The following fish fillet and utility knives were put to the test by Salt Water Sportsman editors, and all of them have their upsides. Whether you’re keeping busy with boat chores when the bite is slow or frantically chunking menhaden to keep a good chum slick hot, a good knife is an indispensable tool for anglers. And back at the cleaning table, when it comes to slicing through a pile of keeper seatrout or the careful work of processing a hard-won yellowfin, the best fillet knife is a matter of quality and personal preference. Find your new knife here.
(Have questions about knife terminology? Scroll to the bottom for FAQs)
Quick Look
- Toadfish Fixed Fillet Knife
- Toadfish Stowaway Folding Fillet Knife
- Toadfish EDC 7-inch Pocket Knife
- Relentless 7-inch Curved Fillet Knife
- Benchmade Adira Folding Knife
- Benchmade Undercurrent Sheepsfoot Blade
- Benchmade 7-inch Fishcrafter Fillet Knife
- Sord 6-inch FLEXY Fillet Knife
- Sord 4-inch Freediving Knife
- Aftco 7-inch Fillet Knife
- Danco Eco 7-inch Flex Fillet Knife
- Danco Eco 5-inch Bait/Fillet Knife
- Danco Eco 4-inch Bait Knife
- Dextreme 7-inch Max Flex Fillet Knife
- Dextreme Dual Edge 8-inch Flexible Fillet Knife
- Dextreme Tiger Edge 10-inch Fillet/Utility Knife
- Dexter GWE 3 ½-inch Bait and Utility Knife
Toadfish Fixed Fillet Knife
Toadfish uses a portion of each purchase to plant oysters in our estuaries. More oysters mean cleaner water and more crabs and shrimp to feed more fish. Should you decide to keep some of those fish to eat, Toadfish makes a solid collection of fixed-blade fillet knives. Out of the box, their high-carbon blades are super sharp, and they are titanium coated to combat corrosion. The one we tested had medium flex, perfect for slicing and navigating the ribcages of thick-scaled fish. The non-slip comfort-grip handle has a slightly soft feel, finger ridges and a prominent knuckle guard for a secure, comfortable grip. This knife feels sturdy, and the sheath has several handy features including a bottle opener, a belt loop, and a Velcro strap as well as a suction cup for several ways to attach it to a bag or boat. It’s available in 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-inch models.
Toadfish Stowaway Folding Fillet Knife
Somebody who fishes put a lot of thought into the design of this folding fillet knife. Available with 7- or 8.5-inch blade, it performs like a high-end fixed blade while open but folds down for easy storage in drawers, boat boxes and tackle bags without a bulky sheath. It opens and closes smoothly and easily with a satisfying click when it locks open. Internal components are stainless steel for rust prevention. The blade is slim and sharp with good flexibility, and titanium coating combats corrosion. The folding fillet knife has thoughtfully located rubber grips for a secure feel in hand. A built-in Stowaway carabiner at the pommel is super-handy for clipping the knife to the T-top, to a cooler, tackle bag or really anything else you’d want to attach it to.
Toadfish EDC 7-inch Pocket Knife
With a closed length of 4.25 inches and an open length of 7.4 inches, Toadfish built a sweet little folding knife for everyday carry. I’ve got one clipped in my pocket right now. The blade flips open smoothly, quickly and easily with a one-handed finger flip resulting in a solid click when it locks open. This knife makes a great fidget toy, and it’s also imminently useful. The blade is made of Swedish Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel, which is known for a good balance of corrosion resistance, a fine edge and easy sharpening. It is extremely sharp out of the box and excelled in our paper-cut test. This knife has good balance in the hand, with just enough weight to feel significant and solid without being heavy in your pocket. The handle is a jade-colored G10 material with a carbon-fiber inlay that is grippy and good-looking. This is a well-built pocket knife with endless daily usefulness.
Relentless 7-inch Curved Fillet Knife
Relentless borrowed its Perpetual Edge technology from a beaver. Out of the box, the Relentless 7-inch curved model cuts through larger offshore species like butter, with the size and backbone to lop off perfect fillets efficiently. What sets relentless apart is no-rust titanium construction with a proprietary diamond and carbide power strip. Like beaver teeth, the material on one side wears quicker than the other, so the knife is said to sharpen itself during use.
