Cleaning fish is a common task in the kitchen and filleting is a skill. But first, you'll need a cutting board, a sharp knife with thin flexible blade and a broad flat blade for removing the hard skin. If you are familiar with a more popular filleting method, this different technique in filleting fish starts a cut from the tail, which I find easiest.

After washing and cleaning the fish, put it flat on the board, or a clean flat surface, and start cutting from the tail working up the fish following the backbone. With a larger size fish, you can cut all the way through the rib bones or carefully cut away the flesh above the ribs, leaving the stomach cavity intact. Slice the knife diagonally across the fish just behind the pectoral fin. This time, your fillet should separate from the fish. Next is to place your fillet flat on the cutting board and skin down. Don't forget to cut out rib bones left on the fillet.

To skin your fillet, you need a very sharp knife with the broad flat blade. Position knife at the tail portion and work your way along the fillet carefully removing the flesh from the skin. Be gentle on this so you get a perfectly skinned fillet. After skinning, remove pin bones that are left. Your fillet should be nice and free from bones at this stage. Now it's time to cook your fish fillet into a good recipe treat for all the hard work. That easy!

Regardless of what fish you are filleting, sharp knives are what you need to get the best fillets, and remember that to fillet a fish; you simply cut the flesh away from the bones and skin it for a boneless and skinless piece of fish ready to be cooked.  Since filleting is really a popular method of preparing fish for meals, a little practice and a good sharp knife are all you need to make it really easy.

If you're not cooking your fish fillet right away, make sure to store them properly in the freezer. Do the best you can to keep your fish protected from heat and warmth to prevent the fish from deteriorating. Bear in mind that the nutritional value and eating quality of your fish can be maintained up to 5 days the most if properly cleaned and stored in the freezer.

Happy Fish Filleting!

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