Fishing knivesAnyone who thinks fishing is all about sitting on the bank of a quiet stream watching a bobber float on the water has never actually been fishing. A pastime that requires a huge box to carry the essential gear is a truly complex undertaking. The knives of the trade are also varied — when we speak of fishing knives, we’re not talking about one type that’s just right. Fishing requires several, each suited to a particular task.

You may need to cut rope, and quickly, if you fish from a boat. Floods used to rise gradually when nature ran the show, but downstream from Corps of Engineers dams you may not have time to untie from that handy snag before it pulls the bow under. A good belt knife like the RAT Cutlery Case RC-3 Bushcraft solves unexpected problems quickly and also does the nasty work like cutting bait. Don’t use the same knife to clean the fish, unless you’d eat the bait yourself.

Things are always going wrong with rods and reels and outboard motors, and if you don’t have tools for the repair, you just go home. Long nose pliers are also needed if you catch and release fish — barbed hooks don’t just let go. While multi-tools such as the Leatherman Surge offer a variety of tool bits handy for working on tackle and tweaking reels, the jaws are a little short for retrieving hooks set deep in a fish’s maw. For more precise fish-handling consider the Rapala Pro Set of long-nosed pliers and folding filet knife.

For cleaning both large and small fish, get a good filet knife. The most economical use of the fish often turns out to be a neatly cut filet. A knife that’s too stiff, too small, or too short wastes a lot of fish. For the larger catch you’ll need a full sized flexible blade like our choice for the best fillet knife — Queen Cutlery’s Fishing and Filet Knife.

See All of Our Fishing Knife Reviews Below


Fishing

Buck X-Tract Multi-tool, One Handed | Lockback Combo Edge Knife w/ LED 731

Multi-purpose gear for hikers, backpackers, and other outdoorsmen gets better every year. If you make the Buck 731 X-Tract LED Multi-Tool...
JT Hats
1 min read

Kershaw Adjustable Fillet Knife | Seven 7 Step Fishing Custom Blade Set w/ Hard Plastic Sheath

Unless you’re accustomed to struggling with the wrong size of knife for the fish you happened to catch, you may wish...
JT Hats
1 min read

Fish Fillet Knife by Kershaw, 7 Inch | Fishing Freshwater Plain Edge Blade w/ ABS Sheath

Many freshwater fishermen will find this 7-inch Fillet Knife from Kershaw to be all the knife they need. Take good care...
JT Hats
1 min read

Kershaw Fishing Fillet Knife w/ Hard Sheath | Heavy Duty Professional Flexible Steel Blade 9 Inch

The Kershaw Fillet Knife with 9-inch blade offers functional quality and a price appropriate to a knife which usually gets the...
JT Hats
58 sec read

Berkley Breaking & Fillet Fishing Knife | Butcher Blade, Red & Black Handle w/ Sheath, 10 Inch

Made for cleaning larger fish, the Berkley Breaking Knife includes an advanced blade coating to extend blade life. The ten-inch Breaking...
JT Hats
59 sec read

Wenger Alinghi Yachtsman Boating Multitool | Swiss Army Knife Locking Knife 16310

Eight multi-purpose blades give the Alinghi Yachtsman a total of 17 functions. This sensible assortment of strong tools makes the Alinghi...
JT Hats
1 min read

Havalon Baracuta-Edge Fillet Knife | Fishing Flexible Lockback Blade, Zytel Handle

The Havalon Baracuta-Edge is a great idea and a good knife, but five inches of replaceable high carbon stainless steel blade...
JT Hats
1 min read

Berkley Extreme Heavy Duty Fishing Knife | Ceramic Coated, Saltwater Safe w/ Hard Sheath & Sharpening Stone

The Berkley Extreme Duty Knife puts together nearly every high-tech good idea available to manufacturers of rugged fixed blades. The result...
JT Hats
1 min read

Benchmade Barrage Assisted Opening Knife | Locking Valox Handle, Warren Osborne 580

The Benchmade Barrage adds powerful spring-assisted opening to the already solid construction of Benchmade’s Axis-lock knives. The Valox grip also has...
JT Hats
57 sec read

Ka-Bar Fillet Fishing Knife, Heavy Duty Kraton Handle | Industrial Stainless Steel Hollow Ground Blade w/ Sheath

Made in Olean, New York, the KA-Fillet Fishing Knife requires minimal care. Built for the roughest working conditions, the knife is...
JT Hats
59 sec read

Case Fishing Knife, Scaler & California Clip Blade | Yellow Delrin Texas Toothpick Handle 320094F SS

The Texas Toothpick handle style of the Yellow Delrin Fishing Knife from W.R. Case & Sons makes this knife elegant enough...
JT Hats
1 min read

Rapala4 Fillet Knife, Soft Grip Handle | Rapala Fishing Blade V Sharpener, Manual Single Stage

