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If you'd like to learn how to fillet a redfish, the first thing you need to keep in mind is that it's not easy. It takes a steady hand, a little know how, and a lot of practice. First of all, what does 'fillet' actually mean? Well basically it means to carve or skin the meat off of the bone. Now this can be done from the head down to the tail or vice-versa starting at the tail and working up to the head. There's no rule as to which way is better. It just comes down to which way you find easier.

So the first thing you'll need to know before you start slicing up that fresh redfish is where the bones and meat are. You're going to want to cut the meat from both sides from the backbone out. But you'll want to know where things like the gills and stomach are. If you cut into these they can cause fluids and acids to get on the meat and spoil the initial flavor. But here is an easy guide to follow.

Working from the head down, the first thing you want to do is lay the redfish down on its side. While holding the head, cut into the redfish just behind the gill. Make a cut from top to bottom on an angle toward the tail and deep enough to reach the backbone.

Now slide the knife into this cut turning the blade flat with the backbone. With a slow and slight sawing type motion slice the meat from the backbone down to the tail. Slow and steady is the best way to do until you've gotten good at it. Don't cut the meat off at the tail. Leave a small bit of meat and skin so that it is still just barely hanging on at the tail section. Keeping the slice piece of meat in its place, flip the fish over onto its other side. Leaving the fish still intact will give the other side some support to make cutting easier.

Once you have cut the other side of the fish in the same way you can cut both pieces off at the tail. Now you'll hopefully have two nicely slice fillets of redfish that is almost ready for cooking. But before you prepare it for the pan you'll want to remove the skin. You can do this by cutting a small whole between the skin and the meat at the tail section and cut towards the head a few inches. Once you have enough to pull by hand, poke a whole into the skin and carefully pull it back with your hands until it's off.

Now this may all seem very simple, but it will take several tries before you become an expert at filleting redfish, or any fish for that matter. Always make sure you have a flat and sturdy cutting board or table. Make sure you have a very sharp knife. And of course be safe, those redfish a slippery.

Learn more about this author, Tom Stewart.
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