Thread: Fins or no fins?

I usually fillet them. A lot of the old timers liked to eat the fins.

My buddy's daughter loved the tails fried up crispy.

I fillet them but I do like the tails, tasty and crisp like a kettle fried chip!

Growing up, we always just scaled, gutted and cut the heads off. The fins and tails are mighty tasty fried up crispy! After I was grown and had small kids I started filleting. Any way you choose to clean them, they’re the best eating of all the freshwater fish imo.

Leaving the fins on allows you to easily remove the bones that extend up into the fish. When you cut the fins flush with the body, these bones are left in. After frying, with fins on, you can you can gently pull the fins and the ends of the fin bones will come out with the fin. leaving fewer bones to pick out of the meat. Pull the dorsal and anal fin out from the back toward the front of the fish. This seems to be the best angle to pull without the fin breaking up. It's a little tricky getting the right angle of pull, but with a little practice you can figure it out.

No Fins for me for sure. But my Dad he was old school. He ate them fins first. LOL.

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I know folks that fillet fish and ACTUALLY save the tail fins , just saying ......

Fins on - if you cut them, like with scissors, it leaves little sharp bones loose inside; if whole, the whole fin can be pulled free intact after cooking (and the crispy part munched on). I usually fillet mine as they run very large where I fish - but I leave the skin on. Just my opinion.