Have a question about fish?

so i went to resteraunt and thy served fresh fried catfish. i am from the north whn they de-bone it and then fry it. so when i came to the south they have the wholething fried. my thing is, how do you eat it? do you eat the fins? do you just tear into it and spit the bones? what parts do you eat exactly? many may think i am stupid but i don't know. how do you eat it??