In that category of course are such species like sting rays, sheepshead and some in the jack family like the pompano.  The latter was a problem was encountered by a reader in Texas who asked for some help with improving the yield on a fillet Pompano:

Capt Mel - 

You have an extremely nice site.  I ran across through Google while looking on how to clean Pompano.  I'm from TX originally, but the military has brought me down to Panama City.  While out today, I managed about 11 catfish (hardheads) and 1 pompano.  I brought it (the pompano) home to see how it's gonna taste.  He measured in at about 13 inches.  After filleting him though, I only got 4 decent pieces of meat.  It's been a while since I've filleted a fish and my first experience with a Pompano.  Is it possible I did something wrong or is it just hard to fillet a little fish like that?  There was a little meat left on the body, but not much.  Also, I cut out the red stripe.  Not sure if it mattered, but when filleting fresh water bass that is my rule of thumb. 

Thanks again for the great site and any help you provide and up and coming saltwater fisherman.... 

Troy

Hey Troy.

Welcome to our Florida fishing site. Although the fishing in Texas is nothing to joke about, we're sure that you're going to find Florida angling equally rewarding and challenging. 

Now for the pompano.  

Although you can certainly spend the time filleting the little gems, we find that the absolute best way to prepare them for the table is by baking them whole. There are a few tips to keep in mind. 

First, get a sharp pair of kitchen shears and remove the tail and fins. Be careful with the top and bottom fins, as they are very sharp. Then make a slice from the anal vent to under the mouth of the fish and remove the entrails. Be careful to slice only the skin, and avoid piercing the intestines. Remove the guts with your hands. We usually inspect the contents of the stomach at this point to see what they've been eating. It's clearly recognizable -- a long, pouch-like structure that usually contains some sand and shells in addition to small crustaceans, shrimp, etc. There's a small bloodline tight against the spine. Carefully scrape this blood out with the tip of a knife. 

Next, starting IN FRONT OF THE EYES, cut the head off. The reason it's important to start in front of the eyes is that there is an incredible piece of meat -- different in texture and flavor from the rest of the body -- that occupies the front top of the fish's head. Look at the third image in the series of pictures and you'll see that the final chunk of meat should have what looks like a hook towards the front of the fish. This is the area that contains the strip of lobster-like meat. Most people throw this away -- and it's a shame, because it's a real treat. 

Dry the fish with paper towels. 

To prepare the fish, preheat a 325 degree (F.) oven. Rub the inside of the fish with a little butter and pepper (no salt -- it dries out the meat; salt it later). Take a sprig of fresh rosemary and a little thyme, and place it in the stomach cavity. We've also put a piece of orange in there with excellent results, but that's a matter of taste. 

Place the fish on a rack and insert into the oven. Bake at 325 until the flesh is firm and white. The skin will simply strip off like a piece of paper, and the flesh is firm and incredible. You don't need to flip the fish, skin it, or anything else to create a wonderful meal. One fish per person (if they're small) is usually quite enough. 

There are times when we catch real behemoths offshore here, and those fish -- often in excess of twenty pounds -- wind up being filleted and split into more manageable pieces. Otherwise, this trick for baking them whole is perfect for the typical fish we catch from the beaches and around area bridges. 

For more information about catching pompano around the bridges, you might check out an article written by my friend Gary Poyssick. It's on our site at http://www.capmel.com/Pompano_A_Well_kept_Secret.htm