How to Clean Silver Bass Fish

Silver bass or white bass is a fish caught in lakes and streams. According to Fish Resource, these fish are stocked in most of the lakes in North America. Because of their abundance and delectable taste, those who fish for a hobby will catch many for a fresh, tasty meal. It is critical to know how to clean this fish properly. You can either throw away good-tasting parts or ruin a dish from leaving in the wrong parts.

Things You'll Need

• Boning knife
• Skinning knife
• Paper towels
• Refrigerator
• Freezer

Instructions

1. Cut behind the head and angle the boning knife to the front of the fish. Turn the fish over and make the same kind of angled cut behind the head.

2. Cut through the top of the bass. Follow the side of the backbone from the beginning to the end of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin runs on top of the fish from the front to the back.

3. Peel open the fish to expose its lateral fish bones. Use the knife to cut the fish next to the lateral fish bones. Flip the fish over and make the same cut to the other side. Lift up the side of the fish where you have made the cut, thus exposing the backbone.

4. Slide the knife down the fish to cut the first fillet. Turn the fish over and cut the second fillet. At this point, you will have two fillets that have skin on them. Take a skinning knife and hold it straight. Slide the fish over the skinning knife, so that the blade is between the fish and the skin.

5. Place the knife next to the thin layer of bones, which are located two-thirds of the way down the middle of the fish. Follow the line of fish with your knife. Cut the other side of the fillet next to the bones to remove the entire layer of bones.

6. Wash the fillets off and pat with a paper towel. Store the fish in the refrigerator until preparation.

Tips & Warnings

• Cook your fish within the next two days or freeze the white bass for up to six months.

• Check the freezer temperature to ensure that it is set at 0 degrees F. to prevent bacterial growth.

References

• Fish Resource: White Bass
• Fishing Kites: How to Fillet Fish
• Real Simple: How Long Can You Refrigerate or Freeze Food