Benchmade Adira Folding Knife
Benchmade’s Water Collection is a selection of superb knives crafted for fishermen and boaters. The Adira is a folding knife with 3.88-inch drop-point blade and a closed length of 5.12 inches. At 9 inches open, it has the size to make quick work of bait chunking and bleeding big fish, and the serrated portion of the blade slices wet dock lines or anchor lines with ease. It’s a bit large to be an everyday carry for some people (which is why there’s an Adira Mini), but it’s a fantastic utility knife to keep on the boat. This knife is lightweight, perfectly balanced and it feels good in your hand.
Benchmade Undercurrent Fixed Blade Knife
There are two models of Benchmade’s Undercurrent. One of them has a drop-point blade and the other has a sheepsfoot blade with partial serration. We tested the sheepsfoot model and really liked it. If you don’t need a piercing tip, the blunt point of a sheepsfoot is a safer option to avoid stabbing someone when bouncing around in a boat. This fixed-blade comes with a handy push-button sheath that can be mounted to a belt, pack or leaning post. With a total length of about 9.5 inches, it’s a bait-chunking machine, and the serrated portion of the blade rips through wet rope easily.
Benchmade 7-inch Fishcrafter Fillet Knife
Benchmade’s London Krapff believes their fillet knives are the best on the market. There are a lot of good knives out there, but she’s got a strong argument. Like every Benchmade, this lightweight knife just feels good in your hand. The thin, razor-sharp, trailing-point blade has a medium flex and glides through fish flesh when pushed or pulled. The blade is CPM Magnacut steel, which is renowned for corrosion resistance and edge retention. And part of the Benchmade experience is their LifeSharp Service. If your blade gets dull, send it to them and they’ll sharpen it to a factory edge for free.
Sord 6-inch FLEXY Fillet Knife
Sord is a company founded by hardcore fishermen intent on designing high-quality fishing products. They’ve got a full line of fillet knives, and their 6-inch Flexy is a smaller knife perfect for processing little snappers, seatrout or flounder. It’ll slash through a pile of panfish in a hurry. The full-tang carbon steel blade takes and holds a super-sharp edge, and a Teflon and titanium coating means it won’t rust. This blade has a lot of flex and rides over ribcages smoothly. Along with looking cool, the G10 handle sticks to your hand even when slimed. The shape of the handle is comfortable to work with, and the full tang gives this knife nice balance.
Sord 4-inch Freedive Knife
This sweet little fixed-blade was designed for spearos, but it makes a darn good boat utility knife. We like the secure feel of the 3.5-inch blade clicking into and out of the sheath, which can be secured to a belt or strap. The flared handle is non-slip and provides good leverage for dispatching, gutting and bleeding fish. Partial serration on one side of this double-edged blade comes in handy for cutting through thick skin, scales, bone or rope. This knife feels solid in the hand, like its built to take abuse.
Aftco 7-inch Fillet Knife
You can spot an Aftco knife a mile away from the cleaning table. That golden blade is striking, but it’s not really gold. It’s a titanium nitride treatment that seals it against corrosion. With a full tang, an up-swept curve, and medium flex, this blade is easy to control while slicing off fillets. It’s made of a high-quality German stainless steel. It’s scary sharp out of the box and retains an edge well. The textured grip is grippy and comfortable in hand.
Danco Eco 7-inch Flex Fillet Knife
Need a no-frills work knife to keep on the boat, a knife that’s functional but won’t break your heart if it goes overboard? Danco is your answer. This no-nonsense, affordable fillet knife has a solid stainless steel blade and comes with a ported, locking sheath for easy cleaning and drying. What’s more, you’ll feel good about yourself for buying this knife. The textured handle and sheath are made of recycled ocean-bound plastic, meaning these materials are reclaimed before they make it into the ocean or the landfill.
Danco Eco 5-inch Bait/Fillet Knife
With a serrated spine and a razor-sharp frontside, Danco’s 5-inch Eco knife does double duty as a bait knife and a fillet knife with just the right amount of flex. The blade is German 4116 steel, which is a high-carbon stainless steel renowned for its corrosion resistance and the ability to take a sharp edge. The textured handle and ported sheath are made of recycled ocean-bound plastic.
Danco Eco 4-inch Bait Knife
At the risk of offending high-end knives, this is what a bait knife should be. Danco’s Eco 4-inch Bait knife is an inexpensive, functional knife that you can slap in a sheath and leave on the boat. With a blade of corrosion-resistant stainless steel, this knife is at home in a bucket on deck or in the cupholder next to your bait-chunking station. The textured handle and sheath are made of recycled ocean-bound plastic.
