Does anyone have some good advise for cleaning a catfish. And what happens if the darn thing is still alive when I get ready to clean? I can clean a trout, but catfish are different as I found out. Any help is appreciated.
Colaiza1965

i always run a nail through the head of the fish to kill it also to hold it in place on a wood table, take a skinner or pliers and skin the fish entirely, then u can fillet it but it is just easier to gut it and fry it up that way.

The nail trick works. I caught one the other day and I will keep a fish alive as long as possible. What I did was take it out of water for the 1/2 hour ride home then tossed it in the sink and ran water over it. I was alive and not so full of energy. Then I grabbed my fillet knife (always sharp) and cut off a couple of good fillets. I then took the knife and made a cut under the skin and grabbed the meat in one hand and the skin in the other and peeled them apart.

If you ice them it draws the blood into the internal organs and they taste better. The ice kills them too. Skinning pliers are a must too if you plan on cleaning them often or have several to clean.