Fish Cleaning Tools

Fillet Knives

• It's easy to spot confident anglers: they're the ones with fillet knives in sheaths hanging from their belts. They are so sure of their ability to pull fish from the water that sharp knives for preparing the catch are always at the ready.

  A good fillet knife has a long, sharp, thin blade with an outward curve toward the tip to aid in cutting fish meat as close as possible to the bone. The knife should enable a skilled user to slice away thick fillets while leaving the bones behind. Pocket knives are not long enough for the job, nor is their blade design well-suited for slicing into fish. You'll want a fixed blade fillet knife with a comfortable handle that will not twist or slip in your hand as you work.

Scalers

• Virtually every fish that does not need to be skinned must be scaled to remove the hard pieces of scale over the body. If you are cutting fillets, this won't be an issue, but all panfish and smaller species will need to be scaled. A scaler is usually made of one piece of metal, formed into a handle with two wide, blunt serrated edges at the end for raking over the body of the fish. A good scaler will lift the scales off with quick strokes moving from the tail to the head of the fish, without bruising or cutting the flesh.

Scaling Boards or Vise Pliers

• If you've spent any amount of time at a fish cleaning station, you know what a slippery bloody mess this job can be. With the slime comes the problem of fish slipping from your grasp, which is annoying and potentially dangerous when you're working with a razor-sharp fillet knife. Many anglers overcome this problem with a scaling board or locking vise pliers for holding their catch securely while they clean fish. A scaling board is a wide plank of wood or hard plastic with grooves cut into the surface and a heavy, spring-loaded clamp mounted at the end. The tail of the fish is held by the clamp, and the ridges of the scaling board keep the body from sliding around while you clean your catch.

Scissors and Shears

• You can use a knife to remove fins and tails from fish, which is a tricky, slippery job; or you can snip them off in seconds with heavy-duty shears or a scissor. If you opt for scissors, get a set with heavy blades and extra-large loops for your fingers when wearing gloves.

Gloves

• Work gloves or other protective gear for handling fish can be a useful addition to the tacklebox. You can get a better grip on the catch without marinating your hands in fish guts, slime and blood. Gloves with a textured surface in the palms provide a secure grip.