Video: Never Fillet Bluegills Again, Use This Method Instead

Dick Grzywinski, better known as the Griz, is a fishing legend in the Upper Midwest. 

He did his most notable his fishing in the 1990s, which were arguably the golden age of fishing media here, when icons like Larry Dahlberg, Ron Schara, and the Lindner brothers dominated outdoor television, print media, and radio. During this time the Griz was featured in countless magazine articles, newspaper columns, fishing shows, and radio programs for his expert fishing advice. When a writer needed a column or a TV show host needed a big fish on camera, however, they called the Griz. It’s not hyperbole to say that his fishing knowledge was shared with millions of people.

Now, well into his 80s, the Griz is still at it. During his many decades of guiding and fishing, he’s had his fair share of fish fries. Sure, walleyes and pike are good, but for the Griz, it’s hard to beat bluegills caught through the ice. 

In the video above he demonstrates how to catch and fry a mess of keeper-sized gills. Importantly, Griz doesn’t fillet his bluegills. Instead he scales and guts them, then fries them whole. This way you save more meat, and get better flavor since you’re cooking the fish on the bone. 

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This takes a little more work, but like a lot of the traditional methods, it’s well worth the extra patience and effort.