Speckled trout are a great catch a good eat. This is a how-to article that will walk you through how to clean a speckled trout in seven easy steps and without requiring too much time or effort.
Best Way to Clean Speckled Trout
Gut the Speckled Trout
The first step is gutting the trout. To clean the fish, insert a sharp knife through the skin behind and under the pectoral fins and cut down towards the tail. Smoothly cut through the length of gut cavity to near the anal vent.
Cut Behind the Head
Lay the fish on its side and make a vertical cut behind the head of the fish from skin down to the backbone. Do not cut through the backbone.
Filet the Speck
Turn the knife blade to face toward the tail of the fish. Hug the backbone closely without cutting into it. Cut down the length of the fish to remove the fillet from the backbone. Set the filet aside and repeat for the other side.
Cut out the Rib Cage
Cut out and discard the rib cage from the fillet. Also run your fingers along the meat to feel for small bones that may be stuck in the filet.
Remove the Skin from the Speckled Trout Filet
With your fingers on the end of the tail, press the filet skin-side down to the cleaning surface. With the other hand, cut along the skin as closely as possible with the blade flat against the skin. Remove the filet and wash for storage or cooking.
In Conclusion – How to Clean Speckled Trout
All in all, how to clean a speckled trout is not too difficult. Combine these 5 simple steps with a little practice, and you’ll be fileting speckled trout like a pro in no time. Hopefully this article about how to clean speckled trout helps. Check out this article for more about how to clean trout in general.