Scale them on the water, it's less messy. At home locate the butthole and cut from the back of the head to the butthole. Staying on the meat side of the stomache. This will give you a clean cut without any blood guts ect... I also fin them but keep the tail to hold onto while dipping and cooking. Some roll in seasoned flour, egg and panko crumbs. I don't like it with the egg and panko. Just seasoned flour and fry in hot 1/4 cup of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter till well done. You can use a fork to peel the top fillet off pull off the fin bones and you have a very tasty piece of meat. Now you can pull off the backbone, fin bones and you have another.
My favorate fish next to sculpin.