By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

You can debone fish both before and after cooking. The bones separate quite easily after cooking, but it's often more pleasant to eat fish when the bones are removed beforehand.

Step 1:
Place the cleaned and dressed fish on cutting surface.

Step 2:
Hold the fish by the head (if the head is still attached; it doesn't need to be) and slice into the fish behind the gill until you feel the knife touch backbone.

Step 3:
Turn the knife so it's flat against the backbone, touching the ribs. The edge should face the tail.

Step 4:
Cut along the backbone through the fish from head to tail, under the fillet.

Step 5:
Turn fish over and repeat. At this point two sets of bones will remain in the fillet.

Step 6:
Cut away the rib cage bones, which will be visible, by sliding the edge of the knife between the rib bones and the meat of the fillet.

Step 7:
Pull out the smaller set of bones, called pin bones, that run through the center of the fillet.

Step 8:
Use your finger to feel for the pin bone tips sticking out of the fillet. Use tweezers or needle-nose pliers to grab the tips and pull them out.