How To Clean a Fish - E

How To Clean a Fish
By: Jacob Wisser
This guide provides comprehensive instructions on how to remove the entrails of a fish
and prepare it for cooking. Cleaning and filleting your own fish is the best way to get the
freshest fish and is a great way to eat healthily and happily. Before you get started, you’ll
need a few things: a fish (easier said than done), a fillet knife, and a workspace
(preferably outside). This guide does not assume any prior knowledge of the reader, but
there is an appendix with a glossary and diagram of a trout for reference. Once you
become comfortable with the process, it can take as little as 5 minutes per fish, however
the first few times will likely take 15-30 minutes per fish.
CAUTION: Fillet knives are extremely sharp, and are meant to cut skin.
Before attempting this task, be sure that you are comfortable with the knife.
CAUTION: Some fish may have spines that can be very painful. Pay extra
attention when cleaning panfish, catfish, or perch
What You’ll Need:
1. A fish- this guide is made for freshwater fish with scales (trout, bass, etc.),
although the principles are universal
2. A fillet knife- if a fillet knife is not available then any sharp, skinny, un-serrated
knife will work.
3. Knife sharpener
4. A water source- hose or faucet, depending on location
5. Newspapers- for the easy cleanup and disposal of entrails
6. A table- folding tables are useful because they can easily be moved outside
7. Fillet board (optional)- contains a tail clamp to steady the fish through the process
8. Gloves (optional)- some fish have sharp fins that can break skin
Before You Start
Fish meat goes bad shortly after death, so
be sure to keep your fish alive on a
stringer (a string placed through the gills
of fish that keeps them from swimming
away) until the end of your trip and then
pack them on ice afterwards. If you live
far away from your fishing spot, clean the
fish on site, and then pack them on ice.
Figure 1: Two fish being kept alive on a stringer
Preparation
1. Set up your workspace.
Perform the process outside for easy clean up, and lay newspapers over the table in
order to dispose of innards.
2. Be sure that your knife is sufficiently sharp.
Sharpen your knife using a whetstone or commercial knife sharpener. The knife is
sharp enough when it can slice the edge of a piece of paper with relatively little force.
A dull knife will make this process very difficult!
CAUTION: Fillet knives are designed to take skin off meat. Exercise
caution when handling sharp knives.
3. Lay a fish on the cutting board.
Face the head towards your non-dominant hand, and place the fish’s tail in the tail
clamp if you have a fillet board.
CAUTION: Check to see if your fish has any spines on its fins,
particularly the dorsal fin. Avoid these in the coming steps.
Scaling The Fish
1. Grab the fish’s head with your
non-dominant hand, place the back
of the blade at the tail of the fish and
move against the scales to remove
them.
Use many short strokes of the knife
until you remove all of the scales.
2. Turn the fish over and repeat the
process.
Be sure to remove the scales around
the pectoral and dorsal fins, and up the
throat
Figure 2: Movement for scaling a fish
CAUTION: Move the knife with enough force to remove the scales and no
more. Too much force causes scales to fly off, posing a danger to the eyes.
3. Rinse the fish under a faucet or hose to remove loose scales.
Do not use high water pressure, as this can damage the meat.
4. Place the fish back in the cooler and repeat this process for the next fish.
Cleaning the Fish
1. Remove a fish from the cooler and
face the head towards your nondominant hand.
2. While holding the fish’s head,
insert the fillet knife into the vent of
the fish (see appendix), which is near
the base of the tail.
3. Slice the fish from the vent to the
bottom of the head, moving between
the two pelvic and pectoral fins.
For easier clean up, take care not to
pierce any of the internal organs.
Figure 3: Movement for opening the fish’s
body cavity
4. Remove the entrails.
You can use either your hands or the
knife, but be sure to remove all of the
innards. Scrape the spine of the fish to
remove any excess entrails.
5. Rinse the inside of the fish.
Again, do not use high water pressure,
just enough to clean out any remaining
entrails.
Figure 4: Removal of the entrails
Removing the Fins and Tail
NOTE: If you plan on filleting the fish, do not remove the head, tail, and fins
quite yet. Otherwise, continue.
6. Remove all fins, including the tail.
Do not simply clip off the fins with the
knife; be sure to make a shallow cut
into the fish to remove the whole fin.
7. Remove the head.
Make a slanting cut on each side of the
fish between the gills and the pectoral
fins. Then, twist off the head.
Figure 5: Making a “V-cut” on both sides of
the fish for easy removal of the head
After you repeat this process for each fish, you are ready to fillet your fish, which is
beyond the scope of this guide, or start cooking if you don’t mind picking through bones.
If this process was difficult, this was most likely the result of a dull knife. If you had to
use excessive force to cut open the fish, they you need to sharpen your knife. Now you
are ready to clean up, which simply involves disposing of the newspapers lining the table.
When you are ready to cook the fish, you can find a variety of recipes online involving
pan frying, baking, or grilling. Cleaning and cooking your own freshly caught fish is an
excellent way to get recommended nutrients on a budget.
Appendix
Operculum- bony flap that covers the fish’s gills
Lateral line- main bloodline in the fish
Dorsal fin- large fin situated on the spine of the fish
Pectoral fins- two fins on either side of the fish below the gills
Pelvic fins- situated towards the bottom of the fish on either side of the vent
Vent- rectum (this is where you will make the first cut)
Anal fin- additional fin below the vent
Adipose fin- fin at the base of the tail
Caudal fin- referred to as the tail in this guide
Image Credits
1. http://www.practical-fishing-tips.com/image-files/fish-stringer-2.jpg
2. http://www.wikihow.com/Clean/Gut-a-Fish
3. http://fishpathogens.net/gallery/host
4. http://www.thecpapshop.com/media/wysiwyg/Caution_2.jpg