Shad fishing on the Willamette (video)

Great Video!  That looks like a hoot.   
Did you try doing the boneless fillet technique??

I haven't tried it yet, but I want to. Honestly this was mostly a bait run. I'm going to try smoking a few yet, though, so I may try the fillet technique. My wife is excellent with a fillet knife so I might have her show me how to do it. 

Nice video. How do you cook them? That fillet a shad video tutorial was uh intimidating. 

The only way I've found that I like is to smoke them using a typical salmon-type smoking brine and timing, and then I just pick through the bones. There seem to be a lot of great recipes, I've just never found a way to get past the bones, even trying the low-temp long cooking time method. Canning and pickling are other options I've heard positive reviews of.

Where is that shad filleting video tutorial?  I did a search on this forum but couldn't find it.

If you like pickled fish, pickling is a great way to use bony fish, because the bones sort of dissolve.  I have pickled the Y bone strips I have removed from large pike, and when I catch a pike which is too small to be worth removing the Y bones, I remove the ribs, slice up the rest of the fillets, and pickle the meat with the Y bones still in.  Just for yucks I once pickled a bunch of Northern Pikeminnow (formerly known as Squawfish), a notoriously bony fish.  The bones disappeared, and the pickled fish tasted great.

i'm guessing he's referring to this, and the second part as well:

OK, so dumb question here. The video refers to having a rescue knife.

On behalf of the newbs, what is considered a rescue knife in kayak circles ? Folding "tactical" types, fixed blade only ? Serrated or smooth ? Is there something more specialized ?

A rescue knife is a knife which is mounted on a paddler's life vest, so it is immediately available in case an emergency arises which requires something to be cut.  Folding knives are less desirable than fixed blade knives for use as rescue knives, because it takes longer to deploy them, and may require two hands to open the blade, particularly when wearing gloves.  An advantage of blades with a blunt tip is that you are less likely to jab yourself with a blunt-tipped knife when flailing around in an emergency.

When whitewater kayaking, rescue knives are primarily used for preparing lunch, because there aren't many opportunities to get tangled up in rope.  Rescue knives are a lot more likely to be needed when kayak fishing, because sit-on-top fishing kayaks are often festooned with leashes, lines, and ropes.

A rescue knife can be dangerous in the hands of a hurried or panicked kayaker or rafter.  A guy I know was rafting the Lochsa River, and came across another rafter who had flipped his raft.  In an effort to make it easier to turn the raft upright, the other guy reached under the raft to cut a strap holding gear to the frame, and managed to cut an artery in his wrist.  This mishap turned a routine raft flip into a medical emergency.

+1 on what pmmpete had to say. I wear a dive knife on my right calf instead of my pfd but its more of a personal preference. Its a definite must have for the kayak angler. I may not be here if it weren't for my safety knife.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=12939.0

Great job on the shad video! I am looking forward to Captain Redbeard and Spilt Milt joining forces this summer for Leopard Shark and California Halibut.

OK, so dumb question here. The video refers to having a rescue knife.

On behalf of the newbs, what is considered a rescue knife in kayak circles ? Folding "tactical" types, fixed blade only ? Serrated or smooth ? Is there something more specialized ?

Pete's description is great. In general I look for a fixed blade, blunt tip, designed to be attached to my PFD. This is what I currently use (the green one in the pictures below): http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-31-002645-River-Shorty-Green/dp/B00I304852/

I used to have one like this (the black one in the pictures below): http://www.amazon.com/McNett-Blakely-Sheepsfoot-Outdoor-Knife/dp/B001E8XCWU  I liked the handle slightly better, but the sharper tip is less useful to me.

Every time I put on my life jacket I practice unsheathing it with my eyes closed. Hopefully if I ever need it the motion will be automatic.

USP's account is worth a read and reflection. If it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone.

I have a River Shorty as well, and I'm a little disappointed with:
(1) How easily it dislodges from the sheath, and
(2) The fact that only one side is sharp. It's a simple complication, but one that could pose an issue in the type of high-stress situation that would warrant the knife's use.

Like Pete said it is a knife you have mounted on your PFD. mount it so it can be grabbed with either hand. It is not your bait knife or random use knife. I spray a little grease on mine and it stays in the sheath all the time, sharp and ready for use. Since you will likely be cutting lines or straps when you use it a serrated edge is nice.

Since you will likely be cutting lines or straps when you use it a serrated edge is nice.

I think that all knives should be very sharp, because a sharp knife cuts more quickly, cleanly, controllably, and reliably.  And Rawkfish is right that a serrated edge is nice for cutting lines and straps.  The problem with serrated edges is that they can be difficult to sharpen.  I prefer serrated edges which have even-width scallops, because they are easier to sharpen than serrated edges with scallops of two or three different widths.

When possible, I mount my rescue knife with the handle up and the tip down, so the knife can't fall out of its sheath and be lost if you bump it.  I've seen way to many people lose rescue knives that way.  But on some life vests, the attachment point is located where the handle will be sticking up in your face if you mount the knife with its handle up, so you have to mount it with the handle down.

Somehow Captain Redbeard's shad video posting got derailed into a rescue knife discussion.  Sorry about that.  Let's get back to the shad!

Well, yea, but how often does one need to sharpen a "FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY" knife, serrated or not?

Redbeard that was great.  Keep em coming!

Thanks, folks, that helps. I was actually looking at the shorty.

Sorry for the semi-threadjack, but it was in fact a part of the video, so...

Oh, and I can find myself becoming Shad-obsessed, too.

One is nice, two is better. I've kept a short blunt knife on my vest (or BCD while diving) and a longer pointed knife on my outside calf. Check out your local dive shop for some good salt-quality blades.

Redbeard that was great.  Keep me coming!

  That comment so deserves a reply.............biting tongue til bloody.