Thread: Scaling & gutting vs Filleting

Originally Posted by crappiepappy

I don't think there's any difference between the taste of a filet or "whole" Crappie ... as far as the taste of the "meat" is concerned. BUT, there is an added "sweet/nutty" taste that comes from the skin. (that is IF you don't add spices to whatever you coat the fish with)

And fresh caught/cleaned/cooked tastes the best !!

... cp

Most of my relatives don't like the bones or the taste of fish skin; so we fillet and carefully enough so that my mother doesn't find a bone or she will assign someone to do all that work by themself.

But whatever the preference that last statement is the most important.
"And fresh caught/cleaned/cooked tastes the best !!" Definitely!

If I have some that are 12", i'll save them whole for special occasions. Normally I filet them! As far as taste, I think whole is tastier......

I don't wrestle with food at the table. Bones in fish are unacceptable in my opinion. I fillet all fish. It doesn't matter what kind. I even take the skin off the salmon fillets from the store. I don't like the extra taste it imparts into the fish, some folks do.

I like catfish quite a bit. When I fillet a catfish I leave a thin layer of meat (red meat) still attached to the skin. I trim out the noticeable fat as well. By being selective it reduces the contaminant level that resides in the fat layer of any fish not just catfish. When you eat fish that are gutted and scaled then you end up eating that fatty layer and increased your contaminant intake from that fish. Just something to keep in mind.

Anyway, everybody has their own personal preferences on what is good and what is not. Cook to your family's likes. If you don't know how to fillet fish then Google it on YouTube and you can watch several good videos. It is a skill worth learning.

Love those fillets even on the smaller fish. Hate picking bones out. Did that enough as a kid.

Fillet everything.

i fillet 99% of crappie, like someone else has said if you want the skin taste, scale first then fillet. Most of the crappie that we are allowed to keep in MS are much to big to fry whole (12" minumum on the corp lakes). That being said whole bream are the only way to go, gotta have my "fix" of that 2-3 times a year. I luv those crispy tails and fins!

Feeshrman. Happy Thanksgiving and hope all is well! 100% fillets and skinned here. I like the crispy tails tooo. So, I cut them off and fry them as well.

BG tail and fins.... there's a treat.