Learning to clean and gut a fish is a lot easier when you can watch someone do it. This round-up pulls together the ten most-watched YouTube videos on the subject, ranked by actual view count, so you can pick the demonstration that fits the fish you have and the time you’ve got.
Across the list you’ll find everything from 90-second quick demos to a 34-minute masterclass, plus professional fishmongers, chefs, charter crews, and even a state game and fish department. Some focus on a single species, others cover a whole range, and a few lean more toward entertainment than instruction. Use the notes below to find the one worth your time.
1. How To Fillet Every Fish | Method Mastery | Epicurious
Epicurious · 45.5M views · 34:01 · 2019
At 45 million views, this 34-minute Epicurious masterclass is by far the most-watched video on the list. A wholesale fish manager works through a wide variety of species in a structured, classroom-style format, making it the pick for viewers who want real depth rather than a quick answer.
2. GRAPHIC – How to fillet a fish – Mackerel – Japanese technique – サバのさばき方
Cooking with Chef Dai · 15.3M views · 2:54 · 2015
This sub-three-minute demonstration from Cooking with Chef Dai shows a traditional Japanese technique on mackerel, and it's racked up over 15 million views. It carries a graphic-content warning with timestamps for squeamish viewers, so it suits those who want a fast, precise pro demonstration on a single species.
3. GRAPHIC – How to fillet a fish – Sea bream – Japanese technique – クロダイのさばき方
Cooking with Chef Dai · 5M views · 10:29 · 2015
The companion piece to the mackerel video, this 10-minute Chef Dai demonstration covers sea bream using the same traditional Japanese approach. The longer runtime gives it more room to breathe, and like its sibling it flags graphic sections in the description.
4. Watch This Lady's Fish Filleting Skills in Action! This Lady Is A Fish Cleaning Machine! Part 2
Take Me Fishing Gary · 5M views · 13:09 · 2024
Filmed at Buttwhackers in Homer, Alaska, this 13-minute video is a showcase of a professional fish cleaning crew working through fish, including halibut, at remarkable speed. It's part demonstration and part spectacle, good for viewers who learn by watching experienced hands at work.
5. HOW TO FILLET A BASS
Phil Crockett · 2.2M views · 4:39 · 2015
Phil Crockett's four-and-a-half-minute video zeroes in on bass, one of the most common freshwater catches. The description leans heavily on knife and gear links, suggesting a practical, gear-forward tutorial aimed at anglers who want a quick species-specific walkthrough.
6. This Dinosaur Broke My Knife
Reed The Fishmonger · 2M views · 11:12 · 2025
Despite the clickbait title, this 11-minute video from Reed The Fishmonger centers on breaking down an unusually large, tough fish – with a knife casualty along the way. It suits viewers who want entertainment alongside the demonstration rather than a dry tutorial.
7. How To KILL A Fish – FASTEST & Most HUMANE WAY! (Bonus Gut & Fillet HOW TO)
Addicted Fishing · 1.8M views · 11:11 · 2019
Addicted Fishing's 11-minute video starts earlier in the process than most on this list, covering humane dispatch before moving into gutting and filleting. It's aimed squarely at anglers who plan to keep their catch and want the full field-to-table sequence from one channel.
8. The #1 Myth About This Fish
Reed The Fishmonger · 1.7M views · 11:07 · 2025
Another Reed The Fishmonger entry, this 11-minute video is framed around busting a myth about mahi mahi, with the fish breakdown built into the story. The description is mostly sponsor links, so expect a personality-driven fishmonger video rather than a formal lesson.
9. How To Skin and Debone Fish | Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay · 1.5M views · 1:43 · 2014
Gordon Ramsay's contribution is the shortest on the list at under two minutes, demonstrating skinning and deboning in his brisk kitchen style. It's the obvious choice for someone who wants a fast, chef-level answer on kitchen prep rather than field cleaning.
10. How to Clean Trout – Quick & Easy
Wyoming Game and Fish Department · 1.3M views · 2:18 · 2018
From the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, this two-minute video promises a trout cleaned in under two minutes, demonstrated by a hatchery superintendent. It's a straightforward, no-frills official tutorial, ideal for trout anglers who want the quickest credible answer available.
Ranked by YouTube view count as of November 14, 2026. View counts move around, so the order here reflects the day this list was compiled. All videos belong to their respective creators – watching them here plays them directly from YouTube, so views and any ad revenue still go to the channel.
