Fish Cleaning
While many people enjoy fishing for sport, many others catch fish to use as food. Fish has always been an important part of the diet. And being able to clean and cook a fish that you caught is great, especially for those who enjoy the taste of fish!
When cleaning your fish, filleting means cutting out the meat of the fish without the bones. Larger fish, like largemouth bass, catfish, striped bass and walleye, are usually filleted. A filleted fish has its skin and all of its bones removed before cooking.
Fillet knives have a long, thin blade that’s very sharp and specifically designed for filleting fish. To work properly, the knife must be really sharp. If you have any slime on your hands or the fillet knife handle, wash it off to prevent slipping.
Tip: When learning how to fillet a fish, you can also wear metal- or rubber-mesh fish-cleaning gloves to protect your hands.
Here are the steps to fillet a fish:
- Place the fish on its side on a flat surface.
2. Cut the fish behind its gills and pectoral fin down to, but not through, the backbone.
3. Turn the fish so that its back (dorsal fin) is facing you. Make a long slice along the back of the fish from the cut you made behind the gills all the way to the tail.
4. Repeat this slicing motion until you can lift the meat part way away from the back bone with your thumb.
5. Once you can lift the meat partially away, continue to run the tip of the knife along the ribs of the fish till you lift the fillet most of the way off the carcass.
6. Push the blade of your fillet knife all the way through the body of fish from the dorsal (top) side through to belly at the anal vent, and pull the knife towards the tail to separate the fillet from the rest of the fish.
7. Repeat these steps on the other side of the fish.
8. Put the fillet on the table with the skin side down. Insert the knife blade about a half-inch from the tail, gripping firmly, and put the blade between the skin and the meat at an angle.
9. Using a little pressure and a sawing motion, cut against, but not through, the skin.
10. Remove the fillets from the skin.
11. Wash each fillet in cold water.
12. Pat dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. The fillets are ready to cook or freeze.
Always have adult supervision when cleaning or cooking a fish.
Fish Cooking
Cooking is the next-to-last step in finishing a great fishing trip. Below is a simple recipe for cooking your fish fillet.
Pan Frying Fish
Pan frying is a popular way to cook fish, and it is the quickest and easiest way to cook your catch at your campsite, at the park or on shore. Here are basic steps:
Step 1: First, coat the fish fillet with flour. Feel free to add your favorite seasonings to the flour before coating.
Step 2: Dredge the flour-covered fillet in a beaten egg.
Step 3: Coat the fillet with bread crumbs.
Step 4: Heat some cooking oil in a skillet. Test the heat by dropping a small piece of fish into the skillet. If it sizzles, the oil is hot enough.
Step 5: Add your fish to the skillet, cooking on each side for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the coating is brown.
Step 6: Enjoy with fellow anglers or family and friends.
The final step to a successful fishing trip is enjoying the taste of your catch.
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This content originally appeared in the Wildlife Department’s "Fishing in the Schools Manual." The full PDF manual can be viewed here.