As a beginner fisherman or fisherwoman, it is easy to get into the excitement of reeling in an 8 pound wallet, or fighting back and forth with a Northern. What happens after you make the catch? The following instructions will give you a basic look at how to fillet and prepare a fish for cooking. No matter the method you choose for cooking the fish, freshly caught fish are a delicious treat while camping or even in the comfort of your own home. Due to the use of knives and cutting into live animals, I suggest that any user be at least 13 years old. This is also intended for beginners; it is a simple, basic guide, taking about 15 minutes to complete.
Note: Because of my geographic region and time of year, I will be using a Tilapia. The cleaning of other fish may be more difficult or incur specific changes. For example, cleaning a Northern is much more difficult due to the amount and placement of their bones.
Note: Because of my geographic region and time of year, I will be using a Tilapia. The cleaning of other fish may be more difficult or incur specific changes. For example, cleaning a Northern is much more difficult due to the amount and placement of their bones.
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MATERIALS:
* Fillet Knife
* Cutting board (at least the length of the fish; double the length will work best)
* Fish
* Bowl of Cold water
WARNING: The use of a sharp knife is dangerous, but a dull knife is even more dangerous. Make sure your knife is sharp and follow proper knife safety (http://busycooks.about.com/od/howtocook/a/kitchenknife_2.htm); always keep fingers out of the projection of the knife.
* Fillet Knife
* Cutting board (at least the length of the fish; double the length will work best)
* Fish
* Bowl of Cold water
WARNING: The use of a sharp knife is dangerous, but a dull knife is even more dangerous. Make sure your knife is sharp and follow proper knife safety (http://busycooks.about.com/od/howtocook/a/kitchenknife_2.htm); always keep fingers out of the projection of the knife.
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step one catch fish
step two get hot clean water and add soap
just kidding nice 'ible
Gutting and whole roasting or baking or coal searing is much better... fish meat changes phenomenally when it transistions to "cooked". VERY easy to pull off the bones when cooked. I HATE wasting all that meat when I filet a fish. been baking the whole thing more and more lately.
And no, I am nowhere near the spiritual green-freak fellow who posted before me about kindness to the fish. I just see no point in being painful to the fish, plus, it's a waste of tasty meat! Six of one, half-dozen of the other.
I agree with you regarding the best use of the fish or any animal and not wasting when it can be avoided.
I would also like to add that I ride dirt bikes (well over 100 mph off road), shoot high powered weapons, and have hunted big game from primitive camps up in the Rocky Mountains. Therefore, I would not want to be taken as a spiritual green-freak. Having said that, I also strongly advocate killing my game as quickly and cleanly as possible. That is out of respect for animals, and out of self respect as well.
Part of a man's character may be judged by how he treats living creatures over whom he has absolute power.....
All the best to you!
I have a two cut technique I use on Pike.
If the knife slips at the tail and cuts the fillet with the skin on I use a fork to hold the skin as I separate the meat from the skin.
Joe
Normally I would use this technique with a wallet. Its probably not the fastest or most efficient, but it works well with limited resources when you want to bread and fry your fish while camping.
Joe
shouldn't be too hard to fillet but cooking could pressent a problem
It is good to see anything that will help folks get into, understand, enjoy, and profit from fishing.
I would like to put in a word for dispatching fish humanely as well as barbless hooks and catch and release fishing,
A blow to the back of the fish's skull above the gills with a club or rock is usually best for larger (1 lb and larger) fish. With many fish the eyes will stop moving and be 'centered' and the fish will quiver and stop thrashing. Repeat as necessary to ensure a quick death. Smaller fish are best killed with a knife point into the top of the skull between the eyes.
Remember you are killing a living thing and it should be done swiftly and well and with respect to the animal and resource.
Place the fish (filleted, whole or gutted) in a cooler on top of ice and out of any water, which will degrade the meat. You can also slide the fish into sealable plastic bags to ensure freshness and no contamination in the cooler. Keeps the cooler fresher, too.
Barbless hooks do less damage to fish you will release alive and they are much easier to remove from the fish as well as fingers, neck and Rottweiler's ears (ask me how I know that!) They often work better than barbed hooks and are much safer around pets and kids.
Keep only fish that you or others will use fresh. It is the best tasting and too many fish get left in the freezer and get freezer burned and end up being discarded later. What a waste!
moral to the story, kids.......
''dont judge a book by its cover''
I think its considered animal crualty
I should look it up
In the unlikely instance that you are actually serious, no, it is not considered animal cruelty and it is not illegal. I believe it is more humane to filet as you catch. Not only is the meat fresher (my benefit), but I think it is more humane than throwing the fish in an ice chest to slowly die on ice.
That more than likely is going to depend on where you live and where you fish. Private lakes (and those ran by recreation departments) will have their own rules, but legalities will definitely be brought to a state level, and even to a more local level.
I predominantly fish in salt water in the Gulf. If I catch 100 trout, filet them, and throw their bodies and innards in the water, they will be washed out and consumed by scavengers (sharks, catfish, crabs, etc). In a lake, turtles and snakes may take care of a good portion of that but I could not imagine what it would be like if everyone did it and the ecosystem was not strong enough to support the cleanup as it is in the Gulf (or Ocean). In that case, I could see local municipalities placing regulations on it....