How to Gut a Striped Bass

Gutting a striped bass will give you a cleaner fillet and help you ice down more fish in one cooler. It is also a cleaner way to transport fish and you can cook the fish whole if desired.

Things You'll Need

• Fillet or cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Fillet glove
• Striped bass

Instructions

1. Hold the bass by the head on a fillet table.

2. Insert the knife into the side of the fish's gills, all the way through to the other side. Keep your hand clear of the knife.

3. Cut down, slicing through the fish's throat and cutting the part of the fish that connects the body to the gills.

4. Put your knife on the end of this portion and slice it in half going lengthwise through the stomach down to the fish's anus.

5. Pull out the guts, cutting free any vitals still attached to the body cavity.

6. Wash the inside and ice the fish.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a mat or other nonslip surface to hold the fish and have something handy to throw the insides into. Gutting a fish immediately after catching it will keep the meat fresher.

• Be careful of a striped bass' spiny fins and use caution with the knife.

Resources

• Info on the striped bass
• How to fillet a striped bass
• Striped bass recipes