Eight Great Fishing Knives

When choosing a great fishing knife, the amount of options can feel overwhelming. Many knives claim to be the best fishing knife on the market, so how can you decipher which one is actually the best? I’ve compiled a list of the best fishing knives on the market to make your shopping experience easier for you. I’ll go through the top eight best fishing knives and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

 

Wusthof Grand Prix II 7-Inch Fillet Knife:

This one makes my list because of many characteristics that it has. For starters, the Grand Prix II sports a narrow blade that makes it a fantastic option for any precision cutting that you will have to do. The blade is designed specifically for de-boning. It is made out of high-carbon stainless steel, which is great for fishing because you are going to be around water and other fluids often. The high-carbon stainless steel has superior strength. The blade comes extremely sharp and is very durable, meaning that you will be able to use this blade on thicker, tougher materials and it will keep its sharp edge for longer. Plus, the handle has a pebbled texture, which works to give you great grip when filleting larger fish and for when it gets wet. When purchasing this knife, it comes with a manufacturer lifetime warranty. The knife also comes with a sheath, which is a quality sheath, but hasn’t stood up to everything that the blade can.

Pros of the Grand Prix II 7-Inch:

• This blade is extremely sharp and durable, meaning you won’t have to constantly maintain it.
• The handle sports a pebbled texture, providing stellar grip.
• The blade has crazy strength and can be used on any meat, not just fish.
• Comes with a lifetime warranty when purchased.
• The narrow blade makes precision cutting easy.
• Under 100 dollars, making it a great product and not hard on the wallet.

Cons of the Grand Prix II 7-Inch:

• The included sheath isn’t as quality as the knife is.

 

SOG Tomcat 3.0 Specialty Knife S95-N

The Tomcat 3.0 won the overall knife of the year in 1988, this wasn’t for nothing. This knife has been around for years and it has been pleasing people throughout all these years. The tomcat has a straight edge that ends in a clip point. It is a 3.75 inch folding blade. Because of the clip point, it is an ideal option for fishing because you can easily pierce into the flesh of the fish. The blade is finished in satin, which works to create a more durable blade for you. The handle is made out of kraton, which is a synthetic substitute for rubber. This means that it has fantastic grip, even when in the messiness of gutting a fish. Something unique about the Tomcat is that it has a safety feature called the Arc-lock, which means it can be locked open. The knife also comes with a black nylon sheath that sports a hook and loop for safety. This knife is on the more expensive side of things.

Pros of the SOG Tomcat:

• Has a satin finish that adds to the durability of the blade.
• The handle is kraton, giving you great grip during the whole process.
• Sports the Arc-lock for safety.
• Comes with a nylon sheath.
• Won the overall knife of the year in 1988.

Cons of the SOG Tomcat:

• Is a more expensive option for your fishing knife.

 

Camillus Cuda Bolt:

The Camillus Cuda Bolt is an 8.75-inch blade that is treated in carbonitride titanium. This is a stainless steel titanium blade, so you can use this knife for all your fishing needs without having to worry about it rusting or corroding. The carbonitride will not flake, blister, chip, or peel. And Camillus says that with this treatment, the blade is 10x harder than the untreated blade would be. This also means that the blade will stay sharper for longer periods of time. This knife has a liner lock. The handle of The Camillus Cuda Bolt is a TPR Rubber handle, which ensures that you will have a fantastic grip throughout your entire experience with the knife. With the purchase of this knife, you also get a lifetime warranty.

Pros of the Camillus Cuda Bolt:

• With the carbonitride titanium treatment, the blade is 10x stronger.
• The treatment will not flake, blister, chip, peel, rust, or corrode.
• The blade stays sharp for long periods of time.
• The handle is a rubber handle, guaranteeing you a great grip.
• The knife features a liner lock.
• Lifetime warranty with purchase of the knife.

Cons of the Camillus Cuda Bolt:

• This knife does not have a very modern look.

 

CRKT Ken Onion Skinner:

This is one of the smaller options for your fishing knife; the blade is 3.75 inches long. The Ken Onion Skinner only weighs 3.7 ounces, so it is very light, easy to use, and easy to carry with you everywhere you go. The steel is made from K110, which is considered to be a high quality steel. The blades edge is extremely sharp, making it easy to skin your fish, while the blade is a spear point, which makes it easy to slice into any of your meats. What makes this knife unique is the thick spine that it sports and the large belly that it has, both of those features making it a more durable and easy to use knife. The handle is a softer, textured handle made out of TPR over a Zytel center, giving you a fantastic grip.

Pros of the CRKT Ken Onion Skinner:

• This is a very light knife, making it easy to have with you wherever you go.
• This knife sports a big belly, making it easy to slice.
• The Ken Onion Skinner has a thick spine, providing extra durability.
• The handle is softer than most, but still provides an excellent grip.
• The blade is made out of a high quality steel.
• The spear point silhouette makes it easy to slice into any of your meats.
• The blade can be super sharp.

