Fishing has a purpose; some do it as a profession, while others just as a hobby or a day out spent with nature. Whatever the purpose lies behind your fishing, at the end of the day, it brings a good feast to your dinner table. To fulfill that successfully, you need a good fillet knife.
Have you been struggling with your knife while filleting fish? Have you ever experienced a bad fillet knife that made you frustrated? When your fillets look more like chopped meat than neatly cut fish fillets, then you realize how badly you need the best fishing fillet knives.
Well, if you are looking for some of the best working fillet knives, we can help you there. In this article, we have picked some of the best fishing fillet knives that can make dealing with fish or poultry very easy for you. Try out any of these and feel the difference.
The Criteria to Choose the Best Fishing Fillet Knives
The real test of a fillet knife comes when you need to make back-to-back fillets of multiple kinds of fish, both saltwater and freshwater fish.
The best fillet knife is sharp, gives a smooth action, is easy to re-sharpen, and has a good handle for grip. Also, its cleaning is very easy, and after repeated washes, it remains stain- and rust-resistant.
We have the following best fishing fillet knives at White Water Fishing Supply:
1: Dexter Russell Wide Fillet Knife 6-inch—1376
For decades, the Dexter 1376, a 6-inch boning and fillet knife has been a favorite for both commercial and charter boat fishermen. The knife features:
- A high-carbon, wide steel blade is easy to hand-sharpen and hone
- The blade is stiff with little or no flexion, which helps in precise fillet making.
- The beech wood handle is kept in place with the blade tang through brass rivets.
- It is ideal for deboning either poultry or fish meat.
Because of the high-carbon steel blade and wooden handle, the knife needs to be hand-washed and dried. To avoid black patina with use or rust with time, coat the blade with a layer of vegetable oil.
Product Description
- Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
- Blade length: 6 inches
- Blade Tip: Pointed
- Edge: Straight
- Handle: Beechwood
2: Dexter Russel Wide Fillet Knife, 8-inch—1378
Another traditional and one of the best fishing fillet knives. It is also one of the favorites of both commercial and charter boat fishermen. Some salient features of this fishing knife are:
- A high-carbon, wide steel blade is easy to hand re-sharpen.
- A stiff blade with almost no flexion makes the deboning process easy and precise.
- The beech wood handle has brass rivets to secure it to the blade tang.
- Ideal for deboning both fish and cutting meats.
The beech wood handle and high-carbon steel blade demand extra care against rusting; you can do it by adding a coat of vegetable oil.
Product Information
- Dimensions: 13.5 x 5.38 x 0.23 inches
- Item Weight: 4.6 ounces
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Color: Silver
3: Dexter Russel V-Low Grip Fillet Knife, 8-inch
This is a premium-quality knife that not only proves itself to be one of the best fishing fillet knives but is also ideal for fine cuts of meat and poultry. The knife presents the following features:
- It has a slip-resistant, textured polypropylene handle that is easy to clean and can withstand both extremes of temperature, from cold to hot.
- An impervious seal extends from blade to handle, providing the utmost sanitary performance.
- The blade of this knife is manufactured from proprietary DEXSTEELTM stain-resistant and high-carbon steel. The sharp edge of this blade can be hand re-sharpened or honed, but it rarely needs that.
- It is longer and thinner than a boning knife, which improves this knife’s control with precision.
Product Description
- NSF-certified
- With a protective finger guard
- Flexible for thin and fine cuts
- 8-inch high-carbon steel blade
Although each one of us has our own experience regarding tools and knives, to pass the test of the best fishing fillet knives, one must be able to turn piles of any kind of fish into ready-for-the-table fillets.
The handle of a knife should have a firm and slip-resistant grip; the blade should have ideal flexibility—not too flexible or rigid; and the handle should be easy to clean. You can try any of the above-mentioned best fishing fillet knives, as they meet the standard very well.
You can use them for filleting fish, meat, and poultry. However, to prolong the life of these knives, never put them in the dishwasher; always hand wash them. Once you get used to them, you will enjoy using them.