Spot on Porktown.  All sunfish have those bones, and most fish shaped the same way.  Catfish do not, flounder do not.  Tuna and mackerel do, and they are much bigger and heavier on those fish.  
 
On the one side of panfish I can get the knife around those and get the belly meat.  On the other side I cut through them and then cut them out after I have the fillet.  But that's because I grew up doing one side and then passing the fish to my dad.  That hosed me on filleting for the longest time.  

Sam,
Do you cut the first fillet completely off, before going to the second side?  If so, try cutting one side past those pin bones, leaving the tail meat and rib attached to the carcass, then stopping and flipping the fish over before doing the rib meat and taking fillet off of the fish.  Then fillet the second side like you normally would, keeping the first fillet somewhat in tact with the fish.  If the fish is resting on it's head/gills, with no meat on that side to support, it bends the fish, and makes it a pain in the rear to fillet the second side.  

That's interesting, I'll have to try that.  Next year, when it isn't polar bear weather.  :)

Just picked up my new license and fishing guide. No changes to the panfish limit on pymy that I can find, so I guess it's business as usual

Ya, new reg doesn't go into effect until Jan 1 '18. From what I gather, they didn't have enough time to put it on the books for this new fishing year. Uncle of mine talked to Harrisburgh and that's the reason they gave him.

Pymie is a Crappie factory. It will be interesting to see what happens with the new regs.
 

holly107
I think this change is a good one. 20 per day has to be 9 inch min. let them grow up some. whats your thoughts.

they don't grow any larger than 8 15/16 ths.  its happening on sayers lake as we speak. lots of panfish but very few that are legal. it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

Are the new regulations for Pymi only, or they for all Pa. fisheries?

the ones that are being talked about here is for pymie only

This article was from yesterday on WFMJs website.  Sounds like the new regs will go into effect this March, regardless of being in the license information this year.  They are posting signs all around the lake.  Someone posted on here that it wasn't in the new regs, but that had to be a Pa license as Ohio hasn't gone on sale yet

Posted: Jan 26, 2017 12:58 PM ESTUpdated: Jan 26, 2017 1:39 PM EST 

 
 


Anglers who enjoy trying their luck at Pymatuning Lake will find some restrictions in place in order to protect a popular fish.
As of March 1, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Ohio Division of Wildlife are limiting the Crappie catch to 20 fish per day and a nine inch minimum size.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural resources, Crappies are one of Ohio’s easiest fish to catch and are great for trips intended to get kids hooked on fishing. 
The restrictions are in place on both the Ohio and Pennsylvania sides of the reservoir.
Signs will be posted around the lake informing people of the new regulation.
Officials say the reservoir experienced a large increase in Crappie abundance and quality between 2001 and 2012, which led to what the commission says were dramatic increases in angler pressure.
An increase in demand and decrease in supply of the fish led to unsatisfactory results for anglers.
Based on the decline, Ohio approached the PFBC to discuss implementing a more restrictive angling regulation.
An opinion survey conducted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife found that 88% of the anglers interviewed agreed with placing harvest restrictions on Crappies on the reservoir.
“These regulations have been used to improve Crappie size structure and density in other Pennsylvania lakes where they have been applied and will likely have similar positive results in Pymatuning Reservoir,” said Jason Detar, chief of the PFBC’s Division of Fisheries Management.
The effect of the regulations will be monitored through annual trap net surveys and through age and growth statistics, which are computed annually.
Pymatuning Reservoir is Pennsylvania’s largest inland lake and is located in Crawford County, Pa., and Ashtabula County, Ohio.
 

  
by Taboola 
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