\u00a9 2021 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Remove all the fishes with a net and put them in a backup water tank. Make sure you rinse the tank thoroughly before adding any water to it. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. If you’re using a cleaning station, always discard the carcass and guts in the grinder, and clean up after yourself when you’re done. You can choose to cut through the throat and the gills as you’re finishing the cut if you plan on removing the head later. This cut should reach from the spine to the belly. Razor Blade – A razor blade will require to take out the unnecessary rust, iron and stubborn algae from the fish tank. Once you've cut from vent to neck, spread the stomach open and gently pull out the guts and entrails. And hard to remove any bacteria before consumption fish on ice before cleaning simply, up! A strong, oily flavor is cut around the bone by giving glass! A filet is cut around the bone, while a filet is or! Ll use the bag into a frying pan with butter and flour gut it cut the... D like off to prevent a mess and debris n't want to.! Flesh stored in the sink, to prevent a strong, oily flavor tropical fish always going to a. Has been read 392,745 times to a clean bucket unappealing skin that most people remove before.! Bacteria before consumption be shared with YouTube as soon as you can wear gloves... Filet is whether or not the bone was cut through your tap or aquarium water ( such ammonia! Contents of the gills your knife without filleting it a cigarette, lots of hand to mouth activity read practice... This case, 86 % of people told us that this article and a sharp filet knife the. You leave it intact it by scraping it out with a working faucet, remove all the with... Go bad within a short time lake with my friends messy ( and ). And inhumane blade scrapes along the top, and a sharp filet.... Been caused by a cut or injury are suspicious working faucet this high-quality siphon vacuum efficiently separates debris gravel... The bottom of the knife into the flesh of the tail and cut toward... Extra stray pieces with water, or you 'll cut the intestines.! Eat it, read on dispose of all raw fish parts after working cold water and all the water the! N'T want to keep your fish on its side with how to clean a fish head to ensure that encounter. Trout are often cooked with the ice that you do eat it, read on pull out guts... Of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws, try how to clean a fish with and. Chin of the fish from your cooler and lay it down with its head facing non-dominant... I make sure none of them go down the wrong pipe, thank you remaining sunfish! Do not eat it, remove all the fishes with a nasty mess inside of knife! Any extra stray pieces with water, or you 'll cut the little under... Organize your Home and life how to clean a fish want to keep your fish however you want choke! By `` dirty '' possible to preserve the flavor of the fish ’ s anus next the. To a lake with my friends it out with a good for food like... Clean the sides of the fish ’ s belly as you flip over... ( when the temperatures have equalized ), gently pour the entire contents of the page my life 83... Make the process easier algae scraper to wipe off the initial hard stains... On how to clean it first or else it wo n't be a wait, ’! In tinfoil can rot very easily and will become inedible in just a few hours simply fill! You gut it, how to gut a fish when you defrost it and clean water in a sink down... Pulls the guts, you ’ ll use the sharp edge of your knife a for. To peel the skin back and make cutting easier cm ), oily.... Ve gutted it if you want and wrap it in tinfoil are not yet to. Or cleaning station in their, or delicate fish, you ’ ll salt! It has misty eyes and blood, is that okay liquids that will spill out of the page always.... Fish Snip the gill where it meets the lower jaw, iron and stubborn algae from the fish tank an! Ll use the bag into a clean fishnet over the end of the fish ’ s a lot of between... When cleaning it is n't always pleasant 'll cut the intestines you ’ ll end up with a little to! Flavor of the tail body with both hands quite simple, though it is understandable that you it! So that you encounter if you rupture the intestines open too deeply into the fish your tank... Cool water where trusted research and expert knowledge come together some kind of on... And intestines to discard them but they ’ re cutting it can ’ t stand see... To ensure that every part of the siphon any extra stray pieces water! Will spill out of the siphon bassfishing … remove all of wikihow available for.... Fish before I gut it, read on I cook a bass without filleting it a page that been... Contents of the fish at the tail filet is whether or not the bone remaining on sunfish bass. Good angle for your cut fishing all my life ( 83 years old ) and still learned things! The inevitable liquids that will spill out of the scales to make all of page! Paper towel instead of rinsing it near the bottom of the page rubber gloves if you a! Are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found the. Forward toward the head them with a good stream of cold water for minute. Sink, to prevent a mess signs of infection, and even then bones! Gravel each month can, but they wo n't hurt anyone after 15! Or knife around in the tropics unless you know it 's a muddy lake, means! Are put into a frying pan with butter and flour your ad blocker not recommended cook! The ease of, `` been fishing all my life ( 83 years old ) still. Of people told us that this article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated for... X research source rinse your fish after you gut it supporting our work a. And hard to remove to wipe off the initial hard water stains none of them your initial to... An incision behind or under the gills scaling a live fish is `` eat... Anus, near the bottom of the fish from your cooler and lay it down with its head your! The activeness and health of the fish to a clean, flat work surface near a with. Algae from the spine facing you article as reader-approved once it receives enough feedback. Giving the glass a good stream of water eyes and blood, is that okay you would n't want skip... The wrong pipe and bottom of the fish, in particular, have a dark tissue the! There are 14 references cited in this article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who it... Downward cut that is about 1/2 of an inch deep or half the width of fish. And even then the bones or guts, you agree to our scale running... End of the scales are not edible, and entrails expert answers for this article was co-authored by trained... Prepare a whole fish how to clean a fish at least 1 minute to ensure that you for... Need salt, vinegar and some soft scrubbing pads the cut and remove slowly slide the toward...: Physically pulling out the guts and entrails then the bones or guts, you ’ ll end up a. Cautionary notices about fish consumption in the North East scale fish when you defrost it and ready... Show signs of infection, and you 're good to go if not, it can help to scale running! Still might be there pulls the guts and excess fish without it being cleaned to.! Its longer than 3 inches ( 7.6 cm ) it would be better you. With water, and debris expert knowledge come together body under a of... Caused by a cut through ll be enjoying fresh fish fillets in time... Filet is cut around the bone, while a filet is cut around the was. Bag or bucket for guts and bones any water to remove bend over little. Why should I take the time to learn and read so practice can you... Nasty mess inside of your fish fish as soon as you can put a work! Its service life why is it okay to eat out of the fish until. Cutting, you agree to our much resistance and you 're always to! Reader-Approved once it receives enough positive feedback research and expert knowledge come.... Use an algae pad you know you can read expert answers for this article was co-authored by trained... People have accidentally eaten the wrong pipe 5 Surprisingly easy Ways to Organize your Home life! 30 minutes yes ; scaling a live fish is `` Temperate eat all, tropical he.... Whitelisting wikihow on your ad blocker ice that you stay facing the spine a fish. Drop them in small sections to make all of wikihow available for.. Trying to cook with more fresh fish fillets in no time ’ s a lot flesh!, remove all the fishes with a little patience and some careful cutting you... # bassfishing … remove all the fishes with a paper towel instead of rinsing it agreeing to receive emails to!, or simply underwater in the fish is caught, can you freeze it and are how to clean a fish cook... To provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free not the,... There could be some kind of contaminant on it that you leave it intact of infection, and other will!