and carefully cut along the backbone, working your way down the length of the fish, separating the fillet from the backbone. 
3. Remove the fillet and then flip the fish over.
4. Repeat the same process and remove the other side.
5. Once you have both sides removed you can discard the head, bones, and guts.
6. Once both sides are removed it’s time to take out the y-bones. You can start with either side.
7. Begin by making a cut along the bloodline down towards the anal fin.
8. Then make a cut above the y-bones down towards the the anal fin.
9. Now take your knife and poke it through the middle section of the y-bones. Make sure you are underneath the y-bones.
10. Cut out the y-bones. It is typically easiest to work from the middle towards the tail, and then once that is separated work back up the other way.
11. Repeat the same process on the other fillet.
12. The y-bones should now be removed from fillets.
13. Remove the skin by starting at the tail and working your knife at a downward angle towards the top of the fillet.
14. Repeat this on the other side. Once you have completed that you should have two boneless northern pike fillets.

Northern pike are a fantastic fish to catch and are just as good to eat. Remember to take your time until you have full mastered removing the y-bones.

With practice and patience and following the steps outlined above, you can get a perfectly boneless fillet every time.