How to Fillet Rainbow Trout (easy and in 30 seconds or less)

Dan Brooks with Crystal Lake Resort shows you how to fillet rainbow trout in seconds.

[danbrooks]

I see a few comments about meat wastage. I thought the same thing before I started filleting, it was a bit of the purist in me who thought that gutting was the best way. When I learned how to fillet I learned just how little meat was actually wasted. The vast majority of meat on a trout is above the ribs along the back and tail. If done right, you won't lose more than that small strip of meat around the fins and where you would cut for gutting. That's pretty thin meat, and a pain to pick bones out. And please note the bucket of fish, no problem here coming up with lots of fish- cooking that many whole fish would take a month of Sundays - fillets take up less pan space and cook in half the time - by filleting we can cook several dozen trout for large groups of fishermen - and I love the crispy taste of fried fillet's better than whole trout, not to mention not having to pick out bones. So give it a try, you might find you like filleting trout this way.

Oh and by the way, the reason you start with the back away is so that you can get the proper angle on the opposite side because you'll have to lower your knife angle almost below table level. That's hard to do if you've already taken off one fillet and the back is now away from you. Give it a try, you'll see what I mean.

[yoopercouple]

Just tried your method with a 15" splake. Worked like a charm. Thanks for showing the easiest method I've ever seen in my life. Like a lot of commenters here, I thought you were wasting a ridiculous amount of meat. In fact, I almost gave you a thumbs down, just because of that. BUT...after trying it myself, I realized that it's not actually wasting much of the meat my family and I prefer to eat anyway. Most people trim up the belly meat/fat until it's basically gone. I don't care for the gamey taste the belly fat gives the rest of the fillet. The little bit of rib meat that was left behind was too little for me to lose any sleep over. As you said, throw the rest of the carcass back into the lake or river and there is truly no waste of the fish. This was so simple that even my wife (who has never filleted a fish in her life) said it looked "too" easy. After watching me do it, she has volunteered to fillet all of our fish from here on out. Thanks a LOT for that one, Dan! I'm going to subscribe to your channel.

[Darkwindowtint]

Just got my fishing license today! Nice video. This is all new to me.

[donyagura]

Gee, I’ve cleaned literally hundreds of trout over the years, but you do it so easily without the extra step of removing those fine rib bones. 👏

[kayceecoty]

Guys! He is NOT wasting really any meat. Obviously no one eats the guts, so that is not a waste. Nor is the head or tail. Some people claim the fins are good, but not anyone I personally know. The meat you see on the side of the fish, like where his ribs are, is thin and is surrounding bones (the ribs). Your can’t really efficiently or efficiently take that off. Maybe the stomach could have been shaved a little bit to take some of the nice meat off, but for the most part, you are all making a big fuss over nothing. 🐟

[thomassimpson]

Concise, with good angles and a clear description. I wish every damned youtube "How to" video was like this.

[TerryS]

Excellent. For years I've been risking life and limb filleting the wrong way. Thanks Dan. What a brilliant technique, and so quick.

[TheJediGerman]

Just caught a 16 inch 4.25lb rainbow last night in logan lake and used this to fillet it! great method thanks brother!

[Sheety]

By far the simplest way to fillet a trout! Appreciate the video!

[adamg.]

By far the best and easiest method I've seen. Just cleaned a 16" brown and the fillets came out perfect using this video. I've tried the more complicated ways running the knife along the back of the fish and picking the meat off the bones but this was easier and had the same results. Well done!

[mikereddy]

Found this video a few years ago and I filet all the small fish this way. Fastest, cleanest, most practical way.

[gEtar]

No gutting, minimal cutting...this has to be the fastest, cleanest way to cut a boneless trout fillet! I have fished all my life and decided to try this method tonight. Going forward this is the only way I'll clean trout after this!

[lonewolf]

Glad I watched this...headin out for Rainbow in the morning ice fishing...cheers

[jordanlargey]

By far the best filet technique I’ve ever seen! Thanks for the info, and ignore the haters that keep leaving the “wasting fish” comments.

[martock]

Thank you sir.. I never filleted a rainbow trout before your method works perfectly. I found if I was slow and careful there was very little meat waste

[jacobherrmann]

Trout skin is good to eat. I love it. Great vid.

[MrChit-odpo]

Wow..worked great..my lil kids love trout. This video saved me from a fail.

[CERMI]

Looks very simple, thank you!

_My dad said next time we go fishing, I have to gut/ fillet the fish..._

[glynnCaldwell]

This the best I seen on YouTube I'm a beginner and I could do this very easy simple thank you Big Dan!

[TFCSHQ]

I've seen a lot of videos showing how to fillet fish and as a line cook I can tell they've only done this a few times. This guy has filleted a lot of fish. Very few if any wasted movements. Confidence cutting.