Cleaning Channel Catfish Quickly Without Skinning

A fork works better than a leatherman.

I always cut right through the ribs with my electric knife, and stop before cutting off the filet, flip the fillet over and slip the knife along the skin removing it and leaving it on the carcass. Then lastly I scoop the rib cage out with the knife and have a full boneless half fish. Flip it over and repeat.

That's how I clean catfish. If I happen to cut thru the tail, I use a fork to hold the fillet while I skin it.

I do the same, but I cuss myself for cutting too far first.

I always tell myself "that was stupid".

Cut thru ribs with a knife? Knives are not designed to cut bones, once you learn to avoid the ribs you will find your knife stays sharp much longer and prolongs the life of the blades. At least that is my limited experience from cleaning blues, reds, and Tilipia with an electric knife over the past thirty years.

You are cleaning a lot of fish to wear out an electric knife's serrated blade.

I have several boxes full, not worn out just dull and when they no longer cut without riding the knife I replace em. Usually after about 300-400 fish. I do clean a few from time to time. I've worn out several electric knives(some transmissions some motors) as well have several boxes of them.

That Jackieblue can knock the feathers off of one before a cat can lick his B Hind.

Filet them behind the rib cage to avoid the bones. The bones will definitely wear out blades. A slight amount of meat is wasted this way but sure makes it easier.

Start right behind the gills from the top, cut down to the ribs then cut around the ribs and down to the tail, flip and cut between skin and meat. No meat wasted, knife stays sharp longer, but it does take a little longer to do.

Is there a reason why the fork is better than the pliers, or is it just the way you do it?

Some guys do great with electric knives, I don't prefer them or any knife where the blade cannot be sharpened.

In my opinion, the fork is just about the same width as the skin (on the size fish I prefer to keep) It is easier for me to grab the fork and hold the fish considering the fish slime on my hands that to try to manipulate the pliers. Plus the jaws of the pliers get slimed over after a couple of fish.

Good video MathGeek. Well done.

Electric knives can be sharpened quite easily. Youtube should have some instructionals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNrWRqgkpGk

Good tip, thanks!

I clean mine similar although I put in a little more effort to get the meat he misses above the ribs on the fish. I never cut my fingernails before a fishing trip, I don't need pliers or a fork, just push down with my index, middle, and ring finger of my left hand while working knife with my right. Only way to clean em.

Ive been cleaning mine like that for years,it's easy on blades. If it's a blue I will cut the meat above the ribs out, I call it the backstrap, but if it's a channel I leave it. It's all yellow meat and not as tasty. You can leave a little meat on the skin on the blues and not have any red meat on the fillet just a little down the center. Cleaning them this way makes them better than crappie IMO. Lol.