MyFishFinder Forum
My Fish Finder Main => General Fishing Discussion => Topic started by: 1tigger on Jul 16, 2006, 05:06 PM
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Just wondering what the general consensus is on standard or electric knives !
I haven't tried an electric knife yet and haven't ever seen it done but I understand that it is a lot faster and the amount of flesh harvested is greater also .
Is there really any truth to that and if so what kind of knife do you reccomend ?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions !
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I use an American Angler electric. I have both 12V and 110V and they both work great. Normal household electric knives don't work for me.
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i use a rechargable model from BestAngler...faster by far yes...more fish in your fillets is still up to you...took me a few fish to get a feel for the knife but can now whip through a pile of crappies in no time. i still use a conventional fillet knife to skin the fillet but use the electic for the actual filleting
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I am still stuck on a normal Fillet Knife I did 50 bluegills in about 43 minutes one evening. I like the control you have with a normal fillet knife over an electric one plus I feel I am just as fast as anyone with an electric knife.
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regular filleting knife....Grump
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never tried an electric and probably never will. i'm pretty handy with a 9 inch fillet knife.
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i agree with most, im always gonna stick to the old style, manual
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Just wondering what the general consensus is on standard or electric knives !
I haven't tried an electric knife yet and haven't ever seen it done but I understand that it is a lot faster and the amount of flesh harvested is greater also .
Is there really any truth to that and if so what kind of knife do you reccomend ?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions !
I only use an electric for perch. Two reasons 1) for me, it is faster, and 2) I fillet the whole side off right through the rib cage bones rather than cutting around them (again, this is faster for me). Then flip over the fillet and "flip" off those bones. We get some pretty hefty 16 to 17 inchers in the Great Lakes and those rib bones put a pretty quick dulling on my Fiskar and Rapala regular fillet knives.
BTW, I only use the electric to do the fillet. My Fiskar does the de-boning and skinning. Also, my electric is not a fishing fillet knife with the thin blade. It's just an 11.99 Hamilton Beach turkey carver from Wal-Mart and does just fine by me........
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I have an American Angler 110 volt and so far Im impressed, I use it to cut the whole side off and flip it over and get the rib bones peeled off too. Im still using hand knife for the skin, leave too much meat so far, but Im just learnin. lol.
Come Friday I hope to have some big fish to practice on, going on a Lake Mich Salmon charter. I'll let you know how it works on them
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BTW, I only use the electric to do the fillet. My Fiskar does the de-boning and skinning. Also, my electric is not a fishing fillet knife with the thin blade. It's just an 11.99 Hamilton Beach turkey carver from Wal-Mart and does just fine by me........
I hear ya. My wife had one stashed away that was probably 20 years old so I tried it one night on a couple walleyes, it worked great. I wouldn't say that you get more meat by using one, at least not when I use one.
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I use an electric fillet and I fillet the skin off the fish with it. When I do perch, crappie or bass, I will use a regular kitchen knife to debone the rib cages so that I get the rib meat also. When I do bluegills in the winter, I cut around the rib cage with the electric knife, then I fillet the skin off with the knife. Saves me a lot of time in the winter when I do large amounts of fish.
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At oneida lake this year, a friendly local at the camp helped our group out and actually taught us how to use an electric and use teh technique mentioned above. Rip right through the ribcage, then debone the filet after its off teh fish and skinned. Used the electric for getting teh filet off the fish and skinning. Regular filet kniife to de-bone (theres a little finesse needed there). Oh and the electric worked great for the walleye cheeks as well. Ya lose a very minimal amount of meat by getting the filet off the fish in one swipe. But not much. Ill be getting one for next years trip.
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A good sharp reg fillet knife works best for me but i'd take an electric over a dull one most days. I have both and prefer the reg knife. i am faster, waste less and the fillet is well cleaner with the reg knife. The fillets seem to get a little ground with the electric, JMHO. But like Fishing King i can do about 50 bluegills on under an hour. i also use two reg knives most of the time one a little less sharp for skinning.
