Palssonater Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 The most commonly misused name for walleye in Canada is Pickerel. But I've always called Walleye, pickerel, and the meat that you get from behind their eye "Pickerel Cheeks". Does anyone cheek out their walleye? Just wonder if this is done commonly or something special to the area I grew up in. Had a good feed of these on the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMn106 Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 I have always called walleye, walleye. When someone says pickerel i think of northern pike. I have never in my live taken the meat behind the eye, nor have i seen someone do it, it must be something to your area. How does it taste compared to the fillets? I wouldn't think it would be too much different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyt03 Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 Ive done it a few times on the larger fish, it's kinda like a little scallop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 i cheek out my halibut, but that's about it. love walleye, and order pickerel when i'm in canada. can't get walleye here. wanna trade for some trout?? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DU_man_84 Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 i call em walleye and just do the normal fileting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 I've always called Northern Pike, Northerns, walleye-walleye, and pickerel, pickerel. My uncle will cut the cheek meat on a walleye if it's big enough, say 5lbs and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palssonater Posted June 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 I use a good knife and take what I can get out of any fish. Maybe I will post a couple of pics next time I have a walleye on the table and am cheeking them out. The cheeks themselves are great tasting. Kind of like a scallop. If you bread them up and fry them they remind me of a chicken nugget. Good consistency and great finger food. I run a margarine container and just throw them in there as I get them. Then for a snack night I will fry up a bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Never had one, never seen one, never cleaned one... We do have Saugeye (sp?) in our lake by the house but I have never caught one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Yep! I eat them all the time. I love when you catch the 8 pounders, ya get some big cheeks out of those babies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldawg Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Yep, I fillet the cheeks out on the big ones, too. Good stuff, for sure. Dawg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Ive done it a few times on the larger fish, it's kinda like a little scallopYep, me too. The only problem is I usually don't keep fish big enough to cut out the cheeks. I prefer a 15 or 16 incher, the rest of the fish seems to taste better IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palssonater Posted June 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 With a sharp knife, you can get them out of a 10 incher if you want. I keep em all. Hopefully I will get out for a fish this weekend and see if I can keep one to take pictures of my method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest longknife Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 heck ya the cheek meat is the best of any fish as well Hogs TENDER!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birddog Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Cheek meat is the best! A lot of times when I catch a 25+" I just cut the cheeks out and release it :-) ONLY KIDDING!!!! When we are fishing eyes (pickeral to you Canadians) we take the cheeks out of all of our fish (14-17") there is some good meat in the cheeks and it takes 3-4 seconds to get it. We have started to take the "gullets" as well...it is a simple cut beneath the caudel fins and you get a great piece of meat! On our Canadian trip this year, by the time we left the fish cleaning house, you would have guessed a whole tribe of Hmong had been through there, because we went through the buckets and took cheeks and gullets out of the fish, and we had a FEED on Cheeks and Gullets one night, feeding 10 guys with awesome snacks! I will never again let a "keeper eye" go without taking the cheeks and the gullet......great eating: In my mind there is no reason to ever take the cheeks or any other part of an eye over 20".....for those that keep the fillets of these bigger fish, you are a dang fool to not take the cheeks and gullets.....they are simple to cut out and even simpler to cook...and end up no different than a shrimp cocktail , as you pull the meat from the fins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggs Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Yup, like Chris said, the bigger fish (walleye) will give you some nice meat from the cheek area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask-Hunter Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 pickeral cheeks are the best:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaskBrute Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 done here in saskatchewan we take the cheeks out all the time but usually just on the bigger ones the smaller theres no point but it shure does taste good ill tell yah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.