# Catfish Skinning Question



## amberj (Oct 1, 2007)

My In Laws have a catfish pond up in Alabama, that we fish from time to time. Nice sized fish in the pond to boot. What my question is. I have heard of people dipping catfish in hot water to make the easier to skin, but I dont know how to do it. How hot does the water have to be, how long do you dip them for is basically what I am looking for. Right now we are hand skinning with skinners. But when we catch a mess of fish for a fish fry we are looking for an easier way to skin them out. Any help would be great.


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## one big one (Oct 4, 2007)

Electric Knife, it will take the work out of skinning.:sleeping


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## dsar592 (Oct 12, 2007)

We use to do it that way years ago when we caught the small catfish. The bigger ones were to hard to handle and that water is hotttt.The water would be just at boiling temp. It doesn't take long, immediately the green slime will start to come off. Then the skin would pull off. I actually find it easier to just keep the fish in a live well and skin them when they are still fresh and not cold (out of the ice chest).


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## fishingfromagunship (Oct 26, 2007)

Never used the water. We used to take them and nail them to a tree (through the top of the head). Cut the skin around the head/gills and then use a pair of end-cutters to pull the skin off.


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## catchem (Oct 7, 2007)

Ditto the electric knife. Just filet them as you would any other fish.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

> *catchem (8/11/2008)*Ditto the electric knife. Just filet them as you would any other fish.


I'll 3rd that un....I use a SHARP filet knife though....less hassle....Just start at the head, stop at the tail w/ out cutting the filet off the body, and lay the piece of filet over and work from the tail to the end of the filet...Sharp knife will do a regular cat in less then a minute....


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## sc23 (Jun 17, 2008)

My dad used to nail a big fish to a tree and pull off the skin using pliers. It works, really.



Use a sharp knife and fillet as stated by the other guys. Cut steaks on the larger fish. That's good eating.



I don't know of an easier fish to clean. If you have fast hands, you can clean one in maybe a minute?


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## Five Prongs Of Fury (Apr 15, 2008)

> *one big one (8/11/2008)*Electric Knife, it will take the work out of skinning.:sleeping


I have used an electric knife on big and little fish. It is the ticket!!!


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## Midnight Rider (Sep 30, 2007)

I clean um like mullet.....Filliet....flip fillet and skin all in one swoop.


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