# How do you filet Triggerfish?



## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

I've seen it done quit a few different way. I like the cutting around the edges and ripping the skin back method because you can get a lot of meat but it leaves that white layer on the meat. If you do it like a snapper it's hard to get all the meat. What do ya'll think?


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## Reel Irie (Jan 28, 2011)

fillet it backwards, starting from the tail


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

Reel Irie said:


> fillet it backwards, starting from the tail


This.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Just cut thru the skin from the tail up and pull off skin then fillet. EZPZ


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## barebones1 (Nov 24, 2009)

gut salt,pepper and lemon one up for the oven. Bake till done and enjoy It`s easy to get in your minds eye the bone structure and how your gonna get at the next one, once you have picked the meat off the bones.

tom


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## BILL_MONEY (Feb 17, 2009)

after cleaning well over 100000 pounds of them it is second nature for me.... the key to cleaning them is staying close to the fins... there is a softish skin there. my first cut is the soft dimple or close to the gill slots and down to the anal opening. then work your way around the soft skin as mentioned above. i remove the filet from the carcass before skinning from the head end to the tail starting at the thick part of the filet.... we owned Parker Seafood and i cleaned about 1000 lbs of trigger a 4-5 days a week for about 3-4 years... i think my uncle started the trigger craze down here... he sold Glenn @ timesaver on trigger and they expanded and became triggers.... the throat is the best part ... with the fish upright on the table go in the gill slot and then cut on a angle down ward to just under the mouth ... after the cut twist and pull.. you will have a triangle in your hand.... clean out the goo... then cut on either side of the small bone in the center without cutting the skin and then roll the knife and filet the skin off the meat cutting to the peck fin that should be away from you. this requires alot of practice and the meat doesnt freeze well... the dark meat next to the bone will be very sweet unlike most other dark fish that has a strong fishy taste !!! it will eat like a chicken wing with large bones !!!! if you have ever had these you will remember and would never through them away no matter how long it takes to cut out !!!!
good luck.....


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Bill Money is spot on with how to clean them. The only thing I will add is we use a razor hook knife like you would use for cutting shingles to cut around the skin so as not to dull your fillet knife.


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

Never heard of the throat thing, I'll hafta try that. I figured I'd get a bunch of different answers. Everyone I know has a different method. I guess the most important thing is a razor sharp knife. Thanks for the tips.


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## tripleblessing (Oct 3, 2007)

Reel Irie said:


> fillet it backwards, starting from the tail


 What he said


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

some one just make a video for this man, its much easier to learn by then reading


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## ironman172 (Sep 28, 2007)




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## ironman172 (Sep 28, 2007)




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## ironman172 (Sep 28, 2007)




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## dragline (Jan 13, 2011)

thanks ironman - I thought i knew what I was doing, but picked up some tips!


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

Thanks Ironman, I guess I have been doing it the best way. I just always thought the white membrane was something I didn't want, but I guess it "adds flavor".


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