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Topic: Fillet Knife Recommendations?  (Read 5137 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SandyToes

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Santa Cruz
  • Date Registered: Sep 2020
  • Posts: 107
I want to replace my old no brand junk fillet knife.  I've been looking at the mora one (I have had good experience with moras in general), and the classic fish n' fillet.   Any other recommendations?  Thanks!


cam3087

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Petaluma, Ca
  • Date Registered: May 2012
  • Posts: 705
Victorinox boning knife for fish like cabezon that’ll pretty much be your workhorse and dexter russel flexible carbon steel for precision cuts.  The longer the better.
2nd Place 2014 Trinidad Rockfish Wars IV


BsHawk

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Location: Sacramento
  • Date Registered: Jan 2020
  • Posts: 1007
+1 for Dexter knives.
2020 Hobie Outback Camo


Tez

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Sonoma County, CA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2017
  • Posts: 648
victorinox (Forschner) and friedrich dick make sharp durable blades, I got lucky and found one of each at a thrift store for $1.  Was also gifted a global g30 fillet a few years ago and it's friggin awesome, but pricey.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2020, 09:17:09 AM by Tez »


Loebs

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Novato
  • Date Registered: Aug 2020
  • Posts: 772
I just got a bubba knife about $60 bucks from bass pro fillets a lot nicer than my $15 Rapala from walmart


SandyToes

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Santa Cruz
  • Date Registered: Sep 2020
  • Posts: 107
Thanks guys.  Dexter-Russel looks nice, and is cheap!


Fuzzy Tom

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Location: Ex Santa Cruz/Reno
  • Date Registered: Jul 2005
  • Posts: 1751
My Dexter Russell long flexible filet knife is great, but you have to make sure you clean it, then dry it well, then oil it with some olive oil or such to keep it from corroding.


poulton

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: San Ramon, Ca
  • Date Registered: May 2011
  • Posts: 343


christianbrat

  • "Top 3 Spot Burner" according to Nick Fish
  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Christian
  • Location: The Bay
  • Date Registered: May 2019
  • Posts: 1182
believe it or not, but this $5.99 knife has been pretty stellar for me. https://www.smartandfinal.com/shop/product/fs-boning-knife-flex-6-in-1-ct/666967
Current Fleet
- 1989 Arima Sea Explorer w/ custom Pilot House
- 2017 Hobie Outback

Historical Fleet
- 2018 Hobie Revolution 13
- 1985 Hobie PowerSkiff 15'
- 1975 Valco U-14
- 2009 Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT


TheKeeneroo

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Eric
  • FIN + FORAGE
  • Location: Pacific Grove
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 780
I want to replace my old no brand junk fillet knife.  I've been looking at the mora one (I have had good experience with moras in general), and the classic fish n' fillet.   Any other recommendations?  Thanks!

I wouldn't pay $140 for a fillet knife, but a friend gave this one to me as a gift and it's amazing... I have one large carbon steel with very little flex for larger fish, a serrated steak knife for cuts through scales / large bones, and this wustoff for all the precision cuts. It's super flexible and extremely sharp. https://www.wusthof.com/products/wusthof-classic-7-fillet-knife-4622-7
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

There's definitely a fish under THIS rock....

Eric, Pacific Grove
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SandyToes

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Santa Cruz
  • Date Registered: Sep 2020
  • Posts: 107
I'll believe it on the cheapo, my no-brand junk one has been great, it just has a broken off 1/8" of it's tip, which is less than ideal.  I suppose I could just grind it out, but an upgrade would be fun.

I have a wusthoff bread knife someone gave us years ago, didn't know they were so fancy and expensive!  I suppose I should take good care of it.

I'll look into the bubbas too.

How do people feel about the classic rapala fish n' fillet?  I'm sure there are modern designs that are better, and the wooden handle is probably less ideal than plastic with fish slime, but I like the history of it...


Jigstrike

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Oakley
  • Date Registered: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 200
Spend the money and get a forshner . Best blade for the money. 6 inch boning knife  and a 8 inch 402 -8 I think 30 years and no breaks. Filleted over 5000 fish on party boat with it I am sure that is an underestimate. But then again what fish are you cutting?


LilRiverMan

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Date Registered: May 2009
  • Posts: 2126
Dexter or Victorinox. Americas Test Kitchen does knife testing and Victorinoxknives keep coming up 2nd or third against knives that cost 4 or 5 times as much. If you want more info on the right knife, look up The Knife Merchant in San Diego and call them
Winner, 2012 Fisherman's Warehouse, Tiki Lagoon - Stripers.

Proud paddler - Pay it Forward Paddle 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018

In the game of biggest fish, if you can't enjoy routinely gettin' your ass handed to you, by great fishermen, then you don't belong in the NCKA.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~Henry David Thoreau


SandyToes

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Location: Santa Cruz
  • Date Registered: Sep 2020
  • Posts: 107
A lot of surf perch recently :)  But I'm scheming on buying a kayak and gear in the near future and getting some rockfish and maybe halibut.  I'm looking for advice on this in my intro thread if you have any to offer, and I'm planning to start a "wanted" thread for used gear soon if anyone is upgrading and wants to sell off their old but good stuff.  I joined for a bit of advice, and so far the community has been great, so thanks!

Intro thread:
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=93432.0


  • Fishing is the perpetual series occasion of hope.
  • Location: San Francisco
  • Date Registered: May 2009
  • Posts: 6340
My favorite knives are from Daiso  :smt044 $3. I have a Dexter that I've been using on filleting LingCod. I bought a $10 one from Amazon that I use for sashimi. Keep them sharp buy the 1000/3000 stone sharpener.
Live today for tomorrow's sake.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.