Fish Filleting Basics For the Perfect Fillet!

Catching fish can be quite expensive when weblade with this design will maintain a sharp edge
look at costs of boat maintenance and gasoline,for a longer period which means ultimately less
fishing tackle and even storage of your fresh fishsharpening time.
so the question I always pose is why wouldn'tAchieving this edge is done via a steel. The first
you want to have a maximum weight return onstep is to hold the knife in your filleting hand and
your fillets after the hard earned dollars you spentthe steel upright in the other. You then want to
to land this bounty?place the bottom of the blade against the top of
When looking for maximum weight return on athe steel and with light to medium pressure draw
boneless or skinless fish fillet from the mostdown the blade along the steel at a consistent
common recreational caught fish around the worldangle and at a slow speed but not having the
you should use a filleting knife that is about six toblade go too low on the steel close to your hand.
seven inches in blade length and approximatelyRepeat this on the opposite sides of the blade
half to three quarter inches in width.and steel alternating this for anywhere between
Having an extremely sharp knife when filleting fishsix to eight times until the blade becomes razor
is absolutely critical and the best way to sharpensharp. Only the edge of the blade should touch
your knife is on a sharpening stone. I always usethe steel during this process.
a dry stone for sharpening my filleting knives as itYou should always fillet fish on a stable bench top
doesn't create an oily mess on the workbenchand at a slow speed whilst maintaining a sharp
during the process and the oil is not carried fromknife. If you're working with a blunt knife you will
the stone to your filleting knife to ultimately yourhave damaged fillets equating to less weight
fish fillet.return and because of the extra force required to
Here is a key element to filleting fish like a pro...cut through the fillets against the bones, the
You must keep the edge of your filleting knifechances of cutting yourself increases drastically.
similar to a chisel design that being rounded on theKeep in mind that the best time to sharpen your
bottom side and flat on the top side of the blade.knife is when it's still sharp; if you're waiting until
The purpose of this edge is to stop the filletingthe knife is blunt you'll find that the process will
knife catching on the bones of the fish allowingtake more time and a greater effort on your
you to fillet in a smooth single motion. Finishing thebehalf will be required.