How to Fillet a Fish

Step by step

You’ll need: Sharp fillet knife, Cutting board, Paper towel or fillet glove, Bowl of cold water or ice.

1. Set up

   Lay the fish on its side on a clean, stable board. Dry your hands or wear a fillet glove so the fish doesn't slip.

2. Make the first cut

   Cut just behind the gill plate and pectoral fin, angling slightly toward the head, down to the backbone. Don't cut through the spine.

3. Turn the blade

   Turn the knife so the blade lies flat against the backbone, pointing toward the tail.

4. Run along the backbone

   Use long, smooth strokes to slide the blade along the backbone to the tail. Let the flex of the blade ride over the bones.

5. Free the fillet

   Lift the fillet and cut around or under the rib cage. For small fish, you can cut the ribs off the fillet afterwards.

6. Skin the fillet

   Lay the fillet skin-side down. Cut down to the skin at the tail, then hold the skin and slide the blade forward, keeping it almost flat against the skin.

7. Repeat and rinse

   Flip the fish and repeat on the other side. Rinse fillets in cold water, pat dry and refrigerate or put on ice.

What knife do you need to fillet a fish?

Use a thin, flexible fillet knife about the same length as the fish is wide, plus a bit. A 6–7 inch blade suits most panfish, trout and walleye. Salmon and big saltwater fish need 8–9 inches or more.

A sharp knife is safer than a dull one: it needs less force, so it is less likely to slip.

Common mistakes

Most wasted meat comes from a few avoidable errors.

• Sawing back and forth instead of using long strokes
• Using a dull blade, which tears the flesh
• Pressing too hard against the backbone and cutting through bones
• Angling the blade up when skinning, which leaves meat on the skin

How to fillet different kinds of fish

The basic method works for most fish, but a few common species need small changes.

• Panfish (crappie, bluegill, perch): use a short, flexible 5–7" blade. Many anglers fillet with the skin on, then skin each small fillet. An electric knife speeds up big batches.
• Walleye and bass: the standard method works well. Remove the thin strip of rib bones from each fillet, and cut out the 'Y' bones near the top of pike if you clean those too.
• Catfish: the skin is tough and slippery. Many anglers skin catfish first with pliers, then fillet. A stiffer blade helps through the thicker meat.
• Salmon and trout: use an 8–9" blade for big salmon. Pull the row of pin bones with pliers or tweezers after filleting.
• Flatfish (flounder, halibut): they have four fillets, two per side. Cut down the center line to the backbone, then work each fillet out toward the edge.

How to keep fillets fresh

Cold is everything. Put fish on ice as soon as you can, fillet within a few hours, then rinse fillets in cold water and pat them dry.

Store fresh fillets in the coldest part of the fridge and cook them within a day or two, or vacuum-seal and freeze them for longer storage.

Common questions