What is the best technique for filleting a fish?

Answer 1

my dad always chops off the head, then grabs the tail and runs the knife from the tail to the missing head part while holding the tail, flips that section over and slides the knife between the meat and the skin. Then flips the fish over and does the other side.

Then he soaks the meat in saltwater.

But thats for the little fish. He caught this big old catfish today that I have no clue what he was gonna do with.

Answer 2

Cut straight in perpendicular to the legnth of the fish right behind it's ...ear? (small side fin behind the gills) Then turn knife to run legnthwise right along the backbone and ribcage straight all the way to the tail. Do this on both sides and when you are done you will have a contact carcass to toss. The head, bones, and ribcage with guts stay all together (less mess) and you have two sides of solid mostly boneless (if you do it right) meat. Lots of practice on salmon here!!

Answer 3

It depends on what kind of fish. Different fish have different bones and such. For example with Northerns they have the "Y bone" that has to be removed others don't. With any fish though you wanna get the most meat possible so the closer you cut to the skin the better.

Answer 4

hard to say
cut deep behind head then poke blade thru slicing down toward ribs cut it till blade hits ribs then bounce (slice) untill you are past the ribs it will go all the way thru fish then just slice the rest of meat off. You now have filet no bone unles its a pike flip it over so skin scales are down then with one finger hold at tail and cut meat off skin
takes practice

Answer 5

The electric knife is your best bet.
Lay the fish on it's side...........saw into the "neck" area and let the knife cut next to the ribs all the way to the tail.........now flip........

oh, hell, bring the fish over here and let me SHOW YOU...
and then I'll show you how to cook it, too!

Crappie and Cat are the best --- but I take every legal sand bass I can catch!

Answer 6

It depends on the fish and how you want to cook it! Provide that information and I'll give you a more descriptive answer.

Answer 7

yes a very good knife..make you be able to cut closer and keep most of the bones out

Answer 8

Make sure you have a boning knife. To get the bones out.

Answer 9

use a spoon to remove the scales and then use a "gut hook" knife to clean it

Answer 10

http://busycooks.about.com/cs/cookingmethods/ht/filletfish.htm