Dextreme 7-inch Max Flex Fillet Knife
There’s a reason Dexter knives have long been the choice of many professional fishmongers. They’re well-made and perform as intended all day, every day. The Dextreme 7-inch Max Fillet features American-made high-carbon, high-alloy stainless steel blade with a wide profile that allows it to flex in the right spot and make gliding over bones and skinning fillets easier. The ergonomic handle is non-slip and soft to the touch.
Dextreme Dual Edge 8-inch Flexible Fillet Knife
The two-in-one blade on this flexible knife allows it to do double duty as a scalloped blade to hack through thick scales and skin and a razor-sharp fillet blade to glide through meat. That way you don’t dull the fillet blade cutting through tougher surfaces, and there’s no need to pick up another knife. The non-slip, soft handle is designed for comfort however you hold it.
Dextreme Tiger Edge 10-inch Fillet/Utility Knife
Need a more aggressive blade for processing large and difficult game fish? The scalloped blade on this knife saws through scales and cartilage, yet its sharp Tiger Edge is smooth enough to give you clean fillets without tearing them. It’s perfect for larger fish with tough skin like tuna and swordfish. Like all knives in the Dextreme series, the soft, non-slip handle is comfortable for a variety of hand and finger positions.
Dexter GWE 3 ½-inch Bait and Utility Knife
You’ll be glad this knife is on your hip if the anchor line wraps your leg and yanks you overboard. This NSF certified knife is what you need for chunking bait, cutting lines and nets or really any boat chore that needs doing. It’s a workhorse with a hard-plastic sheath that’ll strap to your boat, belt or backpack.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a drop-point blade?
A drop-point blade is a popular blade shape for its versatility. The unsharpened spine of the blade has a slight downward angle to the tip to create a lowered point. The lowered point allows for better control and a strong tip. A strong, sharp tip is a good tool for penetration, like when you’re braining a fish to dispatch it.
What are serrated knives good for?
Serrated blades have toothed edges like a saw and are good for cutting textured surfaces that they can “bite” into with a back-and-forth motion. They are great for cutting through tough items like rope, scales, cartilage and bone. They are also good for cutting soft items that might squish like soft baitfish, bread or tomatoes.
What is a sheepsfoot blade used for?
A sheepsfoot style blade has a blunt, flat or rounded tip that slopes down from the spine of the blade at its end. This blunt point prevents unintentional punctures, which is a safety consideration on the deck of a rocking boat or while underway.
What is a trailing point knife?
The trailing point knife design is popular with fillet knives and skinning knives because it provides a long, curved slicing edge. It features a spine that curves upward to the tip of the knife and offers precise control for clean, sweeping cuts.
What does full tang mean on a knife?
A full-tang knife features a blade constructed of a single piece of metal that runs from the tip all the way down through the handle to the pommel (the end of the handle). Full-tang construction provides strength and durability, and it also distributes weight throughout the knife for better balance and control.
What is a G10 handle?
A G10 handle is made of epoxy-resin-infused fiberglass cloth. Cured under heat and pressure, the composite material is lightweight, strong, durable and non-porous, so it’s impervious to moisture. G10 is also versatile, as it can be polished smooth or textured to provide grip, and it can be dyed any color. It’s a popular choice of handle for tactical knives and knives that will be used outdoors.
What is titanium nitride coating?
Titanium nitride coating is a gold-colored ceramic layer applied to metal to improve heat and corrosion resistance and to reduce wear and friction. It is widely used for medical, dental and food-processing tools because it does not release harmful chemicals or materials. Friction reduction and corrosion resistance make it well suited to knives used the marine environment.
What is Ocean Bound Plastic?
Ocean bound plastic is plastic litter located within 50 kilometers (a little more than 30 miles) of a coastline or river that is likely to end up in the ocean.
Is German 4116 steel good?
German 4116 steel is a budget-friendly stainless steel with excellent corrosion resistance. For knives, it’s easy to sharpen, it’s tough and durable and it holds an edge well enough for most uses.
What is a scalloped knife edge?
A scalloped knife edge is a type of serrated edge with scalloped, or rounded, indentations rather than sharp teeth. Scalloped edges are less aggressive than traditional serrated edges and utilize indentations and focused contact points for a smoother saw-like action. The indentations also create air pockets that keep food or flesh from sticking to the blade.
