New Fillet Knife

[Uncle Rob]

Looking to buy a new Fillet Knife. What do you boys think is the best buy and where?

[Mike Kansas]

I dont even own a Fillet Knife. I take my wife with me and let her clean the fish. On my last fishing trip I took my girlfriend with us and her and my wife did a nice job of cleaning and freezing all the fish.

[Jiggin Jimmy]

We have a guy named EUKER who goes with us every year. He is in charge of our fish cleaning. This is the only way he ever gets to touch a Walleye since he couldnt catch a snow flake in a blizzard.

[Matches]

A cordless Electric!!!

[Uncle Rob]

Real men dont use Cordless Electric. I want a razor sharp real Fillet knife so I can enjoy the whole outdoors experience....band aids and all. Somebody must know where to get a good knife. Price is no object I embezzeled some money from my boss.

[fishmaster]

Leech Lake fillet knife is the way to go, cost is about 89 bucks but money well spent.

[IaDave]

I second Leech Lake Knives. Anyone know of a website where you can buy them?

[ankorklankor]

Sounds like a fish story.

[fishmaster]

IaDave
Sent you an e-mail for the web address.
in case others want it,here it is
www.reedssports.com

[rebelrn2001]

This sounds like a nice knife but could Don be keeping more than his limit? The Leech Lake Filet Knife was designed and engineered by Donald Canny of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This is a quote from the web site: It has not been unusual for Don to have fileted hundreds of fish after a single day's outing.

I am of course kidding but...

[fish cleaner]

Don't waste your money on an expensive knife. I cleaned fish for resorts for many years in my younger days growing up in N.W. Ontario.
I found the best bang for your buck is a Rapala or Normark. The blades are almost the same the only difference is in the handle. One is wood and the other some kind of plastic composite.
I would bet I have tried a hundred different kinds and some quite expensive that guests wanted me to try, most are way to flexible. You need a blade that will give but must have some back bone also.
Good luck. Or do what most people do,,,,,,,,get married and let the wife worry about it.

[hawkeye]

The Leech Lake knife is not "just a knife." It is a collectors item.Something beautiful to own. You can buy them with beautiful laminated wood handles. the blade is sleek.Don Canny cleaned many fish as a boy up in minn., was mayor of Cedar Rapids Iowa and is a engineer and I believe a mechanical at that. He's been perfecting them for many years.Heres the neat part I don't see elsewhere, filet knives are dulled cutting through the scales so Don has the knife also sharpened on top of the blade, that is,about 3" long starting at the tip and going back about 3". You use this portion to cut through the scales saving the main blade for the rest. Even if you're not in the market keep your eye out for them and enjoy this fine labor of love.

[Bosbar911]

I can't believe no one suggested American Angler Electric Fillet Knife. Cuts through bones and scales like butter and never needs sharpening.
Bo

[WillieB]

Leech Lake knife
"The wood in the handles is heated and the natural oils are removed from the pores in a strong vacuum, the sheets are enhanced with a phenolic resin which is sometimes referred to as the "Steel of Plastics". The woods are then layered in different colors and are ground to shape exposing fascinating designs."

Okay...sounds 'lovely', 'beautiful', 'fascinating'...next it'll be described as 'gorgeous', 'precious', 'a pure expression of the soul'

He11, I thought we were talking about fillet knives not a life partner or soulmate! I second the Rapala or Normark choice. Nice blades, good flex with a nice spine as well, good handle and grip and about $65.00 less than the above.

I've not saying they aren't pretty, or sweet, or lovely....I'd just rather spend the extra $$ on something else.

My $.02

[mrwalleye5]

This may be the Scotch showing up in me but of all the knives I have used my pick is the good old wood handled 9" Rapala. Nice flexible blade and runs around $10.00. Wife gave me a top end knife with a bone handle, looked almost too good to use. Ended up using it as a carpet knife. Blade was too ridged for me.

