? for the catfishermen

[beardedBrazos]

I have always struggled with fileting catfish, especially after they've been on ice. I take my electric knife and cut in towards the head till I hit spine, then turn and run down the spine all the way to the tail. no problems. then, however hard I try I can never seem to get the skin of. I try to just cut the filet of the skin like a bass or crappie and end up cutting through it or leaving big strips of skin on the filet. what am I doing wrong???

any advise?

[cripsol]

Buy some catfish skinners. Skin them then filet them.

[beardedBrazos]

I thought about that. I was hoping there was a quicker way though. lol

[Fargus]

Buy some catfish skinners. Skin them then filet them.

Skinning them this way is pretty quick once you get the hang of it. One trick I learned is to make a shallow cut angling down and back from right behind the head. Doing it this way, I can usually get each side in one piece.

[ByronF]

Use a real fillet knife. I have tried with an electric knife and can't do it, use my non electric fillet knife and I can fillet them as fast as trout.

[AntlerCollector]

An electric fillet knife is very difficult for taking the skin off catfish. You either have to lose a little meat on the skin to ensure you don't cut it or use a real fillet knife. If I'm only doing a few fish, i break out the old fillet knife. If I'm doing a mess of fish, i have my boys skin them while I run the electric knife.

[bmactx67]

Skinning them first is how we have done it. It seems to be the easiest, especially when you have someone cutting and skinning and another person filleting.

[gusman]

I do it with electric knife no problems, never done it after fish has been on ice though most of mine are still alive when they hit my cleaning table..if your fish don't lay flat and your knife can't lay flat on table you probably gonna cut through the skin..

[Chef]

Good knife and practice.

[BradBryant1000]

I do it with electric knife no problems, never done it after fish has been on ice though most of mine are still alive when they hit my cleaning table..if your fish don't lay flat and your knife can't lay flat on table you probably gonna cut through the skin..

X2.

[denowt]

I usually use an electric knife.
What I have found is if I "push" the knife too fast, it'll cut through the skin.
If I ease it down, it usually does good with minimal meat left on skin.

I do agree that a regular knife seems to work better though.

I've never tried skinning them, so I can't say either way on that.

[doole44]

Skinning them first is how we have done it. It seems to be the easiest, especially when you have someone cutting and skinning and another person filleting.

X2...

[gusman]

Good knife and practice.

X2

[NelsonV]

I just cleaned about 60 catfish with an electric knife. Didn't have one issue. I've never had an issue with them. Just take it easy and let the knife do the work.

[beardedBrazos]

ok some good ideas here. now to catch the fish.....im about to make some jugs out of pvc and swimming noodles. how should I attach the line to the pipe. im thinkin im gonna drill through both sides of the pvc and put baling wire in there and tie the string to that. any better ideas?