While we all love catching fish, processing nature’s bounty into cookable fillets is a messy, time-consuming chore. After a day on the water, most people want to take a shower, sit down, and relax, not fillet a cooler full of fish.

Having the right tools and techniques for the job makes the filleting process a breeze. Stop fighting with a dull knife and get those fillets in the fryer (or the freezer)!

Check out our recommendations for the best fillet knives that will make you love processing your catch.

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.

Types of Fillet Knives

Fillet knives are thin, flexible knives that are ideal for processing fish. They commonly come with blades between 5 and 11 inches long. They are perfect for removing fillets from your recent catch of the day.

Beginner Tip: Use the right tool for the job! Fillet knives are razor sharp, thin, and flexible for a reason. Regular kitchen knives will lead to a butchered mess of a job. Use a fillet knife.

Fillet knives are available as regular fillet knives and electric fillet knives. There are pros and cons of each type.

Regular Fillet Knives

• Require frequent sharpening (This is the most frustrating aspect for most anglers. Working with a dull knife is a pain in the butt)
• More precise cuts than with electric fillet knives
• Takes longer to fillet
• Less expensive

Electric Fillet Knives

• Do not require frequent sharpening
• Adequate cut accuracy for most
• Quick and easy filleting
• More expensive

From personal experience, I think 95% of anglers will have a better filleting experience with an electric fillet knife. Electric fillet knives are overall faster, more efficient, and easier to maintain and use. Seriously, you should try electric.

Safety Tip: Safety first. Wear cut resistant gloves while filleting to protect yourself.

Best Budget Fillet Knife

My top pick budget pick for anglers is a corded electric fillet knife. You can get a corded fillet knife for marginally more than a regular knife. Going from a regular knife to an electric knife will be a step change in convenience for most people.

No need to get fancy – find one with good reviews and you can’t really go wrong. I have filleted hundreds of fish with this corded electric fillet knife.

The biggest downside of a corded electric fillet knife is just that – it has a cord. You’ll need an outlet to power your knife. You can upgrade to a corded option that plugs into your vehicle or a 12V battery, but ,again, you still need a cord.

Filleting fish is messy. I fillet fish outdoors near a hose so I can rinse my cooler and processing equipment. I usually need to plug in an extension cord for my fillet knife to reach an outlet.

Beginner Tip: Keep the filleting outside the kitchen. You’ll save yourself a huge mess and a pervasive fishy smell.

The budget option gets the job done but dealing with the cord can be a pain. Still, corded electric fillet knives are a step up from regular knives for most anglers.

Best Overall Fillet Knife

The best overall option available for anglers is a battery powered electric fillet knife. Battery powered knives offer the efficiency and ease-of-use of a corded electric fillet knife while maintaining portability.

Battery powered options will run more expensive than corded options but the portability is well worth it. The convenience of filleting fish on-location or outside your house without dealing with an extension cord cannot be overstated. Battery powered fillet knifes also make for great fishing gifts!

Best Non-Electric Fillet Knife

If you’re a purist and want to stick to a regular knife, get the right size knife for your target species and focus on keeping it sharp. Again, the single most important aspect for enjoying a regular fillet knife is keeping it sharp, not what brand you have.

For larger fish like redfish, get a 7-9” blade fillet knife. For smaller fish like bluegills or crappie, a 5-7” blade fillet knife works great.

If going the manual knife route, make sure you have a knife sharpener.

A whetstone will get you the sharpest knife but requires the most time and skill. An electric sharpener is convenient and quick. A small manual sharpener does an acceptable job and is a reasonable budget/portable option.

Conclusion

Most anglers should swap to electric fillet knives for efficiency and ease-of-use.

A battery powered option is the most convenient and are a great gift idea for anglers. Go with a corded fillet knife for the budget option.

If you’re a regular knife purist, pick a knife that tickles your fancy and be sure to keep it sharp.

You’ll thank me next time you catch a mess of panfish on a slip bobber or a cooler full of redfish on a Carolina Rig.

Written By: Andrew Juran

Andrew is a seasoned angler with over 25 years of experience fishing across the United States. He has caught hundreds of fish using various techniques and mentored many in the art of fishing. An advocate for sustainable fishing, Andrew is an active member of the Coastal Conservation Association, an organization committed to marine conservation.

For frequent fishing tips, behind-the-scenes looks, and real-time catches, connect with Andrew on Instagram