When removing scales from a fish do you take the scales off first, or do you gut it first?

Question

i need to know in what order to do this so that i can descale a fish i caught. thanks!

Answer 1

I typically skin my fish and don't descale it kinda like in this link I posted. Hope it helps you...............

Answer 2

I could not have said it better than James W.

Answer 3

scale first

Answer 4

If you're not going to skin it then scale it and rinse it off then gut it.

Answer 5

It will depend on how you like your fish. If you're going to fillet and skin them, you don't need to scale your fish. If you want to fry a whole fish or you want fillets with skin on, you want to scale the fish before you gut it; it will be more difficult to scale a fish once it's gutted.  

Answer 6

This is really a matter of personal preference, i prefer to gut them first as it means you can apply as much pressure as needed to the fish to remove the scales without the problem of the guts bursting and damaging the taste.

Answer 7

i remove scales first, it seems to be easier, since when you gut the fish first the scales are then able to get inside the cavity

Answer 8

I don't see how it makes a big difference. But I personally prefer to cut off the head and gut it first, take off all the fins, and then scale it and wash it. That way you have fewer sharp protrusions that get in the way of your knife/scaler or your fingers.

Answer 9

Personally speaking I would say that it depends on the fish too, if I am going to scale them I do it before I gut them. It does make it much easier.

The only fish that I don't mind cooking the skin on is brook trout - no scales to speak of (unless their hatchery fish). What I've found out most about fishing through the years is you watch other fisherman or ask your friends and you either do what they do or you watch them a few times and try it a few times until you find your own way of doing things. This applies to all parts of fishing though.... you watch others around you and you can learn a lot. Sometimes it's what to do and other times it's what NOT to do.  

Answer 10

Not sure it matters.  Maybe you can de-scale it first.  -- That way the body is still firm & may help you de-scale it.  Then gut it.

Answer 11

I take the scales off first as the fish stays firmer and you don't get scales inside the cavity left after you gut the fish.

Answer 12

Take the scales off first.

If you gut it then take scales off you increase your chance of ripping the meat.

Answer 13

no one eats the skin (I know of) why even scale it just fillet the skin off the meat slab scaling fish is a waste of time I have so many other things I could be doing.