Rinse the catfish under cold running water
Place the catfish on a clean cutting board
Use a sharp knife or fish scaler to remove the skin if desired
Cut off the head behind the gills
Make a shallow cut along the belly from the anus to the head
Remove the internal organs carefully
Scrape out any remaining blood or dark membrane inside the cavity
Rinse the cavity thoroughly with cold water
Remove the fins with kitchen shears or a knife
Cut off the tail if desired
Fillet the catfish by cutting along the backbone from head to tail
Remove the skin from the fillets if not already done
Check for and remove any bones
Pat the cleaned catfish dry with paper towels
Keep the cleaned fish chilled until ready to cook