Manual Filet Knife recommendations

[Bowhunter57]

I have an electric filet knife that I love and wouldn't trade for anything. However, I find that if I'm on a long distance fishing trip, it's better to filet the fish and put them on ice before coming home. So, I'm shopping for a good manual filet knife.

Are there any manual filet knife recommendations that you can pass along?
* Blade length?
* Brands?
* Price ranges?
* Where to buy?

Thank you, Bowhunter57

[Bugflipper]

I have had this one for 30 years or so. http://www.rapala.com/Fish-n-Fillet-Knives/Fish%20n%20Fillet%20Knives,default,pd.html?start=8&cgid=rapala-knives-fillet
They are good little knives and pretty cheap. A lot of fillet knives aren't flexible enough. You can cut the meat off then flip the skin side down and cut the skin off without scaling. Other people's knives I've used won't do that without leaving some meat on the skin because they don't bend well enough.


Length just depends on what you are after I guess. I just have a 4". It is good enough for panfish, trout and catfish up to about 15 lbs.


Here are places to get them online but most box stores would have them I would guess.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=rapala+fillet+knife&num=50&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvns&biw=1280&bih=632&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=625212958069433399&sa=X&ei=a2mKT4HVIIL69QSqpZHKCQ&ved=0CGQQ8wIwATgy#scoring=tp


If you don't want a wood handle where the varnish cracks after 50-100  times through the dishwasher this one is the same blade with a rubber handle. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=rapala+fillet+knife&num=50&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1280&bih=632&prmd=imvns&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=4177585118108584593&sa=X&ei=TmmKT-2wF4eo8QT3qM3hCQ&ved=0CHkQ8wIwBQ#scoring=tp I use this one at home now and use the wood handle one on the river. I didn't want to have to sand the cracked varnish off and reapply again from the dishwasher. It just gets rinsed off in the river after use.

[corbanzo]

Yep.  Rapala fish-n-fillet.  Best knife out there.  Well, best knife that's not $100. 

Once again length depends on what you fish.  the knife should be about 2-3" longer than the total height of the fillet. 

[Bowhunter57]

Thank you, for the recommendations, guys.    I'm leaning toward a 7 1/2" or 9" blade length. I currently own a Kershaw with a 6" blade, but it's not very flexable, due to the blade's actual height. A shorter blade would have more flex and that could be obtained with a longer blade length or shorter blade height.
 
Bowhunter57

[52bagman]

I have a Buck with 8" blade and a sticky soft handle. Works good, flexible, cleaned salt water and fresh water fish of all sizes.

[BUGEYE]

4" rapala in my tackle box,  4" and 6" rapala in the kitchen.  always hand washed, and they're many years old.  sharp as razors and the perfect knife for slicing brisket or tomatoes.

[Graybeard]

The 4" Rapala is my favorite but I have the 6" also. I also have some Bear Cutlery filet knives but the Rapala is my first choice.

[KNIFE_NUT_1981]

I agree with these guys. Rapala is the way to go! I have a 4" and a 6" in my fish cleaning kit, and another one of each in the kitchen knife drawer... Can't beat em! They also make at least 2 larger sizes that I have seen, but I've never needed a bigger one, and the shorter it is, the more flexible it will be. Also, never let your wife get ahold of it, or you will be buying another one to replace the one that now belongs to her!

[charles p]

Fish cleaning professionals I used to work with only used Dexter Russel and kept them sharp with a F.Dick hypersteel.