Cons of the CRKT Ken Onion Skinner:

• This is a smaller option, so you don’t have as much blade to work with.
• This knife does lean towards the expensive side of the chart.

 

Buck Clearwater Fillet Knife:

This knife comes with either a 6-inch or 9-inch blade. The blade is made out of 12C27MOD Sandvik steel. The blade is actually pretty flexible, which is an important component of a good fillet knife. The pointed tip is designed to make for easier entry cuts. This blade is extremely sharp and if you aren’t careful, it can actually be dangerous to yourself. But, the handle is heavily textured and rubberized which provides a superior grip, even while wet and/or covered in other fluids or guts. On the back end of the handle there is backside edging so that you can break down fish or other meats. The Buck Clearwater Fillet Knife is designed to excel in both fresh water and salt water.

Pros of the Buck Clearwater Fillet Knife:

• The blade’s pointed tip is designed for easier entry cuts.
• The heavily textured handle provides excellent grip.
• This knife boasts backside edging, to break down fish if needed.
• This knife excels in both salt water and fresh water, making it very versatile.
• The Clearwater Fillet knife comes in two different lengths.
• The blade is very flexible.
• The blade is very sharp and durable, staying sharp for longer periods of time.

Cons of the Buck Clearwater Fillet Knife:

• The knife can be considered dangerously sharp at times.

 

Buck Silver Creek Knife:
This fillet knife is a folding knife, with a titanium coated blade that measures 6.5 inches. Because of the titanium coating, the blade is extra durable and is designed with added flexibility in mind. The titanium coating also helps with anti-corrosion properties. The blade is extra slim to help it go through the meat and bones that you need it to. The Silver Creek knife is designed to stay extra sharp through long periods of use; many people will attest to the fact that it does stay sharper for longer than most other fishing and fillet knives. This knife is considered to be a medium sized fillet knife. The handle of this blade is soft with a rubberized anti-slip grip. Because it is a folding knife and fillet knife, which is a hard combination to nail, Buck has added a mid-lock back design to make sure that the blade doesn’t accidentally close while you are in the middle of using it. This knife comes with a lifetime guarantee. However, this knife has not been known to excel in salt water.

Pros of the Buck Silver Creek Knife:

• This knife stays sharper for longer than other fishing and fillet knives.
• The Silver Creek comes with a lifetime guarantee.
• Buck has mastered the combination of folding and fillet knives.
• The folding joint never gets loose.
• The blade’s titanium coating adds an anti-corrosion element to the blade.
• The blade is extra slim and flexible.
• The handle has a rubberized grip to help you not slip during the messiest of jobs.

Cons of the Buck Silver Creek Knife:

• This knife is not recommended for salt water jobs.

 

Rapala Fish’n Fillet Knife:

The Rapala Fish’n Fillet Knife can come in 4, 6, or 7-inches of Swedish stainless steel. This blade is very attractive, yet still boasts all of the greater characteristics that you are looking for when searching for a fishing knife. The knife sports a very slender blade, which is able to do precision work when filleting your fish. This blade also has high properties of corrosion resistance. The edge of Fish’n Fillet knife can hold an extremely sharp edge. The handle of this knife is made out of reinforced birch varnished handle; looking aesthetically pleasing, yet still giving the user a great grip to be able to get the dirty work done. Unfortunately, the handle of this knife is on the shorter side.

Pros of the Rapala Fish’n Fillet Knife:

• The blade of this knife is very slender, making precision work easier.
• The blade sports an extremely sharp edge.
• The blade has anti-corrosion properties.
• The knife is one of the classier looking fishing knives on the market today.
• The handle is birch, which looks fantastic, yet still gives a good grip.

Cons of the Rapala Fish’n Fillet Knife:

• The knife has a much shorter handle than other options on the market.

 

Dexter-Russell 8 Inch Fillet Knife:
The blade of the Dexter-Russel 8 Inch Fillet Knife is made out of high-carbon stainless steel. This straight edge blade is a little bit stiffer than your other fillet knife options though. The blade is very easy to sharpen and features corrosion resistant properties. The whole knife measures at 13.25 inches. The handle is a soft grip handle with a Grip-Text seal where the handle and the blade meet. This seal helps make it easier to keep clean. This knife comes with a poly sheath to keep it safely until the next time you need to use it. This knife is a great option for a low cost.

Pros of the Dexter-Russel 8 Inch Fillet Knife:

• The blade is corrosion resistant.
• The blade is very easy to sharpen.
• There is a seal where the handle and the blade meet to help keep your knife clean.
• The handle has great grip.
• This knife comes with a poly sheath.
• This is a cheap option.

Cons of the Dexter-Russel 8 Inch Fillet Knife:

• The blade is stiffer than some of your other fillet knife options.

 

Conclusion:

While there are so many different options on the market for your next fishing knife, some are definitely better than others. This article compiles the 8 best fishing knives out there to help make your purchase and decision easier. Each of these 8 have their own advantages and disadvantages, so before purchasing, make sure you know what your task will require of your knife.