Exactly the same. Some people like to pull the skin off, but that leaves a slimy layer when you cook them. I find it easier and better to just fillet them like any other fish.

 

yes you can clean them like other fish, but you have to preceed your normal operation with one other step. I take a good pair of pliars and with a filet knife cut the skin as far forward as possible on filet areas up near the gills.. Then make a cut that along the doral fin so that the two cuts meet each other at the front by the head. Then start peeling the skin back with the pliars. It is not an exact science, and it is a bit of a pain, especially if the pliars will not grip the skin and it slips out of the pliars. Once you get that slimy skin off just filet like a normal fish. With some channels I cut out the dark meat. It usually tastes too fishy to me it I don't. Hope this helps. As with anything else, everybody has their own way of doing things, so give it a try and develop the easiest way for you. I have not had much luck just fileting the fish and then trying to get the skin off.

 

I agree. Pulling the skin off just creates extra work in my opinion. But, you won't want to cut through the rib bones, it will dull your knife.

 

Guy, I have to tell you how my grandfather taught me to clean catfish. its similar to bronzebackyac's advise but with on more crucial step. Its also a unique (as far as I know) way of cleaning catfish that all my friends and fellow anglers always respond with either "EWWWWWW!" or "I can't believe you just did that!!!!"

Items needed - flat 12"-15" long piece of wood, suggest at least 2" thick
Hammer - YES hammer
Nail
Fillet Knife
Needle Nose pliars

Okay. Don't read further if you just eat. Before making the cuts as Bronzwbackyac suggest, nail the catfishes head to the board. Why? The one thing I would say bronzebackyac did not mention is that when you peal off the skin, you will find it very hard to get leverage on the catfish. In most instances, you will be cleaning the fish shortly after catching and the cat make still be alive / have some spunk in him.

Therefore, nailing the catfishes head to the board will give you leverage and will eliminate any problems with the cat slapping you with his whiskers.

Before my grandfather passed away, he lived on a channel in Cape Coral, FL that dumped into a major river, which eventually dumped into the Gulf. We would go down there on vacation and my brother and I would fish from his shore line sun up to sun down. Mostly caught catfish, a lot of sting rays, and ocassionally we were able to pull in a blue crab. Yes, I have caught several blue crabs on fishing poles with shrimp as bait.

Grandpa taught us that technique and its all I ever use. I also continue it use that technique as it always shocks others around me. I usually get at least one "EWWWW!!" from even the biggest of outdoorsman.

 

Sounds like a great way to keep em still and have some leverage. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks.

 

I never knew there was ANOTHER way to clean a catfish! In the deep south where I was raised, it was the only method I ever saw used. I would say it's pretty hard to do it any other way. The skin is a %$#! to remove, and you do not want to leave it on there--it makes it taste too gamey. You don't want to eat a kitty over 5 lbs...3-4 pounds is ideal, still young flesh but big enough to filet. My husband is a California hippie raised a city boy, and he never held a pole till he met me...now he's a pro even at cleaning those cats--he loves to nail that sucker to the board! Lot of work but it's worth it--they are so delicious. Traumatized the poodle though--he carefully watched the nailing part with huge eyes, then slunk under the bed where he stayed until he reckoned his humans had forgotten the nail-in-the-head thing. He still runs when the hubby gets the board out of the garage...better to be safe than sorry...

 

thanks all
i am going out tonite and will use the advice

 

A nail through the head is how I learned to skin and clean cats also.

 

Its also a unique (as far as I know) way of cleaning catfish

guess it's not so unique,after reading a couple other replies
really not,as that's the way i was taught over 50 years ago.only way i knew till the electric knife came along
we nailed them to a tree though,and never used a board

 

lay the fish on its side,lay your knife right behind the head and cut the side of the catfish off do this by angling the knife from the edge if the head to behind the side fin/horn,let your knife ride along its spine all the way to the tail do the same to the other side then lay the filet skin side down and lay the knife between the meat and skin and let your knife remove the skin if done right you can do this in less than 1 or 2 min . then feel where the ribs start in the filet and cut them off in one peace about 2 in long.then there you are i can do a fish a min its quick not messy and all that is left of the fish is head,bone and skin..i do all fish i deside to keep this way but if you like to eat the eggs cut them out first.. sharpen your knife good and it will go threw the ribs easy.. try it out everyone who has seen me do it cant beleave how quick and easy it is....good luck

 

I hang mine using a S hook thru the gills which gives me the same leverage as a nail thru the head... I just started using an electric knife and have noticed no diff in taste compared to skinning or have I ever noticed any slime during or after skinning...

 

i ve done it like this also before except i kill the fish first!! good crack on the head!!!

 

Years ago, we used to catch some big cats in New River in WVa near a town called Hinton. By big, I mean 'long as your leg'-and they were caught on rods using big bluegills! Nailed them to a telephone pole or large fence post. That's the only way to keep them under control, even after a rap on the head with a small bat. Cut around the fish behind the head and pull with linesman pliers. The BIG ones were every bit as good as the smaller ones!

 

The easiest way I have found to clean a catfish is to fillet it like a Walleye and flip the fillet over skin side down before cutting it off at the tail and run your fillet knife between the skin and meat and you have a nice fillet with no skin just like a Walleye or any other fish. We cleaned a lot of good sized Blues down at Snatee Cooper this way.

 

I keep a 2X4 in my barn about 30" long with a nail sticking through about 3". Don't need to nail the individual fish down; just flip him over, grab him by the tail and whap his head onto that nail.... work great!!

 

Hey whiskers,

That is the first way that I learned to clean catfish. I was only about 4-5 yrs old and my uncle showed me how...Good post though, and good luck all...tony

 

I fillet them like a walleye except you have to be very careful and not hit the rib bones. Just flip the fillet over and remove the skin. I agree that you cannot leave the skin on. The poster who said to remove the dark meat is 100% right, you can ruin a fish dinner leaving on just a little dark meat. I don't like keeping the bigger fish, once kept a 30 pound channel cat in Vermont, threw a fillet in the skillet and the entire apartment smelled like fish in about 1 minute!

 

Glad to know I'm not the only one and that nailing the cat's head to a board is not a unique technique. I now can stand tall and say this a common way of cleaning cats when by friends get queasy on me.

Thanks guys and gals. I learned a lot from this post.

whiskers

 

Yep my dad used the nail idea and pliers early 1900's.

I use a 3+" drywall screw.

Having catfish dinner tonight. Caught 2 off Cedar Point last night.

...

 

While catching or cleaning your catfish have you ever been cut by the pectoral fins? If you have, here is a tip my dad learned many years ago to keep the fingers from getting sore. rub your finger along the side of the cat.