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Question
My younger brother loves to fish, but has never cleaned his own fish. He wanted me to ask someone how to clean 'em, If yo can tell me that's great.
Answer
Cleaning fish is pretty easy once you get used to it. Most fish are best cleaned and filleted. This is done basically by first removing all of the fish's organs and then removing the fillets from the remains of the fish. Simply insert a sharp fillet knife into the fish immediately behind the head and run it the length of the fish, thus dividing the fish into two halves. I cannot stress enough the importance of a sharp knife. After slicing the belly of the fish and removing the organs, run the knife as close along the ribs of the fish as possible, seperating the meat and skin/scales from the remains of the fish. Take your time and slowly work through this, otherwise you'll notice that you've lost a lot of meat still stuck to the fish. To remove the skin/scales, lay the fillet skin down and run the knife the length of the fillet, keeping it as close to the skin as possible, thus wasting the least meat. Repeat with the other side. Each fish yields 2 fillets. Filleting is the best option with fish over 15 inches or so and leaves the least waste.
Another option popular with fish under 15 inches or so is to slice off the head after removing the organs. With catfish it's necessary to remove the skin, with trout, it typically cooks off nicely. The easiest way that I've encountered to remove the head and skin of a catfish is to nail the head directly to a board, slice the skin behind the gills around the head pry back the skin with a pair of pliers.
Hopefully I've been able to help you out, If not, feel free to ask me to clarify anything that may be foggy. Tell your little brother that I wish him the best of luck.
Thanks for asking,
Chris
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