Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Filet knife

Looking for a non electric knife recommendation primarily for walleye. Ideally, strong and sharp enough to just cut through the scales, along the back bone and through the rib cage.

I usually use an electric knife but I’m tired of the cord

I don’t own it but I own others from Cutco and seem very nice. Maybe check out their fillet knives. I own a cheap one like rapalas but definitely need a sharpener for it if doing heavy filleting.

I'm following. I have yet to be happy with any fillet knife... I've had the cheap ones, some Rapalas, and a Chicago Cutlery... None are really very good. Yesterday , I filleted 3 walleye , a perch and a whitebass. It was dull by the time I was done..

If it’s only the cord that bothers you get a cordless electric.

My wife bought me a cordless KastKing Speed demon with the lithium battery for my last birthday. I was skeptical but it’s been awesome. My only complaint was the blades were too sharp out of the box, took a couple dozen fish before they dulled off enough to settle down and work well for removing the skin from the filet.

I like an 8" Forschner or Dexter Breaking Knife.

I bought a rolled kit from Amazon and am pleased. I left my big fillet knife(Russel) with my BinL for big northerns. My little trout knife didn't cut it for breaking down carp. The roll set has four knives of different sizes and a steel. The knives stay sharp and are comfortable, they should cover just about anything.

It is the Kastking Intimidator set

I've got a Dexter fillet knife. Does great on saltwater reds , if it will go through scales and bones on them it will work fine on walleye. I use a Rapala for trout and crappie but they're not as heavy

I have and use Rapala knives

Dexter works well. While guiding primarily for trophy pike these days I still fillet far and away more walleye than anything else.


I found a super knife at a little sportshow stand years ago, custom made, it worked so good someone stole it. I also have a knife that’s very good that I bought from the small shop that does the base angle cutting on my fillet knives and it is really good. It was an odd name, foreign, I have it packed at the moment for this weeks trip.

Osky

Appreciate the input fellas.

Talking to mates on a party boat out of the gulf and they mostly used dexter. One said he gave his dexters away when he bought a Victorinox.

I use cutco life time sharpening and warranty .You can buy and extra blade so when one is being sharpened you have another It's what I roll with on the Double D
https://www.cutco.com/p/fishermans-solution

After 30 years of no electric knife around, I bought a Rapala battery operated filet knife. Took it to MO and fileted over 80 crappie, a few white bass and catfish and never had to recharge it yet. Have a backup battery also.

I may look at a victorinox for non electric.

I have a bubba 7 inch. Don't buy one. I would get a leech lake knife. Custom knife. That is for manual. The rapala lithium is the most powerful. Used one. Game changer

Top to bottom;
Kershaw folder
Buck coated folder
Rapala

Big pile of crappie fillets !

The Buck fillet knives are solid too. Not sure if they still make them though

'
Might as well use what the pros use.
Victorinox-Forschner or Dexter-Russell

I use a Rapala with the wood handle if not electric It will stay sharp through a.mess of fish but need sharpening after. The Salmon Guide I fished with used Dexter Russell.

Mac84, if you have any interest in a 6" Rapala, PM me you mailing info and I'll get it to you. Needs to be sharpened, other than that, it's a nice fillet knife that I no longer use.

Get yourself a Leach Lake fillet knife, nothing better. Hand made in Iowa and they are hands down the best I’ve used. I also have an old wood handle Rapala that still gets used as back up, that I keep in the truck, too.