Filleting cobbler

 I speared a couple of cobbler last night, one of my favorite eating fish 

 Havent caught any for a while but always struggle with filleting them

 Last night I cut their heads off before filleting & found them difficult to grip

 I made a reasonable job of it in the end but it was a chore 

 Previously Ive left the heads on & snapped  the spines off but then still worried

 about gripping the heads.     

 Does any one have any tips? 


Willlo's picture

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Date Joined: 07/10/11

 i don't fish for them

Wed, 2016-02-17 16:12

 i don't fish for them anymore but my old grandpa used to use a pair of pliers to rip the skin of 

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Bodie's picture

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 spot on willo. Clip the

Wed, 2016-02-17 16:22

 spot on willo.

 

Clip the spines with pliers, then rip skin off with pliers, easiest method.

 

And yes they are dam fine tasting!

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Date Joined: 14/10/12

nail them

Wed, 2016-02-17 17:25

 drive a nail right though a plank of wood, impail the head on the nail and strip the skin with 2 pair of pliers , used to do eels the same in the UK

 

carnarvonite's picture

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Easiest way

Wed, 2016-02-17 17:32

Put a thumb on top of its nose and index and middle fingers in each of the gills then cut through the spine just behind the top spine then cut towards the vent taking all the innards with the head.

If you are worried about the spines, then had a lump of soft pine timber and give each spines a whack, burying the spine in the wood and snapping it off.

To skin the tail pliers are the best bet other than filleting them right off the same as you do for scale fish

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Date Joined: 04/01/12

Thanks all

Wed, 2016-02-17 19:01

 Yeah I skinned them the same as per scale fish, that was easy.

 Just the filleting was difficult  

 I'll try your suggestion Carnarvonite.

 I will be snapping the spines off first

 

 Just ate a couple of  fillets - Delish    

striker's picture

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Pliers to snap

Wed, 2016-02-17 19:26

 the spines off nice n close , sharp knife to just cut the skin n not the flesh all the way around the head  n then pliers are the go to grip the skin n strip it off back towards the tail, we used to use another pair to hold the head but a nail in a plank is fine,sea cobbler beautiful!

Adam Gallash's picture

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pliers

Thu, 2016-02-18 05:51

 As others have said, cut the spines off at the base with pliers. Just remember to collect the spines as they fly off everywhere and have had a few ppl get done in feet walking around the table and a few hand injuries from ones hidden on the filleting table. Once dangers done, hands in gills and fillet as per norm and when skinning use a flat blade from tail first starting an inch in so you have something to hold onto.

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Good advice

Thu, 2016-02-18 19:50

 Thanks Adam. Ive never been stung but Im very nervous about handling them 

Grey Ghost's picture

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Once

Thu, 2016-02-18 20:04

 You get stung once and you'll never get stung again. It aint fun at all and pain lasts between days and weeks depending on how deep and where you get stung

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Jackfrost80's picture

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 If you get a big one cobbler

Thu, 2016-02-18 08:02

 If you get a big one cobbler steaks grill up very nicely

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filliting cobbler

Thu, 2016-02-18 21:35

Another way to do it is to drop it in boiling water for not very long make the skin come of easier.
also a bit of trivia regarding the spines. People seem to think that the spine on to and sides are covered with alga and think that's what makes you very sore.
But beware these spines pack a real punch . At the base of the spines are venom sacks and if you look at the top of one of them you will see a whole going down to it . This is where the venom comes from and you could its the venom doing the work to make your arm or leg very saw and stiff.
got done by one of them when I was younger in the finger arm]was stiff and sore for days.

Take care when you handle them .

Posts: 91

Date Joined: 05/05/11

filliting cobbler

Thu, 2016-02-18 21:36

Another way to do it is to drop it in boiling water for not very long make the skin come of easier.
also a bit of trivia regarding the spines. People seem to think that the spine on to and sides are covered with alga and think that's what makes you very sore.
But beware these spines pack a real punch . At the base of the spines are venom sacks and if you look at the top of one of them you will see a whole going down to it . This is where the venom comes from and you could its the venom doing the work to make your arm or leg very saw and stiff.
got done by one of them when I was younger in the finger arm]was stiff and sore for days.

Take care when you handle them .