How To Fillet Fish After Catching It Fishing is great homesteading skill that homesteaders of both genders should invest in learning. Whether you have just caught a fish yourself or prefer to buy your fish whole from the grocery store, filleting one is easier than you may think. The technique is similar no matter what type of fish you are preparing.

Filleting a fish is an easy task, but it can be messy. You have to prepare your work area for easy cleanup. Lining the cutting board with a butcher paper will be helpful. Also, place a clean plate near the workspace for keeping the fillets. A fillet knife is perfect for this task. The White Lux or Victorinox knives with their rounded tips are preferable. Their sharp blades of about six to seven inches enable you to cut fish’s flesh from the bone neatly.

Besides, longer blades are ideal for skinning fishes. Before use, sharpen the knife with a steel sharpener. This tool doesn’t facilitate the wearing of the knife’s edge. However, you can use a whetstone to sharpen and restore the edge of a blunt blade. Always wash, dry and steel the knife after use.

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You may find it difficult to remove the second fillet from the fish. The method recommended here will help you to complete the chore quickly. The first fillet remains attached to the backbone preventing it from collapsing onto the second side of the fish. Before filleting, rinse the fish in cold water and place it horizontally on the cutting board.

Cut off the head diagonally behind the gills. With the tail end facing you, place the knife above the fins and cut downwards. When the blade touches the backbone, cut over it and stop at the tail. Repeat the technique on the other side. Remove the tail and separate the fillets from the backbone.

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