How to Properly Filet a Fish

Any day spent out on the lake fishing, is a good day, regardless of what you caught. But, it sure is a plus to catch a few keepers perfect for dinner. Make sure you properly store and chill your fish until it is time to cook. To harvest your catch, you need to master the skill of filleting. Fish filleting can seem daunting to the inexperienced but don’t worry; you just need a bit of practice. We have compiled these great steps from TakeMeFishing.org to help you become a filet wizard.

Gutting v. Scaling

First, there are a few things to consider; scaling and gutting. Scaling is the removal of the scales on the fish’s skin. To do this, take a scaler or the back of a knife and rub the skin from tail to head. As you rub, the scales should start to come off.

As for gutting, this is the process of removing the entrails from the belly. To do so, “insert your knife into the fish’s anus next to the tail and cut forward toward the head. The knife will naturally stop at the fish’s head.” From here, you will be able to open the belly and clear the guts. Feel free to remove the head as well. (TakeMeFishing.org). Now you are ready to carve out your filets.

Make sure you are working on a sturdy surface such as a countertop or table and are using a durable cutting board. If you are in the wilderness, you can use a canoe paddle. Perhaps the most crucial tool utilized during the filleting process is a knife. We recommend using a filet knife, which is a sharp and narrow blade that is slightly flexible. Whatever knife you choose to use, it must be sharp to ensure a clean process.

Now that you have your knife and cutting board make the first cut. Lay the fish horizontally on its side. Make a “C” shaped cut behind the fin and gills and only go as deep as the rib cage.

Next, cut along the top of the fish against the backbone. Slice from the “C” cut to the tail region, turn the fish over, and repeat.

From here, place your knife close to the rib bones and slice it down to the tail. The filet can now be separated from the body. Repeat this step for the other side. Depending on the fish species, you may need to remove some small bones from the filet, such as northern pike and their y-bones. Take your time as bones are a choking hazard.

Although this step is optional and dependent on the cooking method, you may remove the skin on your filets. To remove the skin, place your knife a little over an inch from the tail. Face the filet skin side down. Insert your knife so that it is resting just between the skin and the meat. While holding the tail, slice toward the head side, separating the skin from the meat.

Always wash each filet with cold water and pat dry. We recommend cooking with this fish batter.

You now have two beautiful filets ready for the pan, oven, grill, or freezer. If you need some cooking help, we recommend these delicious recipes: “Good Eats: How To Properly Smoke Your Own Salmon,” “Good Eats: Walleye Fish Recipes, and Good Eats: Southern Fried Catfish Recipe.”

Happy cooking, friends!