Filleting a Fish?

storl

storl

Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
1,607
I have always been able to catch fish fairly easily, but they have always gone right back in to the lake or river after they were caught. I have some trips coming up where I will be taking a pack rod and a basic fishing kit to actually try to catch some fish to eat.

I haven't filleted a fish since back in the Scouts, and I am finding some conflicting information online. Anyone have any pictures, videos, or just simple directions for cleaning and filleting a fish?
 
What kind of fish are you going after? Bigger the fifh the easier to fillet.

Pan fish I just gut and cook.

Same with trout, I like to stuff the inside of trout with different things to add to the flavor.
 
When I clean fish, I just gut it rinse it out and put chinese black bean sauce where the stomach was and steam it in tin foil mmmmm good. If the fish is a couple of pounds I'll put chinese sausage and some ginger too. (BTW most of the fish here is salt water fish.) Sorry I don't have pictures.
 
Gut the fish. Don't bother scaling it. Cut behind the fin at the back of the head down to the spine and cut along the spine towards the tail. When you get to the tail, be careful not to cut all the way through. Flip the side of the fish away fromt he body and run your knife along the skin seperating the meat from the skin. Done. If you're worried about the ribs, then slice them off of the filet.
 
This looks pretty accurate to me.

trout-fillet.jpg
 
tonym said:
This looks pretty accurate to me.

trout-fillet.jpg
Click to expand...

+1

This isn't the way I originally learned to clean fish but bout a million times better. Make sure you have a thin sharp knife so you don't tear the meat to pieces. It also helps if you drive a nail through the back side of the cutting board. This way you can slap the fish's head down on the nail and it will hold the fish stationary.
 
cleaning a fish, quickly and easily:

- bonk fish. (NO not that way!)
- inser fillet knife into fish anus and slice towards the head.
- in one smooth motion, grab all the innards with your fingers, and sweep your thumb along the spine towards the tailfin. Remove the guts with one slice and discard back into the water.
- slice off head if your not eating it
- slice off tail if your not eating it.
- rinse the gutted fish in water and put into creel on cool wet ferns, or prep for cooking
 
Depending on the size of fish, can just make the cut from anus to behind jaw area and then cut down behind head, then pull all the guts out by pulling the head down and back. Everything comes out with it. Then just make sure you scrape out the blood under the membrane along the spine. Most of the trout and salmon i've caught don't need to worry too much about removing the scales. Just clean it all off with water, don't need to worry too much about taking the tail off. Can fry in pan, or better is to bake in tin foil on your campfire and as mentioned just put your seasoning inside. When cooked properly the meat will come away from the skin and spine/ribs anyways.
 
Thanks for all the tips guys, I really appreciate it.

As far as what I would be going after, the trips will be along/near rivers in the southeast, so whatever fishies are in the rivers around here. Lots of trout, I believe.

When you say not to worry about the scales, are you saying that the meat with peel/fall off the skin/scales once it is cooked, or is there something else I have to do?
 
protourist said:
And the right cooking utensils.:D
0701083.jpg
Click to expand...


I LOVE MY LODGE grill! i had it going hot last year in the winter, filled with BBQ briqutes, and i used a big alumin reflecting screen to keep the entire camp area warm (3 people) . We grilled chicken, steaks, chorizo, corn maaaaan it was good!
 
storl said:
Thanks for all the tips guys, I really appreciate it.

As far as what I would be going after, the trips will be along/near rivers in the southeast, so whatever fishies are in the rivers around here. Lots of trout, I believe.

When you say not to worry about the scales, are you saying that the meat with peel/fall off the skin/scales once it is cooked, or is there something else I have to do?
Click to expand...

With trout, specially the smaller ones, just gut it and scrape the blood along the spine out.

I like stuffing the inside with butter and garlic, and cook.

You can also just cook them over the fire without seasoning, and it still tastes great:thumbup:

Yes the meat will just flake of the spoon and bone when ready.

ctgathering2038.jpg
 
I am shocked ... shocked ... that Guyon hasn't been by to contribute.

Someone send that boy a PM!! :eek:;):eek:
 
I'm late to the party. Looks like it's all been covered.

Never too late to learn a trick or two, however. Just a couple of years back a guy showed me how he quickly and easily skins bass. Pulled out the dorsal fin with pliers and pulled the skin in a certain direction. They wound up looking like a big old skinned catfish on the bone, and they fried up nicer than normal too.

I'll just post some pictures then. I now have three or four more fillet knives than just the ones here.

Fillets.jpg


I've cleaned 'em bigger.

Fish.jpg


Fillets-1.jpg


And I've cleaned 'em smaller.

Trouts.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top