Rinse the trout in cold water
Pat the fish dry
Place the trout on a clean cutting board
Use a sharp fillet knife
Make a cut behind the gills down to the backbone
Turn the knife and cut along the backbone toward the tail
Keep the blade close to the bones
Lift the fillet as you cut
Stop at the tail and separate the fillet
Flip the fish over and repeat on the other side
Remove the rib bones from each fillet
Trim away the belly bones if needed
Remove the skin by sliding the knife between skin and flesh, if desired
Check for pin bones and pull them out with tweezers
Rinse the fillets lightly and pat dry