Tools for cleaning fish

[Hikebike]

We have always been a catch and release fishing family and now we have decided to actually keep them and cook them. We had some grilled trout at a friends place a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious! I have no idea how to clean a fish! What tools do I need? I know I need something to get the scales off but what else? Is there anyway to “debone” the fish before we cook it?

[Judy Ann]

http://www.basspro.com/Rapala-Fish-n.../15922/-363391

fillet knife, board for cutting, knife proof glove if you think you need it (other wise a paper towel for getting a good grip on the tail will do). Some people use pliers to pull out the little bones on some fish. I've tried electric knives in Florida after a big fishing day, but I like the feel of the Rapala knife most of the time.

My father would leave the skin on and descale it, however for fried fish, most of the people I fished with would just remove the skin and bones in two swipes of each side of the fish leaving two nice fillets. Best eaten fresh, but if needed to be frozen try the seal-a-meal system with a paper towel at the top to absorb juices from larger fish like tuna or mahi mahi. I like to marinate some of the game fish (grouper) before throwing the fillets on the grill. I've eaten fish right out of the water after marinating in lemon/lime juice (fillet and cut into bite size pieces first).

Find someone who has fished for years and watch and learn. It is a quick, clean technique where you debone in one slice and deskin in the next. Some of us in the Carolina's spend a month catching enough fish to host a fish fry. There is a method to the madness! Good luck!

[dinosaur]

I fillet the fish with the scales on it. Then flip the fillet over and slide the knife in at the bottom of the meat. After you slice in about a quarter of an inch you can grab the skin with your fingers pressing it down on the board. Then slide the knife along to the end of the fillet, toss the skin and scales and you have a perfect boneless skinless fillet.

This works on all scaled fish. I have a completely different way to clean catfish.