I guess my question is I know how to filet a small catfish but how do you clean a big one? I tried to filet it but knife wasn't big enough and it wore me out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Do it the old fashion way. Use your skinners and pull the skin off. Cut into chucks and trim all the yellow and red meat off. Cook and enjoy.

Will have to try it. Thanks bigyella. Haven't done it like that in awhile.

Remeber if it's not white cut it off. I even trim off the shinny stuff on the belly meat.

That's why I don't keep big cats. Cleaning big cats is about as dificult as cleaning a deer and you WASTE a lot of meat. Just keep the smaller ones and let the big cats go and make more smaller kitties.

BTW, I just fillet the small cats like a crappie with my electric knife.

How big are we talking? I fillet everything 10lbs or under. Anything 10lbs or over I put back....except the occasional yellow I might catch.

I'm with catfish any thing over 10# isn't worth it IMO. I let um go to start a new family of kitties

opinions are like elbows ... everybody has a couple

Here is our difference I throw all yellows back thats under 10 lbs .And all blues go back.Now this is just the way I do it.

hey ron, i agree ... well cept for throwin' all blues back ... cleanin' a yellar that is under 10 or mabe 15 lbs is such a waste, first off by the time ya get all the red meat trimmed off there ain't that much left, in places the fillet is too thin to start with, to do any kinda trimmin' ... & another thing, eatin' yellars that small is kinda like harvestin' your garden as soon as it blooms out

Well Said .Biggest blue I turned this year was right at 42 lbs.Just something I do. Got it on vidoe. Now there's a face amother could iove.

Looks like I need to pay attention to what I am typing

I don't know about smaller flatheads have only caught the one. I do know a blue between 4 and 7 pounds is some fine eating. I can filet one quickly and get alot of meat out of it. I don't ever throw one under 10 back. I do throw the 1 and 2 pounders back to grow up and put some more meat on them.

I use a electric knife. Use a longer blade for the bigger fish. I picked it up at Bass Pro... I still have fish from last year in the freezer. I think we will be eating fish for Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas to all...

I dont eat big blues. But here is how I clean my tasty Aps. Its all in how you clean them. Well Aps anyhow I throw channels back period and blues over 5lbs.

Hang the fish in a tree. Cut the tail off and move back fast or you will be covered with blood LOL. Let him bleed out. Skin it and gut it. Be very careful and do not bust the yellow sac or it will ruin the meat if it gets on it.

Cut the head off and take the skinned gutted body and lay on flat surface. I dont own a fillet knife big enough for most of my Aps. So I start on the back bone with a very very sharp knife and pretty much debone fillet it. Hard to describe but when I am done all you see is bones no meat left on the carcass.

Now rinse the fillets very good. Cut the little red patches out ( Ummm if you follow my direction on big fish you will not have alot of bloodstained meat. That is caused from not bleeding it out.)And cut any fatty areas out. Usually around where the belley cavity and tail area was on the fillet.

If you want fryers I cut them in 1"-2" strips about 4 or 5 inches long. If you want grilling fillets make sure you thin out the fillet. 2-4inches thick for even cooking.