Good knife for fishing?

Jersey Drew said:
Fresh water fishing. So most fish are not huge. It would be used as any fishing knife would other than fileting.
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Without filleting that leaves trimming line, opening snacks, slicing open a new lure package, cutting a branch to rest your rod in, possibly cleaning under your fingernails, etc.

Any knife you have in your pocket will do just fine. When I go fishing I don’t go swimming and rarely ever get wet unless it rains but maybe I’m more careful not to walk off the end of the dock or off the side of the boat than others lol.

If you’re just “fishing” for a reason to buy a new knife (there’s nothing wrong with that!), I’d suggest an Alox Pioneer. There’s no rust concerns, easy to sharpen and maintain plus the awl will become the most used poker tool you’ll ever use!
 
Jersey Drew said:
Fresh water fishing. So most fish are not huge. While i know fixed blades are better i prefer a folder, i will probably just keep it in my pocket for the rest of the day. Doesnt have to be expensive nor anything crazy i just know everything gets wet. It would be used as any fishing knife would other than fileting.
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Something like this works for me . I usually carry a Victorinox Farmer as well.
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I've obsessed over blade steels for several years, but obsessed over fishing for even longer. And I hate to admit it, but I just got a super-cheap Mora Basic sheath knife for ice fishing. I got tired of pulling out a folder when it's really cold. I have to say, for cutting bait and fishing line, a cheap carbon steel blade gets it done quite well. So what if it gets a patina (rust)?

It certainly isn't very flashy, but the lake trout don't seem to mind!
 
If I were buying a new knife for fishing, I'd lean toward the Spyderco Caribbean (plain edge, leaf shape blade) or Pacific Salt, both in LC200N.
 
My personal current freshwater fishing get-up, which handles everything possibly thrown at me for a day on the lake, dosent break the bank, and won't hurt too bad if I lose any of 'em to the lady of the lake...

*A SAK w/ scissors.
(For me it's a classic and/or huntsman)
*A lightweight fillet knife that stays in my tackle bag.
(I have a folding one, a CRKT Clark Fork, but plenty of options out there)
*A folding "fish knife" also stays in my tackle bag.
(Case makes one that's north of $50, I personally carry a Rough Ryder one that was <$20)
*And more often then not, my leather handled KaBar Hunter 1232 on my belt.

Then sometimes I also have a beater-folder in my pocket as well, but not always...
 
There's a lot of good choices and I'd definitely prefer a fixed blade, just to keep the junk out of the moving parts of a folder knife: Grohmann #2 Trout and Bird or Morakniv Fish Filleting Knife (it comes in a couple sizes) would be good choices.

For a folder, it depends on if you're using it for general purpose or just filleting. A multi-tool is definitely something good to have on hand regardless.
 
As far as folding fish processing knives go, I have carried a Spyderco c17 Catcherman (P/S 75/25) since the early 90's and to date have found no equal. Was remade/re-released a few years back into a Zombie Slayer in USN Green/Black.
 
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Something with a hollow grind. I know you said folder preferred but I’d consider a buck 102 in the 420hc for cheap. They have the pro models with better steel but not needed. I live on the coast and fish brackish and salt and hit swamps. Fishing conditions you should plan on cleaning and oiling after every outing anyway so rust will depend on you, doesnt matter what steel you choose…. I dont have names for specific folders but Id stay with a clip point. 2 reasons: 1. A true point if you need to get around bones when/if ya clean em on the water. 2. You can dig out bird nests with more precision. Bubba blades makes fishing specific fillet knives, I just prefer a stiffer blade and more hunting style rather than long thin blades mostly marketed as fishing. A true fillet knive you can keep at home or tackle box. Ive
Never needed a 14 inch fillet blade slicing lines or anything like that while in the actual act of fishing.
 
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Any excuse is a good excuse to buy more knives... BUT if you are set on buying something... and since you will be getting more knives later on... try to get something very specific. I try to apply this reasoning to my purchases.

For anything arround salt water or fishing I go with one of my knives from the Spyderco Salt series (Pacific, Spyderhawk or Fish Hunter). If I am climbing with ropes involved, Spyderco serrated it is (usually a Rescue Wave).... I guess it makes sense to fit the tool to the task!

If you are going to fish from the shore and happen to drop something, you might be able to retrieve it. If you drop it from a boat in the middle of a lake... well... then give that floating Mora a good thought!!

Fileting requires a whole different blade shape, as you want it long, thin and flexible. Otherwise it does not countour well to the shape of the spine and the filets don't come out clean. For general purpose the fileting knives don't work well, as they are too long and cumbersome. In my opinion at least! So I would think about a dedicated fileting knife (some people swear by some serrated Dexter Russel white handle knives, I guess it makes sense for big fish, maybe for smaller fish you can use a plain edge).

Let us know what you end up buying!
 