W5

[T-Mac]

Glad you said that... I agree.
I cleaned perch, walleyes, and Northerns by the tons for $$ (Resort).
My sentiments, exactly. Get the el-cheapo with a thin, limber blade.

[River_eye]

As a guide, having cleaned thousands of fish, the Rapala is the way to go, my preference is the 6" blade. I've also used a buck quite a bit. I liked the handle on it, but I was out by myself, 27 miles from the nearest road, and the blade snapped. I butchered the rest of the fish, and ate my lunch. Buck sent me a new knife, but the handle isn't as nice as the old one, and the blade is too stiff and the sheath sucks. IT's supposed to snap into the sheath, but it's so loose that the knife could come flying out at any time.

I always, carry two knives now, my first is a wood handled Rapala, and the second is that new Buck they sent me.

[rpieske]

Try the Kershaw fillet knife. I don't believe any other manufacturer sends out their knives with the edge that Kershaw does. Wow! is it sharp! They are moderately priced, keep their edge well, good slip proof handle and hard sheath. All in all a good buy. Another excellent fillet knife is the one made by Browning Arms. A little higher in price but also an excellent knife.

[68 starcraft]

Just got a sale catalog from Bass Pro, They have a good deal on either a electric, cordless which comes with a free fillet board or they also have a sale on regular fillet knife. My personal choice is the Gerber for the ease of sharpening and the quality, love the rubber handles. Hope i helped.Check Bass pro online.

[Pooch]

Ditto the Kershaw knives. I've had the same one for years. Rubber handle is great. It takes a lot of abuse then takes an edge without a lot of "dinking around".

Pooch

[Wooglin]

Got me a Rapalla. I agree, why spend a ton of cash when you don't have to. My dad still uses the same knife for the past 25 years and it is not a brand namer. All you have to do is take care of it, keep the blade sharp and clean it everytime.

If you have to drive a mile, and you have the choice to drive a F350 or a Ford Festiva, you'd probably drive the F350. But, the Festiva would get you there too, and it would cost less on gas.

[Wa]

My first choice is an electric if electricity is available. You get lots of use out of these without sharpening. My second choice is a basic Rapala. Good knife at a reasonable price.

[Rippin_Eyes]

Leech Lake Knife all the way!!!! You can clean hundereds of fish on a knife and never have to sharpen it or plug it in!! I hate sharpening a knife after 12 fish!! They less junk I have to bring with the better!!!!!

[fishinnut]

Have any of you guys tried a Cutco brand filet knife? The blade can be set from 6" to 9" long. It retracts into the handle. The grip is a non-slip rubber. I have one and really like it. Check them out.

[Rippin_Eyes]

Yeah I have a cutco too, but I like my Leech Lake better!! The cutco has to wide of a blade and the handle doesn't fit right in the hand to take the Y bones out of northerens!! Other than that It is a great knife too!!

[River_eye]

I've cleaned a few fish with one of them. It was a brand new one, so it was amazingly sharp. It was almost too sharp. The blade wasn't that flexible, so I wasn't crazy about it, never pulled out the blade past 6".

[Fishing Junky]

I use a 12 volt electric to make the cuts behind the gills and along the backbone. Then use a Rapala to cut the ribcage out and remove the skin. Works for me. Junky................

[mjs]

Between a Cutco and a rapala knife I think I'd chose a cutco. Cutco just seems to take a lot less sharpening less often. For a few fish now and then though a rap does the job for less money for sure.

[Winnie]

A crusty old guy with whom I fish has one of those Leech knives. He swears by it. Makes filleting walleyes look like an art form. Cabelas also has a Wusthof fillet knife that I hear is pretty good. I know Wusthof makes a pretty mean set of kitchen knives.

[Winnie]

A crusty old guy with whom I fish has one of those Leech knives. He swears by it. Makes filleting walleyes look like an art form. Cabelas also has a Wusthof fillet knife that I hear is pretty good. I know Wusthof makes a pretty mean set of kitchen knives.