Cleaning / filleting that catfish
Many folks love to go "fishing" and most of all "catching". Now that you got'em in the boat,
It is time to clean'em.
These pictures may help you some, When you have alot of smaller keeper size approx 13 " to 18" catfish to clean, most of us fillet them.
a nail, pliers, skining them, whats that?
This is the first cut, just at a slight angle across the body, from the top fin, to the bottom fin, along the rib cage.( some folks like to cut through the ribs, that is personal preference, I take the knife and follow the rib cage)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...tfirrstcut.jpg
After the first cut along the rib cage,. go down and angle the knife until you feel the back bone of the fish, by now the knife should be almost flat on the back bone. work your knife toward the tail following the back bone.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...lwbackbone.jpg
As you get close to the tail STOP, just short of cutting the skin all the way through.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...etstoptail.jpg
Now, lay the fillet over the tail and hold the head of the catfish, take your knife and gently start cutting , with the blade almost horizontal
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...illetbegin.jpg
Move the knife toward the end of the fillet away from you.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...tfollwskin.jpg
Now you are done Catfish Fillet !!!!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...shedfillet.jpg
As you are cleaning your catch, put the fillets in a tub or bucket of water and let them soak as you are cleaning them. This keeps the blood from drying on the meat, especially during the summer months.
This is not the absolute way to fillet a catfish but it works, with some practice and a few butcher jobs you will get ot down.
Good luck, keep your fingers, and maybe keep some band-aides handy.
One of Our responsibilities that comes with fishing is what we do after we catch them.
One topic that is always in limbo is how to clean a fish and what to do afterwards.
Often times a question goes unanswered because we are afraid to ask it, especially when it comes to fishing and hunting .It is the "Macho" thing, we are supposed to already know these things and don't dare ask , as it is assumed that we all should already know.
One issue that has come up recently is disposal of our fish after we clean them. It is also Our responsibility to properly dispose of the carcasses after cleaning them.
We recently lost a valuable asset on Lake Conroe, which was the cleaning station at the Anchorage.
Many times stinking fish are found around the lakes. Some of the reasons is that the air bladder was not destroyed enabling the carcass to sink to the bottom.
Keep in mind also, that even when we think the air bladder has been punctured the fish may still float, due to an air pocket.
Sometimes the fish are thrown back into the water after cleaning, and the Angler, innocently did not know that if the air bladder is cut that it will assist with the carcass going to the bottom.
Attached are some photos that may assist in locating the bladder on a channel catfish.
Keep in mind that local rules and laws may dictate whether the cleaned carcass can be disposed of back into the lake.
Look at the white membrane tissue also known as the bladder
http://img25.photobucket.com/albums/...airbladder.jpg
This photo may assist in locating the air bladder
http://img25.photobucket.com/albums/...airbladder.jpg
This is a common practice used in puncturing or cutting the air bladder
As shown in the picture that is a channel catfish, you can see the white air ballon type bladder.
On a blue catfish, there is a second chamber of the air bladder, further back in the body cavity.
Most people are not aware of that and when they cut or puncture the blue catfish in the same area as they would on a channel catfish, the second chamber is often missed. Thus, you got a floater if it is discarded back into the lake.
If you fillet the channels and the blues by cutting down through the rib cage, then turn the knife toward the tale the air bladder and secondary chamber is usually destroyed.
I don't cut down through the rib cage because it adds more wear to the blade.
Keep in mind this will not always insure that the carcass will sink. It is your responsibility to dispose of the carcass, even if it calls for getting back in the boat and scooping up the floaters and disposing of them.
This may sound redundant to some , but there are those folks that honestly do not know.
NOTE:The San Jacinto River Authority prohibits discarding or deposting refuse into Lake Conroe.
Although, it has been a common practice over the years, by many, to throw the carcasses back into the lake, after cleaning them. I would not recommend doing so.
I will add photos on removing the shoulder nuggets and the belly meat also. Thank you
