Thread: filet knife for beginner

Here's what I use. WalMart & BassPro carry them in different sizes. Does great unless I've got a bunch of 2 lb slabs.........which I don't usually have because most of the time I let those big ones go. I'm more of a 1 lb kinda guy.......they're the best eating in my opinion.

GTT

Originally Posted by GoTennTitans

Here's what I use. WalMart & BassPro carry them in different sizes. Does great unless I've got a bunch of 2 lb slabs.........which I don't usually have because most of the time I let those big ones go. I'm more of a 1 lb kinda guy.......they're the best eating in my opinion.

GTT

This is exactly what I use also. I love that little knife

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFishing

This is exactly what I use also. I love that little knife

I have this too but I have to admit, I hate having to sharpen it.


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Originally Posted by Stainless

I have this too but I have to admit, I hate having to sharpen it.


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Got one of those Rapala filet knives, too. I've had it for many decades. But, when I first got it I wasn't versed on the proper way to use it for filleting fish ... and used it to cut thru the ribs at the backbone juncture.
Needless to say that the knife quickly became quite dull. Enter the elec filet knife and the Rapala knife became almost an unnecessary item ... and is generally only used to cut the rib section out of a fillet, by a helping fishing partner, when the quantity of fish is high and the time frame for getting them cleaned is short. Otherwise, I just use the elec filet knife to cut the ribs out of the fillet.

The amount of meat loss is so insignificant (to me) when using a elec filet knife vs a manual filet knife (even using it "correctly") that I haven't even considered purchasing another manual filet knife. I feel like I get back almost as much meat lost around the ribs by simply angling the knife higher over the "head" of the fish and then going to a 45deg angle when I pass the top of the gill plates. Many people I've seen clean fish, with either type of knife, but especially with an elec filet knife, tend to cut the fish at an almost vertical angle or a very sharp angle ... leaving two large hunks of meat on the head that's thrown away. Most of the time I believe they are doing it that way because they don't know any better (possibly taught to do it that way) or they're just in a big hurry.