Here Is My Way To Clean Trout.

[Clayton Will]

My way to clean trout.

[John W Kelly]

Thanks for sharing!

[Seth]

I run the knife up the belly, cut the gills, run my finger along the back bone to bust the blood line and pull out the guts, grab the head and bend it back and peel it and the skin off all at once. I'll fillet the meat off after that. I've tried filleting with the skin still on and then skimming it afterwards but I can't get the hang of it. I've been doing it this way for years and I can fillet them as faster or faster than people who do it with the skin on and then skim it off after removing the fillet.

[dave potts]

I run the knife up the belly, cut the gills, run my finger along the back bone to bust the blood line and pull out the guts, grab the head and bend it back and peel it and the skin off all at once. I'll fillet the meat off after that. I've tried filleting with the skin still on and then skimming it afterwards but I can't get the hang of it. I've been doing it this way for years and I can fillet them as faster or faster than people who do it with the skin on and then skim it off after removing the fillet.

I saw a guide in Arkansas do it this way years ago. Works really well. Best way to skin a trout I ever saw but it takes a little practice and is best done when the trout are fresh.

Dave

[Wayne SW/MO]

It also helps to have gloves. A pair of jersey gloves work fine and can be washed.

[moguy1973]

I run the knife up the belly, cut the gills, run my finger along the back bone to bust the blood line and pull out the guts, grab the head and bend it back and peel it and the skin off all at once. I'll fillet the meat off after that. I've tried filleting with the skin still on and then skimming it afterwards but I can't get the hang of it. I've been doing it this way for years and I can fillet them as faster or faster than people who do it with the skin on and then skim it off after removing the fillet.

This is the way I've done it for years also. I got to the point of not even worrying about the blood line since I only filleted them anyways.

Another good tip is to cut off the pectoral and dorsal fins before you try skinning them. The skin will leave the flesh easier without tearing the meat that is around the fins. Easier to skin them while holding them underwater also (I usually did all this right in the stream before I left for the day)

I saw a guide in Arkansas do it this way years ago. Works really well. Best way to skin a trout I ever saw but it takes a little practice and is best done when the trout are fresh.

Dave

Definitely easier to skin when they are fresh and haven't been dead for a while.

[Seth]

I saw a guide in Arkansas do it this way years ago. Works really well. Best way to skin a trout I ever saw but it takes a little practice and is best done when the trout are fresh.

Dave

Very good point! If you've been dragging them around in the heat all day, you can forget about cleaning them this way. The head will pop off and you will have to use pliars or just fillet and remove the skin afterwards.

[Seth]

This is the way I've done it for years also. I got to the point of not even worrying about the blood line since I only filleted them anyways.

Another good tip is to cut off the pectoral and dorsal fins before you try skinning them. The skin will leave the flesh easier without tearing the meat that is around the fins. Easier to skin them while holding them underwater also (I usually did all this right in the stream before I left for the day)

Definitely easier to skin when they are fresh and haven't been dead for a while.

I'll have to remember to try that.