Good Fillet Knife.

[bogwalker]

Who makes a good fillet knife that will hold an edge?

[Down Deep]

Cutco - Kershaw - Rapala - Chicago - I have all of these and they hold an edge. All knifes need to be properly steeled while in use and cut flesh instead of bone, wood or rock to keep the best edge. There are lots of other great knives on the market and I'm sure there will be lots of other recommendations.

[snoozebutton]

Lots of good knives out there but I think it's more important to have a good steel to touch the up from time to time. I usually touch them up after a couple of fish and they cut great.

[BobT]

Been using my Rapalas for most of my life. Still use the first one I owned. I habitually touch it to a stone every time I finish using it whether I think it needs it or not. It only takes a stroke or two to maintain the edge. This is a good habit to get in to for any knife including and probably especially kitchen knives. It's a lot easier to maintain an edge than restore an edge.

Bob

[Scott M]

Love the Rapala. Are the Leech Lake Knives worth the money?

[archerystud]

I just bought a Wusthof from Cabelas. It holds an edge much better than my Rapala but it should for the money.

I think it's worth it but it depends on how much fish cleaning you do. I also like using my fillet knives for cleaning deer.

[tunrevir]

I'd say they are, most definately. I liked the first one I got as a gift so well I bought a second to keep at the cabin. They hold an edge really well and you have the option of sending them in to Don to get them resharpened or bringing them in to the Sportsmans show and getting them sharpened. Used to be free, but now it is about 5 bucks. Lasts till the next sports show if you use them the way they are intended. They will personally inscribe them for you. My original says especially made for Randy on one side and has a small walleye etched in the other with the date 1998.

Tunrevir~

[upnorth]

Truthfully, I think the old Rapala's are much better than the new ones. I have an old Rapala from about 30 years ago and it holds an edge much better than the one I bought my son about 5 years ago. I have read good things about the Red Lake knife, but it is $$$.

[Gissert]

Leech Lake knives are excellent, and there have been many testimonials here on FM.

Personally, my favorite knives were the Schrade fillet knives with the green handles. They had very good steel. Sadly, Schrade is out of business, but once in a while you'll run across one in an old display case

I still use my fillet knives for butchering deer and elk, as Archerystud noted.

I do 99 percent of my fish cleaning with an electric knife now.

If you have your heart set on some really, really good high end cutlery, check out Dunn knives. I had a couple of skinners back in my trapping days, and they were incredible. They make fillet knives too, but they are $$$$$.

[icctolson]

i was in l&m a few weeks ago. they had some awesome deals on rapala fillet knives with the plastic handle like 3.50 a peice i bought about 6 of them i dont know how they will sharpen yet. but the price of these is deffinetly worth it

[Grant Pearson]

I like the rapala. It holds an edge pretty well for me and I do my fair share of filleting.

[archerystud]

I think Gissert hit the nail on the head. My understanding is that the better the steel, the better it will hold an edge.

Most of the new Rapala knives sell for $10, so I question how good the steel is on them. Maybe the old ones had better steel.

I still have my Rapala, I just need to sharpen it much more that my new Wusthof.

[Hookmaster]

Leech Lake Knife. I've had mine since 2001 and have it sharpened at the Sportshow once a year. This last year I didn't clean as many fish as usual (yeah I still caught, just didn't keep them) so I didn't get it sharpened last spring. I've gotten them for 3 of my fishing buddies who all like them.

[Down Deep]

Love the Rapala. Are the Leech Lake Knives worth the money?

I received one as a gift. It is a great knife, but I can't see paying nearly $100 for a fillet knife when there are excellent knifes made for $5 to $40. I do take my Leech Lake knife Alaska each year. The stiffer blade is good when filleting salmon and halibut. They would work well for Muskys too. (just kidding)

[Wookiee]

Leech Lake, Wusthof and Cutco are all excellent knives. The rapala knife I have that doesn't have the plastic handle is a good one as well.

[Esox_Magnum]

I have an Easley I have been using for close to 20 years now. I sent it back once for resharpening. I have kinda gone electric for gills now but still do my perch and eyes with the Easley. I see no need to ever buy another knife for the rest of my life. May need to have it resharpened again in a few years though.

[northernsportman]

i have one of the rapala ones, which are good. My dad has a couple of the old normark ones and they hold the edge very well. It helps if you have a good knife sharpener though.

[caseymcq]

I have two Cabela's Advanced Anglers Filet Knives and I am pretty happy with those. The price on the knives was pretty good to ($20 & $30).

[Outfitter17]

Gisset is right Schrade made a great fillet knife with green handle.

Do a search on ebay, I found 3 the other night. 2 had the normal length blade and one had a short blade.

[harvey lee]

I have used a Cutco for the past 5 years and its blade has performed flawlessly.

[Outfitter17]

Hi have not heard of that brand harvey, where do you find yours?

[steffanf]

Cutco is based in Olean, NY. They make any and all types of cutlery. The knives can only be purchased through their website or through a local sales representative. Very expensive, but also the very best knives on the market. They have a lifetime guarantee with free lifetime sharpening. Google Cutco knives and you should find the website...

-Gregg B.

[Outfitter17]

Sounds good, Thanks Gregg

[steffanf]

glad to help...

-Gregg B.

[harvey lee]

Small correction on the Cutco guarantee, it's not a lifetime, it's a forevere guarantee. Simply means one can pass it down to the kids and then theirs and the guarantee will always be there. No one offers this type guarantee other than Cutco I believe.

[steffanf]

Yes... you are right... I stand corrected. Still the best stuff I have ever used...

-Gregg B.

[kkahmann]

I work in the commercial fishing industry and am a butcher by trade. I wish I could find a knife that would last a year never mind the cost. Swibo--(swiss)makes a nice filet knife--yellow handle--kinda pricey at about $30 and you can get them at Mandeville in North Mpls. For a good dressing knife it is hard to beat a Leikie (portagul)$12.50 at Winnepeg Net and Twine. Most of you guys wouldn't need a dressing knife cause you do more than just gutting and gillin.

For Walleye and Perch everybody I know uses an electric fillet knife.I'm a little faster with a sharp fillet knife than the electric but at the end of a six box day my hands look like they have been thru a meat grinder and I wear kevlar gloves.

I can get by with just about any knife--If--big If--I have my Wen wet stone and a good FDick steel.

[Got A Byte?]

I always buy the cheapest thing you can get. They seem to work just as good as the expensive ones. However I practice Catch and Release a lot so maybe I just don't use it enough.

[harvey lee]

I have found that the better knives do hold a better edge for quite a bit longer.

[iffwalleyes]

Many knifes are batter than the rapala. I love the leech I have it holds one awesome edge.

[fishinJohn]

I don't fillet many fish and when I do I can't seem to get the bulk of the meat in one shot so I end up with a lot of little pieces. Mostly the fish I keep are perch or bluegill, for these is a stiff or flexible blade preferred?