even if it's small, the best way to go is to fillet it boneless, i'm not sure what that involves on a catfish since i find them disgusting and throw 'em all back...and get pissed when i catch one, heh, but i've eaten them before, very tasty, i just don't want anything to do with catching them i guess.

we fillet northern pike boneless, it's a pain in the ass but it's so worth it, pull the y-bones out with a few little cuts then you got two perfect huge fillets, a top one, and on a big sucker you got two tail fillets, most people don't realize how great pike tastes 'cause they have no idea how to fillet it, and they're so full of bones it's crazy, take the time to fillet it right and it's so much sweeter eating it...otherwise...awe shit i just pierced the roof of my mouth...heh

anyway, tangent...fillet the sucker.