This article was co-authored by Michael Reynolds and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Michael Reynolds is a Professional Fishing Instructor and the Owner of Long Beach, California Fishing Lessons by Michael Reynolds. In his over 40 years of fishing experience, Michael has become very knowledgeable about the variety of fishing methods and techniques. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge with beginners to experienced anglers. Michael has been guiding and teaching fishing for over five years and is licensed and bonded with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Trout is a delicately flavored species of fish that’s easy to prepare. If you’ve just caught trout or bought a whole fish at the market, you need to clean it and cut out the fillets. Luckily, trout are easy to gut and clean with just a fillet knife. Once you have your fillets, you’re ready to make a delicious meal!
Steps
Cleaning Your Trout
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1Descale your trout with the back of your knife. Lay your trout on a cutting board and hold it down by its tail. Scrape the backside of your knife from the tail towards the fish’s head. Continue doing this until you don’t lift up any more scales. Clean off your knife and flip the fish over to descale the other side.[1]
- You can also purchase a scaler from a kitchen goods store to descale fish.
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2Separate the fish’s gills from its jaw. Hold the trout over your sink with your non-dominant hand. Put your thumb in the gills of the fish on one side. With your other hand, put the tip of your fillet knife through the small area of skin holding the jaws to the rest of the body.[2]
- Keep your thumb away from the knife blade so you don’t accidentally cut yourself.
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3Cut up the stomach from the anus to the gills. Find the hole on the bottom of the fish near the tail. Stick your knife in through it and cut up the middle of the stomach toward the gills. When you reach the gills, use the tip of your thumb to break through the last bit of skin.[3]
- You can do this while holding the fish over your sink or make it easier by laying the fish down on your cutting board. Choose whichever way feels more comfortable to you.
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4Pull out the gills to remove the innards. Pinch the area where the gills meet in the middle between your fingers. Pull the gills down towards the tail to remove all of the trout’s entrails. Throw the entrails away once they’re removed.[4]
- Seal the entrails in a plastic bag before throwing them away so your garbage can doesn’t have a fishy odor.
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5Rinse out any blood and residue from inside your fish. Run the fish under a faucet to clean it. Make sure the water is tap cold so it doesn’t cook or change the texture of your fish. Use your fingers inside the stomach cavity to wipe any sand or grit that’s leftover.[5]
- Wear thin gloves if you don’t want to touch the inside of the fish directly.
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6Scrape out the mud vein using your thumb. The mud vein is found near the spine and will look brown in color. Stick your thumb into the trout’s chest cavity and use your nail to scrape it out. Work from the tail end towards the gills. Rinse your fish again to clean any residue from the vein.[6]
- If you don’t want to use your thumb, scrape the mud vein out with the edge of a spoon.
Cutting the Fillets
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1Pull the head back towards the spine to break the neck. Hold the trout’s head in one hand and bend it backward. The neck will pop apart from the rest of the spine so you can remove it easily.[7]
- Keep the head attached to the body. This will make it easier to remove the fins later on.
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2Slit underneath the ribs with a fillet knife to separate the bones from the meat. Start your blade on the inside of the fish near the head. Place the tip between the meat and ribs and slowly work your blade towards the tail. Keep the knife as close to the bones as possible so you don’t waste any of your fillet. Once you have one side finished, flip the fish over and cut the other side away from the ribs.[8]
- Trout are smaller fish, so use a blade that’s 4 inches (10 cm) or less so you have more control of where you’re cutting.
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3Poke the knife through the trout’s neck and cut along the spine. Pull the fillet away from the ribs and put your knife through the skin between the meat and the bones. Keep the blade as close to the spine as you can as you work the knife down through the tail. Flip your fish over and make the same cut on the opposite side. Once both sides are cut, pull the ribs out of the fish and throw them away.[9]
- Some small pin bones may stick in your fillet once it’s cut. Work the blade of your knife underneath the bones to cut them away.
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4Remove the front fins and head. Set the trout upside down so the meat of the fillets is facing up. Put your knife through the skin near the front of one fillet to cut the fin off. Pull the knife across the fish’s neck and the skin around the other fin to remove everything in one piece.[10]
- Throw the head away or use it to make fish stock.
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5Cut out the dorsal fin between the fillets. Run your knife along the top of each fillet where it connects to the dorsal fin. Once you cut each side, pull the fin out and throw it away. Leave the skin on the fillet for when you cook your trout, regardless of whether you try smoking, grilling or pan-frying it.[11]
Easy Recipe for Baked Trout
1. Line a baking pan with foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil on it.
2. Place your fillets skin side down on the foil before sprinkling them with salt.
3. Place lemon slices and fresh dill on the fish and wrap the foil around it.
4. Put the fish in an oven at 350 °F (177 °C) for 10-12 minutes.
5. Serve the fillets while they're hot.[12]
Community Q&A
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QuestionDo you have to scale the fish before filleting it?
Community AnswerYes, the usual practice is to scale your fish before filleting it. While some fish, such as salmon, can be eaten with the scale, for a fish fillet preparation, you need to remove all scales. -
QuestionCould I cook trout over a camp fire?Community AnswerYes. It cooks very quickly this way and tastes great.
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QuestionWhat percentage of the trout can be removed as fillet? Example, if the trout weighs three pounds when caught, how much can be dressed out as fillet?
Community AnswerProbably about two pounds can be eaten which is everything but the head, bones, and entrails. .
Warnings
- Cut away from your body when working with a fillet knife.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Always use a sharp knife. You’re more likely to hurt yourself if your blade is dull.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You’ll Need
Cleaning Your Trout
- Cutting board
- Fillet knife
- Sink
Cutting the Fillets
- Cutting board
- Fillet knife
References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZiGEN2F_spc?t=1m21s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZSCPuTahQQQ?t=10s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZSCPuTahQQQ?t=27s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZSCPuTahQQQ?t=38s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZSCPuTahQQQ?t=44s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZSCPuTahQQQ?t=48s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/4c0AZFz6rjU?t=58s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/4c0AZFz6rjU?t=1m4s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/4c0AZFz6rjU?t=1m31s
About This Article
Before you fillet a trout, descale it with a knife and remove the gills and innards. Then, pull the head back toward the spine to break the neck. Next, cut under the ribs with the knife to separate the bones from the meat, starting near the head and working down toward the tail on each side. Repeat the process on the top of the fish, this time cutting along each side of the spine. When you're finished, pull out the ribs and remove the front fins and head. Finally, cut out the dorsal fin that's between the fillets. To learn how to clean a trout before filleting it, keep reading!
