Fillet Fresh Fish or Cook Skin and Bones?

Filleting fish is usually the cleaning method of choice, however, there are two side of the debate of whether to fillet or not.

By Lois Hoffman
Updated on August 8, 2021
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Lois Hoffman
Two young fishermen display their catch

Photo by Lois Hoffman

When it comes to fishing, there are always tall tales: the biggest catch of the day that just keeps growing and growing every time it is told, the biggest one that got away, the elusive biggest one that is still out there, and on and on. The tales are all a part — a big part — of fishing.

When the fishing trip is over and its time to clean the catch, that’s when the tales stop and the debate starts. It’s the great debate of to fillet or not to fillet. Most of today’s fishermen are of the filleting school. It’s quicker, easier, less bones to worry about when eating, it’s just better…right?

Well, you guessed it, I’m in the other camp. I still prefer my fish scaled and gutted rather than filleted. Leaving the skin intact and the bones in while cooking definitely adds more flavor to the fish. You also get more fish — filleting leaves so much flesh behind. But, this is just my take on it. There are pros and cons in both filleting and scaling and gutting.

Choosing Whether to Fillet Fresh Fish or Not

When I was a kid, no one filleted; at least not anyone I knew. Nearly every weekend, I would go bluegill fishing with my dad and Uncle Harold. Why two diehard fishermen dragged a little girl along with them, I will never know, even though I am so grateful that they did.

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