My 2 cents
T
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I only keep and filet panfish mostly gills and sunfish and use a 4" Rapala knife
and Townsend fish skinner. My wife helps me skin the fish. The Townsend does
a neet job.
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I have to agree, electric for pannies. Bigger fish typically equals lesser quantity so do it by hand - also, unless you take your time with the electric you will miss some meat, it's not a cure for poor fileting skills.
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- also, unless you take your time with the electric you will miss some meat, it's not a cure for poor fileting skills.
ill agree with that...it is rather a tool for good ones...id like to add that most turkey slicer models do not have a flexible pointy tip like the fishing models do , which is IMO essential
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I use the American Angler electric also. It works fine for me on good size Walleyes (18"-23") too. I just go right along the backbone to the tail, flip it and de-skin it. Then I use my Camillus hand filet knife to take out the ribcage.
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I am using the regular Rapala fillet knife, but if I ever get the chance I will try an electric one.
WW
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Just wondering what the general consensus is on standard or electric knives !
I haven't tried an electric knife yet and haven't ever seen it done but I understand that it is a lot faster and the amount of flesh harvested is greater also .
Is there really any truth to that and if so what kind of knife do you reccomend ?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions !
I'm one of those people that cant use an electric fillet knife, Ive tried to, but Ive never been interested. I know I can save more meat with a regular standard fillet knife, and still clean up a bunch of fish.
I own both, and I don't exactly mind using an electric fillet knife for larger salmon/trout if I'm looking to get filet's (fish that have softer bones) in large amounts, it does help there.
But with things like pike/bass/panfish/catfish that have a harder skeleton Ill stick to my standard Old Timer any day. Ive cleaned way too many to count this way and Ill keep cleaning them by had. Is just my preference and what works best for me though.
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Thanks to all who have posted replies so far !
I feel I'm pretty handy with a standard knife but I just wanted to see what everyone else does because as you have seen there are many different opinions on the subject .
As some of you have said the panfish are where it seems it would be easier with electric and a bit faster .
I'm gonna try it but like some have said it does take practice and I'm sure before it's over
I'll have a few that look like rice when there done but hey ya gotta start somewhere .
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I'm gonna try it but like some have said it does take practice and I'm sure before it's over
I'll have a few that look like rice when there done but hey ya gotta start somewhere .
start with the small ones :laugh:
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I don't filet fish often enough or in large enough quantity to bother with anything other than the trusty Rapala. I managed to butcher a deer with the Rapala one year.
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I usually leave the rib bones right on the fish, so I don't use an electric knife. Some times with panfish, I leave the skin on the filet, (I scale them first), they seem to hold together better in the pan. I think the biggest secret to successful fileting is a sharp knife. When you have a razor sharp knife, it makes the electric feel cumbersome and unnecessary.
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I had my wife pick a rechargeable one at Gander Mt. for a Xmas gift and in my first two attempts to fillet some perch and crappies I cut through the back bone. I like to tell people that I've filleted more fish than they'll ever catch in their lifetime so I'm pretty handy with a Rapala. My friend told me that the electric knifes designed for fish are too sharp and he uses the household ones and loves them. I will give it another few tries but right now it's found a place in the kitchen and slices London broil. corned beef and turkey and ham just great and nice and thin. I've purchased many fillet knifes and use crock sticks to sharpen after every 30 fish but one of my favorites lately is the Rapala with the hard rubber diamond grip handle and it's dishwasher safe since they always seem to find there way into the kitchen.
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You can't beat the speed of and electric knife. I have an American Angler electric and it's a little too bulky. I'm going to purchase a Rapala electric because it is a little more comfortable in your hand.
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I have cleaned a whoooole lot of fish in my lifetime, ingested enough mercury from fish that soon enough I will be expanded when its warm outside.
I have used an electic once, and didnt like it, you go way too quickly to catch every bit of meat.
the way I see it, its only useful in large fish where it doesnt matter if you lose a tiny scrap of meet. and completely worthless in panfish.
my little rapala and other knives non electric dont need battery's and can catch every ounce of meat on the fish. and work just as well on both big and little fishies. and I dont have to worry about my pricey electric knife when Im out camping.
Neal