Similar discussion going on right now in the WSS forums. When I was spending much time in the saltwater in Florida, both recreating and working, I used a 5 inch Kabar USMC knife, made from slightly altered 1095 high carbon steel, the same as the RC3. I never used any sort of coating or treatment other than wiping the blade off and sticking it back in its sheath. It was roughed up in the sand, constantly exposed to humid salty air and never showed a speck of rust. The myth that 1095 readily rusts is akin only to the abuse and neglect of one's tools. It should suit your needs finely for saltwater fishing, it is a durable thin blade with a very sharp edge and a superb belly for cleaning fish. If you keep a mineral oil soaked rag in the kitchen your knife will be just fine. If it does show signs of rust, you can clean it off easily with a pass or two of 3m Scotchbrite pads that you can find at any hardware store for a dollar or two. If you are very particular about rust prevention, you can soak the blade in apple cidar vinegar for a few hours, forcing a solid patina over what few exposed portions of steel there are, which in turn will prevent any bad oxidation.