Rapala’s Soft Grip Fillet series knives feature flexible blades of high carbon European stainless steel and come with a handy pocket...
JT Hats
1 min read

Rapala Cordless Fishing Fillet Knife, Electric Serrated | Rechargeable Battery w/ Charging Station & Adapter

Rapala’s Deluxe Cordless Fillet Knife lets you work anywhere without a power cord to get in your way. The fast recharge...
JT Hats
58 sec read

Rapala Electric Fillet Knife 110VAC | Interchangeable Serrated Blades for Fishing or Kitchen Seafood

Interchangeable blades and an extra-long power cord add to the convenience of this handy electric fillet knife. Built with the outdoorsman...
JT Hats
1 min read

Leatherman Steens Hunting Knife Multitool 830625 | Gut Hook & Bone Saw w/ Rosewood Handle, Fine Diamond Hone

This upgrade of the Leatherman Ukiah design replaces the Ukiah’s glass-filled nylon handle construction with stronger components of machined aluminum and...
JT Hats
1 min read

Myerchin Dive Knife A500 | Offshore Safety Coast Guard & Marine Professional Rigging Blade

Myerchin’s Model A500 Offshore Knife developed in response to requests from Coast Guard sailors and divers in southern California. These professionals...
JT Hats
1 min read

Myerchin Sailor Crew Knife, Pro A377P | Offshore Combo Serrated Spike Blade

Unless you’re a sailor, you may not know what the spike blade of this knife is actually for. Myerchin knives like...
JT Hats
1 min read

Myerchin Boating Rigging Knife B300 | Offshore Folding Locking Blade w/ Marlinspike

Myerchin’s patented double-lock system allows this unusual and practical folding rigging knife to be used with both blade and marlinspike locked...
JT Hats
1 min read

Myerchin Boating Knife for Coast Guard Rescue | Combo Serrated w/ Rigging Spike & Sheath A200P

Since 1984, Myerchin has made modern rigging knives for the modern professional sailor. The Myerchin A200P is one of the strongest...
JT Hats
1 min read

British Army Fishing Pocket Knife For Boating | Stainless Steel Marlinspike, Sheepsfoot Blade, Screwdriver & Can Opener

The triple-bladed British Army Knife would make more sense in a sailor’s pocket, but anyone who works with rope will find...
JT Hats
57 sec read

Bear & Son Guthook Fishing Knife 444SR | Combo Edge High Carbon Stainless Steel Blade & Kraton Handle

If not for the half-serrated cutting edge, the Bear & Son 444SR Gut Hook knife would be a serviceable and economical...
JT Hats
1 min read

American Angler Electric Fishing Knife, Serrated | Freshwater Fillet 110 Volt

The American Angler Freshwater 110 Volt electric fillet knife will require a power outlet and some caution, and will work out...
JT Hats
1 min read

Wusthof Classic Fish Fillet Knife, Full Tang | Forged High Carbon Stainless Steel 7 Inch 4622

At the end of the fishing day when you’re tired, it’s time to clean the fish. If you’d rather not struggle...
JT Hats
1 min read

Wusthof Seafood Fish Fillet Knife | Kitchen Gourmet Cutlery, High Carbon Stainless Steel

The Wusthof Gourmet 6.3-inch fish fillet knife finds a place either at camp or in the kitchen. This short fillet knife...
JT Hats
1 min read

Buck Pocket Clip Hilo Folder, Drop Point | Stainless Steel Knife Tom Mayo 179

The Buck 179 Mayo Hilo, designed by Tom Mayo, took inspiration from the surf and the sharks of the Hawaiian coast....
JT Hats
1 min read

Gerber EZ Out Combo Edge Lockback Knife | Model: DPSF S30V, Black 22-41648G

The large oval thumb loop in the Gerber EZ-Out DPSF S30V technically makes this a knife you can open with one...
JT Hats
51 sec read

Buck Protege Lockblade Fishing Knife | Combo Edge Blade 450FX-2621

Let’s talk tackle boxes before bringing up the Buck Protege. If you fish, you probably do have a knife tucked away...
JT Hats
1 min read

Swiss Army Fishing Pocket Knife | Fisherman Angler Multitool w/ Scaling Blade, Gut Hook

Especially designed to meet the needs of anglers, the Swiss Army Fisherman includes a special blade for scaling fish. Ruler markings...
JT Hats
59 sec read

Rapala Pro Guide Camp Combo Filet Knife & Pliers Set w/ Sheath

Instead of a heavy multi-tool with a host of options no fisherman needs, consider the Pro Guide Camp Combo from famous...
Ken
51 sec read

Best Fillet Knife: Queen Cutlery Fishing & Filet Knife | Stainless Steel Blade, Amber Bone Handle

It’s not only the good fishermen who actually need a knife of the quality that this Queen Cutlery Filet blade shows....
Ken
50 sec read