Bloody(?) stripe inside next to fish backbone.

[iwantabuggy]

What is the junk inside the fish gut that sits up next to the back bone? I used to think it was blood, but now I am not so sure any more. Are there any fish biologists out there that can explain what that is and what it does?
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[chickendude1234]

It's actually their Kidney.
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[jeremypeace]

I'm no bioligest but I know how to use google well!!!!!! And I found it said that it is the main blood vessel in the fish... And when the blood is all thick like and looks kinda like fish poo.. It's quagulated blood which hapens very shortly after death. Hope that answers your question
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[Belasko]

From what I've been told it is the kidney. That would appear to be backed up by both chickendude and by the pic that you posted. I imagine that the major blood vessel also constitutes some of that sine kidneys require a significant blood supply.
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[iliketofish]

It's the kidney
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[BlueDuck]

Don't eat that part.
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[iwantabuggy]

Thanks every one. I appreciate the feedback.
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[redneck_delux]

thats some great information. first time i cut up a wiper i ate that part and it tasted terrible. so i just trim around it now

[iliketofish]

[laugh][laugh][laugh] If you were british you could always make some steak and kidney pie... but I wouldn't recommend it []
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[fsh4fun05]

I have been fishing most of my adult life and I never knew that was the kidney...I've often said that I love fishing because there is always something new to learn but that one really took me by surprise.
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[lucabrasi]

Ok, I can clean a trout in 5 seconds. Perfectly. Give me a perch or a catfish and I am at it forever and making a mess. Isn't it something to watch those people with a mess of perch or bluegill clean those up like an art?

You have pulled the guts and gills out of the trout. That with which you run your thumb down along the entire length of the spine is the kidney? You get it out and it it is still in there between the vertebrae and you wash it out?
I am thinking you have already pulled the kidney out...the kidney is the other long bloody thing that came out with the guts. Is that the main blood vessel right there you push out with your thumbnail that also ecagulates? I am thinking so, it is the blood vessel.
Is that the part you are wondering about? Does what I said make sense? Is that the part you are wondring about?
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[wagdog]

Ok, I can clean a trout in 5 seconds. Perfectly. Give me a perch or a catfish and I am at it forever and making a mess. Isn't it something to watch those people with a mess of perch or bluegill clean those up like an art?

For larger fish like catfish, I use an electric fillet knife. For bluegill, crappie, etc., I use a regular fillet knife. Usually one with about a 7 inch blade. It does take some practice to get fast. I fillet trout with the electric as well. I usually take longer with trout because I have to locate the little "flesh bones" that run down the middle of the fillet and cut out that strip.
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[jeremypeace]

you gut cats??? I always just cut the tail let them bleed out then skin them and fillet them no gutting needed... Maby I just misunderstood this.. I don't know.. But to me cats are much easier to fillet than others..
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[CoyoteSpinner]

That's why you keep one thumbnail a bit longer. Both to split worms, and to scrape that crap off the backbone when you rinse out a fish you gutted.

Or you just fillet them, and skip the kidney crap.

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[wagdog]

No, sorry. I don't gut cats. I fillet them. I fillet everything. Sometimes I feel like eating bluegill or sunfish whole. That's how I ate them as a kid. Then I'll scale them, cut the head off, and gut them but that is only on smaller members of the sunfish family. Sorry for the confusion and yes, cats are easy to fillet.
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[lucabrasi]

i just plain can't fillet. Waste to much meat. I try with larger trout and other fish but still don't have it down. No, I wouldn't gut a cat like a trout. Watching me fillet is a sorry thing. My father in law has a trick with perch or bluegill he runs a knife around through the skin down the back bone and exposing the bone, around the fins and stuff, makes a few cuts here and there, and when all finished pulling the skin, bones and guts out you have a perfect fish to fry. Headless, finless, boneless. Definately takes longer than the guys filetting them but not a speck of wasted meat.
We were at a fishing resort in Minnesota in the fish cleaning cabin and the owner, a lifelong Minnesota native had never seen that trick. Those family resorts in Minnesota are something else. All over on the lakes out there. Quite the place to spend a vacation for sure.
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[jeremypeace]

I'm not the best at fillet eather but how can you learn with out doing it! I found what helped me alot with the fillet process was a good fillet knife.. The more it flexes I found the easier it is for me any way... I know a guy that like little flex in his blade but I do better with lots of flex. For me it's easier to feel the bones... And I would really like to learn that trick you said your inlaw knows sounds like a good skill to know!.. Back to the whole bloody strioe along the spine!!! I was looking at that anatomy picture and the kidney is infact not the long bloody stripe it is the main vessel when you look at that picture it shows the kidney yes but it shows it as separate from the fish and the bloody line is atatched ... I looked it up again because It was bugging the heck out of me.. And there is the kidney which is about a 3rd the length of the main vesel.. But never the less that main vessel feeds them all so... It's all connected in some way or another...
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[cpierce]

I think that the fillet technique you are talking about is the one featured here on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjTlFwQb7D0

How to Clean a Perch in 10 seconds

Interesting technique!

I usually fillet since I don't like to eat around the bones, but for small ones especially this might be the ticket.
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[jeremypeace]

time to go catch me a few perch and give that a whirle
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[lucabrasi]

I think that's it. Boy, he has got that down lickity split. Seems my father in law has a few other steps and definately takes longer but that is essentially it. What a cinch. Not a speck of wasted meat.
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