How to clean a trout?

[bow_hunter8]

ok i give up on them how do you clean a rainbow trout? tryed filleting them but uh lets just say it didnt go so well lol do you cook them whole or what?

[Ambuscher]

Split them from the anal fin to the point where the gills come together on the underside of the fish. Scoop out all the goodies, and then just bend the head backwards and "SHUCK" them like you would an ear of corn. Voila your done.

[fisherguy]

if big, celean it like any other fish, aside from ribs, just the one strip of small bones. If little, do as suggested above.

[J_Owens_66]

I always fillet mine. Filleting takes practice to get it down, and trout aren't one of the easy fish to fillet.

[LifeNRA]

Cut the head off, then cut the tail off, then slice the belly open, then gather them all up and throw it in the garbage can or in your garden!!!

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never liked eating trout, too boney and fishy tasting!!!

[fisherguy]

not bony if you clean em right...and i would hope they taste fishy. lol

[LifeNRA]

I mean compared to WALLEYE!!!! Thats good eating!!!

The way I used to clean trout, I would slice down just behind the gills on an angle, do both sides. Open the belly up and clean out that, cut the tail off, then the two lower fins on each side. My friend said he could filet them but he aways had bones.

I had a trout bone get stuck in my throat when I was about 15. I thought I was gonna choke to death. But the meat just has too much of a strong fish taste to suit me. Now walleye, bluegill, or crappie, there's some darn great eating.

[RDNKHNTR77]

I posted a recipe in the recipes forum that just involves gutting them

[preacherman]

i usually use a knife!

[bulldawg]

The best way I've found...is to let someone else do it...lol

[andymansavage]

If anyone doesn't like trout, they aren't doing it right. This method is surprisingly fast and easy.

Hold the fish in on it's back in your left hand with
your left thumb in the fish's gill to hold it steady.

Insert the tip of the knife into the vent (anus) at a 45 degree angle and cut forward to the top of the body where the gills begin. You don't have to cut through the point of skin at the throat.

Remove knife and cut the peice of skin under the head that connects the gills to the body.

Stick your index finger down the throat and grip the pectoral fins with your thub and middle finger. Once you have a solid grip, pull down and away from the body to remove all entrails and the pectoral fins. Use the back of your thumbnail to scrape the black gunk(kidney) from the wall of the cavity. Cut off the head.

Insert the tip of the knife under the skin on either side of the dorsal fin where head was removed and cut back along top of fish to the tail. Do this on both sides.

Turn fish on side and insert knife through the fish at the vent and cut back on one side of anal fin to the tail. do both sides.

Using pliers, grip skin where head was and pull the skin off and away from fish. Do both sides.

Using pliers, remove dorsal and anal fins.

To cook any trout prepared this way
Marinate overenight in this mix.

4 cups water
1 cup liquid smoke
3/4 cup salt
3/4 cup brown sugar

use only enough to cover fish.

Lay fish on it's side on tin foil in a baking sheet and sprinkle with lemon pepper and brown sugar. Place thin slices of cubed butter on top, under, and inside of fish

Broil fish at 500 degrees on each side until golden brown. when done move rack to middle of oven, turn heat off and leave fish in oven for 30 minutes.

Enjoy.... fish prepared this way last for days and are good cold too.
Andy

[gitcha_some]

well i dunno about using pliers and all that, thats a little to complicated for me
just cut up from the anus like andymansavage said, then just pull all the guts out with your fingers..

cut some lemon slices and put into the rib cavity
spray on some lemon juice
smother in lemon pepper seasoning
throw on the grill and its the simplest yet best tasting trout you can find