The best fillet knives for fishing are listed down below, along with a detailed guide on this special type of fishing knife.Â
Quick Summary: Top 8 - Best Fish Fillet Knife
At an affordable cost, the Mercer Culinary Millenia Fillet Knife is a great option with its high carbon and a stain-resistant blade made from Japanese steel, and its ergonomic handle design. It’s a comfortable and easy to control fillet knife.
The one-forged construction of the Mercer Culinary Renaissance Fillet Knife gives it a durable and long-lasting build. The German Cutlery Steel Blade is fitted with an easy-grip Delrin Handle.Â
The KastKing Fillet Knife is a Fillet Knife and Sheath package offered at a great value. The knife features a durable build made of a polymer handle and stainless steel German Blade.
Electric knives are a convenient option. This Rapala Electric Fillet Knife has a heavy-duty motor that runs on 110V. The stainless blade is removable and dishwasher safe.
Featuring a classic birchwood handle and a blade made from Swedish Stainless Steel, this Rapala Fillet Knife is available in 4-inch, 6-inch, and 7.5-inch blade options; all blades are fitted with the same varnished wood handle.
Another fillet knife from Rapala, this piece is fitted with the Rapala flexible stainless steel blade and has a molded soft-grip handle with a textured, non-slip coat. The knife also comes with a simple black sheath.
The Dalstrong Flexible Gladiator Fillet Knife features a 56+ grade Rockwell hardness on its hand-polished German Steel (G4116) Blade. It is fitted with high quality and ergonomic Pakkawood handle.
The Calamus Stainless Steel Fillet Knife has a protective nylon sheath that protects the German Stainless Steel (G4116) Blade. The knife blade features a blue Teflon finish. The handle also carries a cool blue and gray design.
Product | Photo | Blade | Link |
---|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Japanese Steel | ||
Best Construction | Germany Cutlery Steel | ||
Best Value | G4116 German Stainless Steel |
Our Reviews
A protective nylon sheath comes with this filleting knife. The sheath has an open edge along with vented slots on one side to prevent the corrosion. This protective sheath partnered with high-quality blades makes this item great for either saltwater or freshwater use.Â
Overall, this stainless steel fillet knife from Calamus offers a nice build from durable materials and a very bright and sleek design. The rubber handle may feel flimsy for some, but it is still easy to hold. The sheath also comes with a snap-on feature that locks the sheath securely in place.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Fillet Knife
What is a Fillet Knife?
The right fillet knife typically features a thin and flexible blade, with a more curved edge than other knives. Although people can actually use any knife to fillet a fish, these three properties make the fillet knife more suitable for filleting. Having the right tool essentially makes it easier for you.
However, not just any fillet knife should cut it. There are currently so many options in the market that it can be difficult to choose the best ones. These are five distinct knife characteristics that you should take into consideration when buying a fillet knife.
Fillet Knife Length
Fillet Knife Blade
Another property to consider is the flexibility of the blade. If you’re looking at short or medium-sized knives, a flexible blade will give you better control and maneuverability. However, long knives will need to be a bit stiffer in order to make it easier to control. Checking the thickness of the blade will provide a basis for its flexibility.
Fillet Knife Handles
Fillet Knife Extras
How to use a Fillet Knife?
Here’s a general walkthrough on how to use a fillet knife when cutting through fish:
- Cut the head off your fish behind the gills.
- Holding the fish by the tail, glide your blade from the tail-down to make an incision on your fish. As you do this, you may way to place your index finger on the backbone of your knife to help guide the knife. Never cut towards you, only away from you.
- As you hold your fish down by the tail, remove the skin from your fish by gliding your blade (away from you) along the skin.
- For larger fish, instead of cutting the head off, you would instead make a deep incision behind the gills on both sides, leaving the head still partially intact, before moving on to the next steps.
Once you get a feel of your fillet knife and understand how to use it, you can fillet fish quickly and effortlessly.