How to Split or Butterfly a Fish

Free the Meat from the Backbone

Free the backbone

Holly A. Heyser

Use the point of the fillet knife to free the meat from the backbone with short, gentle strokes. Take your time and you will have an almost meatless backbone.

• Gather Your Tools
• Cut out the Bottom Fins
• Cut Toward the Tail
• Remove the Bottom Fins
• Slice Around the Ribs
• Free the Meat from the Backbone
• Snip the Tail End of the Backbone
• Lift Out the Backbone
• Snip the Head End of the Backbone
• A Finished Split Fish