How to Clean a Trout
Tuesday, 27 March 2007To clean a trout, you must first scale it. For this, you will need a board with a clip to hold the tail. If there’s no clip, you can hold the tail using your bare hands. The dull side of a good short knife can be used as a fish scaler. Scrape the scales, starting from the tail to the gills several times on both sides.
Next, you will have to gut the trout. For this step, you will again need your trusty knife, preferably a sharp, short bladed knife. A short blade will give you better control than a long one. The first slice you will make is at the gill level from the belly side, which will result in a cut between the tongue and the jawbone. Be careful not to cut through the spine. Place one or two fingers inside the mouth with the palm of your hand firmly pressed on its head and your thumb in the gill to hold it steady. Carefully slit the trout’s belly, beginning at the anal area and making your way towards the gills. Make sure you do not cut into the guts themselves. Keep your knife under the fish’s skin. To pull the guts out, hold the fish under the jaw with your thumb and your index finger in the mouth. Firmly pull the guts out. Use your thumb to scrape along the spine in the gut cavity to clean the rest out.
The final step is up to you. You may choose to behead the trout or keep the head firmly in place. To cut the head, you would of course need your dependable knife once again. Rinse it first before you start chopping. To chop the head off, hold the fish firmly in the middle with your thumb in the gut cavity, and the rest of your hand coiled around it. Place your fish head down on the cutting board. Using your knife, slice through the spine at the fish’s gill area. It is better to do this with the gut cavity up. When this is done, clean the trout under the water and you can proceed to cook it!
A 2 to 4-lb. trout is the best size for baking. Bigger ones don’t taste as well. Cleaning a trout can be just as rewarding as trying to catch it. It is, after all, the final step before you get to eat this delicious treat!
Related Stories
- Keeping your fishing reel clean
- Rainbow Trout in Diamond Lake
- The Best Bait for Trout Fishing
- Trout Fishing anyone?
- Fishing for Sea Trout
- Alaska Trout Fishing
- Arkansas Trout Fishing
- Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing
- Lake Trout Fishing Lures
- Spotted Sea Trout Fishing