Mono or braid or both? When I only fished mono I'd use needle nose pliers more than anything else. Hook removal and trimming/cutting line.
FW is all catch and release on artificials for me, so no real need for a knife. Doesn't mean I didn't have one :)
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The plier cutters won't cut braid so a knife is necessary nowadays.
Gave up on folders early on and was really pleased with my Schrade Sharpfinger and Buck 102.

(Fixed blades are easier to use when you're holding a rod, lure, line and stuff. One less bit to fiddle with, opening and closing....)
Then came the Internet and I've moved up. Totally content with my Dozier Personal Utility, but there are others that go thru the rotation.
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Salt water fishing I have an old "Swedish Army Knife" from Frost's of Sweden.
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Can't kill it, get's razor sharp and won't rust in a week on my surf belt in and out of the waves with no care for the week or two I'm on the beach.
saltySwak.jpg

Cleaning fish? There's a bunch of fillet knives to pick from and semi flexible blades skin fillets the best. You can get a good fillet of a fish with any knife and a little practice. Skinning the fillets is where the specialty knife comes in. And speed. A fillet is quicker, if that matters.
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So the point of all this?
You thought you were getting away with buying one knife?
BWAHAHAHAAAAA!

Kidding aside, look at the Moras. Kissing cousins to the Frost's of Sweden above (IDT they make the SWAK any more)
Good luck and tight lines.
 
Any recommendations on a fixed blade knife/steel that will stand up to salt water and won't break the bank?
$50-100 would be ideal
 
JWright214 said:
Unless you’re going to be submerged in water or the knife is going to be soaked for a long time, I think the need for super stainless is overrated. I’ve used carbon and lots of different types of regular stainless around salt and fresh water without issue. With that said, I live at the beach and own Spyderco salts in H1 and LC200N when I’m going to be in saltwater, boating on the river, or going to water parks, for the simple fact there is zero maintenance required and zero thought put into it.
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It's trickier getting something that's really stainless that also holds an edge. 400-series stainless is actually very corrosion resistant, it just doesn't hold an edge like more modern steels. I can't ever remember seeing a piece of scuba equipment rusting, even with constant immersion in salt water and exposure to salty air. The most cursory fresh water rinse is usually enough to keep stainless rust-free for a long, long time.
 
ac3boyz said:
Any recommendations on a fixed blade knife/steel that will stand up to salt water and won't break the bank?
$50-100 would be ideal
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Buck released 7 fresh/salt water fillet/cleaver knives in the New Section / Shirts in the Web Specials

Hmmm...thought I posted this once already but can't find the listing. Buck released 7 imported fresh/salt water fillet/cleaver style knives in the New Section. https://www.buckknives.com/new/
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Buck just put a few new saltwater blades on their website. No personal experience with them but they look kind of nice.
 
OrangeBlueOrangeBlue said:
It's trickier getting something that's really stainless that also holds an edge. 400-series stainless is actually very corrosion resistant, it just doesn't hold an edge like more modern steels. I can't ever remember seeing a piece of scuba equipment rusting, even with constant immersion in salt water and exposure to salty air. The most cursory fresh water rinse is usually enough to keep stainless rust-free for a long, long time.
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I most definitely agree with you on that.
 
For 30+ years I had a 4 or 5 inch Rapalla fillet knife, until some worthless motherless ... scum ... decided it needed my rods, reels, tackle box, and a few other things more than I did, while I was working. 😡🤬🤬

I'd suggest a Rapalla/Fiskers the appropriate size for what you're catching, or as others have mentioned a Mora or other Puukko.
Personally, I wouldn't get a cork handle. Its easy enough to add a float on a short length of line, and a bunch less expensive.😁
 
ac3boyz said:
Any recommendations on a fixed blade knife/steel that will stand up to salt water and won't break the bank?
$50-100 would be ideal
Click to expand...
The Moras mentioned, the SwAK in my post. All under $25 last time I checked.
OrangeBlueOrangeBlue said:
It's trickier getting something that's really stainless that also holds an edge. 400-series stainless is actually very corrosion resistant, it just doesn't hold an edge like more modern steels. I can't ever remember seeing a piece of scuba equipment rusting, even with constant immersion in salt water and exposure to salty air. The most cursory fresh water rinse is usually enough to keep stainless rust-free for a long, long time.
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The SwAK with the rust spot in the photo above. That was on my surf belt, wading in the waves at Montauk for a week or 10 days. No rinse or care during that time. I fished the morning we left so the wet waders, surf belt and plug bag went into the cooler for the ride home. Didn't get to rinsing it all off for a day or two after. That's the worst of the rust, right were the drain hole in the sheath let the air in. Cleaned right up with some WD40 and 000 steel wool.

As for edge holding, that's a little like asking "How long is a piece of string?"
That knife has cleaned multiple fish and trimmed knots without needing sharpening. I mean we're cutting meat and string. If I'm taking heads off larger fish I'll wait till I'm home and use a hatchet or machete.

How much edge holding do we need? If it stays sharp for an outing, well, for me that's fine.
Sharpening a knife is okay with me. YMMV.

The only steel I won't use is 420J2 :)
 
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