How to Gut a Trout

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Fishing for trout? Learn how to gut a trout so you can cook and eat your catch at home. Follow the instructions in this article to make sure that you know the right way to catch and gut a trout.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Preparing a Workspace

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  1. Decide if you want to gut the fish outside or at home in your kitchen. Make sure that you have the following:
    • Sharp knives
    • Access to water
    • Cutting board
    • Clean the sink thoroughly.
    • Prepare a cutting board for gutting the fish.
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  3. Consider going outside if you want to keep the fish smell out of the house.
    • Keep the area clean by using a hose.
    • Use a bench or other flat surface as your cutting board.
    • Make sure to get all of the necessary equipment: a rod, hooks, a fishing line, split shot weights and a net.
    • Find a river with trout by looking at local and state parks. Pick a river where trout naturally appear or a river stocked with trout. Be aware that rivers with naturally reproducing trout populations sometimes have stricter tackle and bait restrictions. [1]
    • Get fishing bait. Check the bait restrictions wherever you plan to fish. Use one of the following: worms, crickets, grasshoppers, salon roe or corn kernels.
    • Find a spot upstream to increase your chances of catching a trout. Look for an easily accessible clearing on the shoreline.
    • Try to find a spot with slow moving patches of deep water or converging currents.
    • Bait your hook and cast your rod. Find out how to catch a trout here: How to Catch a Brown Trout in the Winter.
    • Set the hook in the trout by quickly jerking the rod tip up. Reel in slowly and keep the rod tip above your head. [2]
    • Scoop the fish up with your net once you’ve brought the fish to the shore.
    • Keep the trout that you want to eat. Release the other fish back into the river.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Preparing the Trout

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  1. Use the net to get the fish into the bucket.
    • Handle the fish as little as possible until you’re ready to gut it.
    • Add additional fish to the same bucket. Make sure that the trout all have room to swim.
  2. Cut off the trout’s head when you’re ready to gut the fish.
    • Lay the trout flat on a cutting board or other flat surface. Hold the fish down on the cutting board with your left hand and cut with the right. [3]
    • Get a sharp knife that can easily slice through the fish. Start slicing right behind the gills. [4]
    • Cut the head off in one swift motion with a sharp knife.
    • Throw the head away when you’re done.
    • Lay the trout flat on a cutting board. Hold the fish with your left hand
    • Don’t hurt the trout any more than you need to. Torturing animals is needlessly cruel.
  3. Continue to use the same cutting board.
    • Hold the tail with one hand. And start scraping the scales off with the backside of a knife. Start at the tail and end at the head. [5]
    • Keep scaling until most of the scales are gone. Rinse the scales off thoroughly in the sink.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Gutting the Trout

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  1. Try to cut in a straight line up along the underbelly.
    • Lay the trout flat on a cutting board or other flat surface. Hold the fish down on the cutting board with your left hand.
    • Try to cut one clean line through the bottom of the fish. Don’t cut into the guts.
  2. Reach into the body cavity to remove the intestines, heart, and other organs. [6]
    • Scrape out the organs with a spoon or pull the organs out with your hand. Put your spoon or hand through the cut open fish.
    • Try not to let any organs break open as this can spread disease. Throw the organs away when you are done.
  3. Identify the spine as a blood red line that goes from head to tail on the uppermost part of the fish. [7]
    • Scrape out the spine with your thumb or a spoon. Scrape from the tail to the gills.
    • Take this opportunity to remove any guts that remain. Make sure to wash out all organs and blood. Scrape any organs out that you can’t wash away.
  4. Freeze the trout if you’re not going to cook it right away. [8]
    • Make sure all of the guts are gone before you freeze or cook the trout. Rinse the fish in clean water before cooking or freezing.
    • Check to make sure that waters where you fish are free of contaminants. Don’t eat the fish if you’re unsure.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How quickly should I gut the trout after catching it?
    Community Answer
    You should gut the trout after you have killed it. Look online for a metal bat called a "priest". You can kill fish quicker this way by knocking it behind the head instead of cutting off the head.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.fishinglakes.com/2013/11/05/tips-for-successful-trout-fishing/
      2. ↑ http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/fishing/2015/03/early-spring-fishing-tactics-how-to-catch-trout-bass-walleye-pike-and
      3. ↑ https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/gilling-and-gutting-trout/156653
      4. ↑ https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/gilling-and-gutting-trout/156653
      5. ↑ https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/gilling-and-gutting-trout/156653
      6. ↑ http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/trout-guts-and-fish-heads/
      7. ↑ http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/trout-guts-and-fish-heads/
      8. ↑ http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/trout-guts-and-fish-heads/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To gut a trout, you’ll need sharp knives, water, and a sterile cutting board. Start by cutting the fish’s head off, right behind its gills. If it’s still alive, this is the most humane way to kill it. Then, hold its tail and scrape the scales off with the backside of your knife. Once you’ve removed its scales, rinse the trout and cut its underbelly with a straight, shallow line so you don’t cut its guts. Once you’ve opened its belly, pull out its organs with your hands or a spoon. Scrape out the spine and any organ residue to leave the flesh. If you’re not cooking the trout now, freeze it to keep it fresh. For more tips, including how to catch your own trout, read on!

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