how to clean a fish

Clean a Fish

You've played, now you must pay. Before you enjoy the sublime taste of fresh-caught fish, you have to clean and prepare it. It's an easy process, and a necessary one.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fish
• Boning Knives
• Cutting Boards
• Fish Scalers

1. • 1
     Wash the fish using fresh tap water. Avoid cleaning fish with lake or stream water, as it can sometimes contain contaminants.
   • 2
     

     Remove scales by scraping the fish with a fish scaler or the dull edge of a knife. Use short strokes from tail to head. If you plan to skin the fish before cooking, this step is not necessary.
   • 3
     

     Make a cut from the gills to the vent.
   • 4
     

     Remove the entrails with your fingers. Check the cavity carefully to make sure everything's been removed.
   • 5
     Rinse the cavity well.
   • 6
     If cooking the fish whole, remove the dorsal fin by cutting along each side of it and carefully pulling the fin out with pliers.
   • 7
     Wash the fish inside and out with cold, fresh water. Store the fish covered with clean ice that can drain from the container as it melts

Tips & Warnings

• It's best to clean fish as soon as possible after they come out of the water.
• When storing cleaned fish on ice, don't allow melted water to touch the fish. Drain or discard the excess water as the ice melts.
• Store the fish with the cavity facing down, so that water doesn't pool in the cavity.
• Don't trim the fins before removing them, because bones at the base of the fins could be left inside the fish.