Fishing Knife?

JK Knives

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What knife do you guys choose to use when you go fishing? (Pictures are always welcome) Also, which (if any) of my models do you think would be a good choice for a fishing knife? (Remember, I do offer some stainless options)
 
Well......... in the freshwater fishing that I do in the Midwest my fishing knife needs are simple but require 3 differanr knives.
Knife # 1 , I always have my EDC pocket knife, a Barlow,Stockman,Sod buster,Bucklite,... doesn't matter, what ever is in the pocket. Used mostly for cutting up apples for lunch, opening new lure packages, carving points on sticks, cleaning the fingernails or any of the many things one does with a pocket knife, fishing or not.

Knife # 2 is in my tackle box or bag,(I have several so they get spread around). It's a SAK with scissors.
used for cutting braid line mostly. The other tools and blades on the SAK's get little use but I take comfort knowing they are there.

knife #3, Fillet knife for cleaning the catch if i'm killing fish. My favorites are my 6" Western's, unless I'm dealing with Big Salmon or Big Cats, then I have a Chicago Cutlery 66s slicer with a stiffer 8" blade that is great for making steaks out of the big boys. Most fish cleaning for me is done at home and thats usually where these knives are kept

When saltwater fishing, I used to have a bait knife in my gear for cutting up bait fish, a stainless steel Mora with a 4-5" blade was usually chosen. These seemed to go missing fairly often so nothing expensive for me. Maybe if I had worn a sheath I would not have lost them.
I never wear a knife while fishing, comfort and weight I guess is the reason.

I would like to find a slightly shorter fillet knife that I liked to be used for Bluegills and Redears, I don't catch then so large that I need the 6" blade to skin the fillets and a 4"-5" blade would give me more control and better speed I think when filleting a mess of panfish. or I could just do the skinning with the 6" knife and the cutting with a shorter knife.
They are very popular, and I recomend them to guys who crappie or white bass fish a lot... but I think that for ME Electric Fillet Knives are an abomination and are an invention of the Devil. Maybe because I rarely have more than 15 or 20 fish to clean at a time.

all this said I would like a Randall Fisherman. ???? or a JK improvement of it!
 
Remember my Randall fish knife I used to have? You really liked it when we went to Shelbyville.
 
Yeah, you had the good stuff!
I suppose you sold that Randall to some collector and it's been sitting in the dark for 25 years just waiting to go fishing again!
 
Yeah, you had the good stuff!
I suppose you sold that Randall to some collector and it's been sitting in the dark for 25 years just waiting to go fishing again!

Sold it about the same time I lost my job. Lots of sweet knives and guns got sold then.
 
For fresh water I carry a SAK and a Mora. When I'm fishing saltwater I carry a Spyderco Salt and Mora. I have a Randall model 10 that sees a fair amount of use but can't make myself carry it when I'm on the water.
 
You made my ideal fishing knife, the Bluegill! I usually catch and release so this does everything I need in a knife when I'm out. Here's a couple of old pics.



Here's where it usually rides if it's not on my belt.



Might need one in stainless with a kydex sheath soon, as a more water friendly version. It's a heck of a great little knife.
 
The Galley Wag and it's big brother the Cutlass work really well on fish. I'd love a really thin version of the Cutlass for bigger fish.
 
One thing I have not seen mentioned is a multi tool. Of the ones I have I would choose the relatively inexpensive Leatherman Wingman. I got mine a couple of years ago on close out at Target for under $10. The reasons I would choose this model are the spring loaded pliers, and the locking scissors and knife blade you can access without opening the tool, kind of handy. The pocket clip also assures it can be kept handy clipped to your pocket or fishing vest.
 
I use a pair of toenail clippers and and old filet knife that I have had for over 20 years.

best

mqqn
 
One thing I have not seen mentioned is a multi tool. Of the ones I have I would choose the relatively inexpensive Leatherman Wingman. I got mine a couple of years ago on close out at Target for under $10. The reasons I would choose this model are the spring loaded pliers, and the locking scissors and knife blade you can access without opening the tool, kind of handy. The pocket clip also assures it can be kept handy clipped to your pocket or fishing vest.

I guess I just overlook mentioning a multi-tool but you will very seldom find me without one. I rarely carry a full size one in my pocket except for my LM Sideclip. There is a multi-tool in the glove-box of each of our vehicles, one in every fishing bag, one in my fishing vest, one in my hunting pack, and one in each of my backpacks. The most used model is the LM Wave and the Original. I also NEVER fish without a quality pair of forceps.
 
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