What do you think the best fillet knife is?

[Mainehazmt]

I'm looking to get a really good fillet knife but gonna end up buy one on line as I haven't found anything that seems right in the local stores   besides not much selection   One thing about it though is I don't want a cheap plastic sheath or cheap knife

[perchhogslayer]

While we are on the topic of Fillet knife.... Also, what is the best (easy and quick) sharpener you have found?
**Sorry to steal your thread, just had a related question as well.   

[minnowguy]

Might try an electric knife once ya get the hang of one it just takes seconds to clean a fish.

[Smitty71]

First to answer perchhogslayers question, go to the IS main chit chat and look for a thread called knife sharpeners- what do you use?  It has 3 pages of great info on the subject.

As for your question Maine, I normally go down to my local butcher shop and get reconditioned knives from them.  Can't even say that I know the names right off hand, but they have been some of the best deer skinnin, fish fillet'in, pheasant cleanin knives I've used.  Go down to your local butcher shop and see what they recommend.  I'll bet they will have some go ideas for you, if not a knife or 2 to look at.

Smitty

[spartaman12]

with the rapala electric knife i can do 3 or 4 fish against my friends 1 with a traditional knife- and you get more meat out of it because sometimes when you take the skin off with a regular knife u tear the meat

[Pasquatch]

I've got a Mister Twister electric knife, and it does make cleaning alot easier, and safer.

[Wellsy]

An electric knife is on my list of things to buy.
But I presently use a Cabelas advanced anglers fillet knife, it has a nice solid handle and just enough backbone to take the abuse I put it through when skinning.

you get more meat out of it because sometimes when you take the skin off with a regular knife u tear the meat

I have never torn or lost an ounce of meat when skinning, if anything that's from dull, too short, piece of junk,  and bad knife control.

what is the best (easy and quick) sharpener you have found?
**Sorry to steal your thread, just had a related question as well.   

Any hand held diamond hone, electric work good but only if your home every time you use it. Hard to find but if you can get one, an oval shape hand held are killer for really consistent strokes without having to change the angle of the blade from butt to tip. Some restaurant supply places carry these.

[eyedoktr]

The very best non electric filet knife is a Leech Lake. I have owned many filet knives and this is by far the best I have ever owned or used. It has cleaned hundreds of perch and walleye and is still razor sharp.

[TR19]

Electric is the way to go for filleting. I use a Rapala fillet knife to take out the rib cages. i like it because the steel is soft and you can sharpen it in a split second.

[Wellsy]

The very best non electric filet knife is a Leech Lake. I have owned many filet knives and this is by far the best I have ever owned or used. It has cleaned hundreds of perch and walleye and is still razor sharp.

Very, Very nice looking knives but that is some kind of price tag they carry.
Would love to have one of those in my arsenal just may take a few more years or a good raise at work to get me one.

[chimo]

I've been using a cutco, think it's called a fishermans solution or some such thing, for 5 or more years now and haven't had any urge to get anything new.  The blade is adjustable from 6-9 inches, nice non slip handle, seems like just the right amount of flexibilty in the blade.  Might try an electric someday but it might be a while as much as I like the cutco.  good fishin

chimo

[captain54]

Rapala for hand fillet knife,there cheap and easy to sharpen,Mr Twister for electric.I don't use hand knife any more,I do it all with my Twister, fillet,skin,and derib in that order .

[fin-stalker]

I have a Rapala electric and it works great for panfish, walleye, salmon, steelies......any fish.  The deluxe version has three available power options...110, cig lighter, and battery hook up.  Got them at gander mtn for around $80.  Just saw the exact same one at Walmart for $39 regularly priced!  Hope that helps.  Take care and tear em up!

[r3foxx]

with the rapala electric knife i can do 3 or 4 fish against my friends 1 with a traditional knife- and you get more meat out of it because sometimes when you take the skin off with a regular knife u tear the meat

No way in H E L L you are getting more meat with an electric than you are with a fillet knife.

[chocklab07]

I have had a rapala fillet knives for years. The one with the wooden handle and leather case that you can get at Walmart.  That thing is great. I use it for filleting everything from trout down to some little perch, It even did a good job on some big smelts that I tried to fillet.

[moski]

rapala for sure! there cheap and will clean a lot of fish!

[Joe Snag]

I still have the old Rapala wood handle--BUT,what i do when I scale a fish before I fellet it ,I'll use my Hunting case xx or my large buck knife to scale the fish first and save the edge of my fillet knife.

[bigfoot697]

rapala for the price

[ralwag]

Rapala for the price. Remember you could have the best knife in the world but if you don't know how to fillet it won't do you any good. 

Ral.

[DR.SPECKLER]

wood handle rapala is pretty decent.

[Tombo]

Buck 'lakemaster'......don't think they make it anymore, but might still make something similar. I really like Buck knives for the price

[Vt Piker]

I've got the Rapala electric kit and Pike filleting is a whole lot easier and I can work off any 12V source or 110V. For good ol' fashion steel, I side with the Rapala recommendations. I've got two of the wood handles w/ leather case, one plastic non- slip handle with leather case, and a Fishmaster with a hard plastic case. The different knives have different "spines" (the back of the knife) and different lengths. The spine controls the flexibility of the Knife.
 I sharpen the different knives with different angles on the edge. Each tool has it's purpose. OK, so call me anal about my knives. But the flesh knives cut like exacto blades and the bone knives hold their edge.
 The Rapala blades are not 440c but on the other hand, you can resharpen them with a few quick swipes on an Arkansas stone or a fine India stone.

[Perch-Pirate]

I actually like the rubber grip Rapala fillet knife better than the wood handle. Maybe I just got a bad wood handled one, but the rubber grip stays sharp like ten times longer before I re-sharpen.

Later,
PP

[fiesty]

The one that my wife is cutting with...Dexter Russell 11" whippy little thing, holds a great edge, get about two seasons out of one...

[imoutdoors]

Any carbon steel knife holds a good edge. dexter makes a good one. 9" x 3/4" to 1" unless you are only cleaning small fish then a small rapala will work.<"(((><.........

[littlet63]

I got a Kershaw for Christmas and I love it.  Not sure what it cost.  It has a rubber handle.  It also has 2 blades with it.  1 for smaller fish and the other for the big uns.  Both the knife and other blade fit into the sheath.

[princecraft]

I used a 4" rapala and it worked real well until I switched to the electric Mr. Twister.  I will never go back.  I also agree from a previous post " that with an electric you will end up with more meat....." No way, but you sure can clean them alot quicker.  Also I have always heard that a cutco fishermans solution is the best.  But for the price it ought to be.

[RealityCheck]

I use a shrade uncle henry 8" fillet knife.  I also have the rapala electric knife.  I like both knives.  I had a few Rapala fillet knife and couldn't get one that was flexible enough.  Also the handles seem to want to crack and split.  I cut the ends off of my fingers without any extra help from a cracked handle.....but you get what you pay for.

[spartaman12]

I used a 4" rapala and it worked real well until I switched to the electric Mr. Twister.  I will never go back.  I also agree from a previous post " that with an electric you will end up with more meat....." No way, but you sure can clean them alot quicker.  Also I have always heard that a cutco fishermans solution is the best.  But for the price it ought to be.

i worked for cutco and the fisherman solution is pretty cool but its no where near as good as the electric rapala knife...  and dont let cutco fool you... the only good knives that they make are the ones with the "double d" edge. for an outdoorsman the hunting knife with rubber handle is the best knife ull ever process a deer with

[pan-fisher-man]

classic Rapala hands down.