fillet knife?

[gpc]

Ok so I am in the market for a new fillet knife, hopefully by fathers day. So I was wondering what everyone has, or had experience with.

I had this one

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... _THUMBNAIL

I had it for about 15 years and a 11lb catfish and 2 nasty chums did away with it. So I bought the exact same one and 3 months later she went belly up.

Right now I have this POS browning. I got it because you can hook it up to a battery because I was tired up throwing back perch while in the sticks and not having any power to run the knife. I liked it a first, but after using it pretty heavy over Memorial day I have had enough.

So I was thinking of this one,

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 0_100-11-8

Basically the same one I had and loved but a little extra power witch should be perfect for salmon.

What I really want is this one

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... _THUMBNAIL

or

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 0_100-11-8

But I have no experience with either one and don't know how much I should trust the batteries on them.

So what are your thoughts?

[curado]

get a standard fillet knife. no electric knoves. get a crkt fillet knife they stay sharp for a long time

[gpc]

When I clean salmon I use a regular knife, those are easy. Its the 2 limits of panfish and 2 limits of walleye where I NEED an electric knife. I have spent 2 hours cleaning fish with a regular knife, but with an electric it would have only taken 20 min. I would just rather spend my time on vacation fishing rather than cleaning, is all

[The Quadfather]

Boy, I don't know. I would like to try an electric knife. The sportsman in me says, don't do it, just get a good regular knife.+
But the realist in me says that if you have liked the previous electric knife you had, then just go with the same. As far as battery issues... I would not care about battery time as long as a knife performed very well. A poor knife (manual) is a poor knife all the time... A GREAT electric knife is great all the time... just keep an extra set of batteries handy.

Ok... I've got a crummy manual that doesn't stay sharp, so what do I know. I guess I do know that next time shopping, I will prob. pick up an electric.

[hewesfisher]

gpc - when you get one of those cordless knives, and give a report, I'll follow suit if the report is favorable. I've watched someone use an electric fillet knife on walleye and it was sweet. I don't want to buy a corded knife and just haven't gotten around to finding a quality cordless electric - yet.

[gpc]

Chris- the batteries arnt regular batteries they are the chargeable type. The Rapala knife comes with 2 batteries, but they only have a 1/2 hour life span, and take 3.5 hours to charge. So I would only get an hour of run time with a 7 hour charge cycle, that seems a little off balanced to me. The Berkely knife comes with 1 battery, that has a 1hour run time and an 80 min. charge cycle. I like this ratio a lot more, but would prefer a 2nd battery, witch isnt sold from the site the knife is at.

But I would like to have 2 hours of run time on tap at all times. But could live with either of the run time to charge time ratios if I knew more about the performance of each knife. Another thing is the berkley knife is new, witch tells me all the bugs arnt worked out quite yet. Where the Rapala knife has been out a while and should have all the bugs worked out.

And the battery for the Berkely is Lithium Ion, never been too fond of Lithium ion power tools so probably have the same feeling for an electric fillet knife.

So yes a hybrid of the 2 would suit my needs lol

hewes- I will let you know what I come up with. Right now I have limits of panfish and walleye on my mind for fathers day. So I might just get the cheap Mister Twister corded knife to tie me over until I get to the bottom of the best battery knife out there. I can afford a $25 "not so good" knife its the $150 "bad investment" knife I cant do

[Jay K]

I have this knife: Rapala Electric Fillet w/ adaptors for 12-volt DC or 110-volt AC. You can hook it up to the same battery your fish finder uses once you're done fishing. It also can hook up to the cigarette lighter in your car. Use it at home plugged into any outlet. Comes with two sets of blades - one long one short. I got mine in the Bargain Cave at the Post Falls Cabelas. Seems to work OK on 30+ perch from ice fishing last season. Don't use it much though. Works nice as a bread slicer otherwise.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... m23&Go.x=0

[gpc]

I have this knife: Rapala Electric Fillet w/ adaptors for 12-volt DC or 110-volt AC. You can hook it up to the same battery your fish finder uses once you're done fishing. It also can hook up to the cigarette lighter in your car. Use it at home plugged into any outlet. Comes with two sets of blades - one long one short. I got mine in the Bargain Cave at the Post Falls Cabelas. Seems to work OK on 30+ perch from ice fishing last season. Don't use it much though. Works nice as a bread slicer otherwise.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... m23&Go.x=0

Yeah I was also looking at this knife as well. My main problem is I bought the Browning fillet knife I have now for this reason. It was a lot cheaper than a battery operated knife but was still just as mobile if need be. But as long as I have had my Browning (2 years or so) I have not used it 1 time(hooked up to the battery). I really like the idea, of unlimited power plus mobility, but for some reason it just isnt for me. And after all the years of constant panfish cleaning I am tired of fighting that cord lol. Thanks for the heads up though Jay K, I will keep my eyes on that Bargain Cave for fillet knifes

[G-Man]

GPC, you still need a good non-electric knife when cleaning large fish. The electric knife should last for years and years if used correctly. Remember that they are not meant for cutting bones, that's what a butcher's knife is used for. I won't even think about using an electric for large fish, it's on the little panfish where they are most effective. My father uses an electric knife that is probably 20 years old and was not designed to fillet fish. On large fish he uses a standard fillet knife to get the two fillets off the back bone, the electric is only used to remove the rib bones from the fillets.

[gpc]

GPC, you still need a good non-electric knife when cleaning large fish. The electric knife should last for years and years if used correctly. Remember that they are not meant for cutting bones, that's what a butcher's knife is used for. I won't even think about using an electric for large fish, it's on the little panfish where they are most effective. My father uses an electric knife that is probably 20 years old and was not designed to fillet fish. On large fish he uses a standard fillet knife to get the two fillets off the back bone, the electric is only used to remove the rib bones from the fillets.

OK thanks, maybe I will get a regular knife