Much like hunters, blades are an everyday tool for fishermen. From cutting rope, net and fishing line to dealing with whatever is biting on the other end of that hook… Cleaning the catch after the boat is docked and everyone is getting hungry is a whole other mission. Whether you’re sailing the seven seas or flyflishing in a quiet river, knives are a fisherman’s best friend.
To the inexperienced angler, it is common to think that a fisherman only needs a fillet knife, but nothing can be further from the truth. In fact, some fishermen don’t even clean the fish, they just catch them. So yes, there is a big difference between going fishing and being an actual fisherman, but we won’t get into all that right now… Plus, whether you catch anything is a whole different story.
No matter who you are, anyone who goes fishing will still need a reliable edge to set up their fishing pole properly, and depending on what kind of fishing you actually plan on doing, you could easily need something to chop bait or chum. If you’re fishing from the shore, a pocket knife will probably be sufficient enough. If you’re fishing from a boat, you want to be prepared for anything, like your engine not starting, your sail tearing in two, or losing the paddle to your rowboat as the sun sets and a strong current starts drifting you out to sea.
Anyone who has read Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” or Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea,” or has seen films like “Captains Courageous” (1937), “Jaws” (1975), “The Perfect Storm” (2000) or currently watches the show “Wicked Tuna” knows why one would want a reliable knife on-board. Sea worthy blades come in all shapes and sizes, from manual folders to fixed blades and even hunting knives aren’t a bad idea to keep in your vessel’s cabin along with an axe with your life jackets, flare gun, first aid kit and fire extinguisher. If you’re fishing with a spear underwater, a dive knife is what you’ll want to equip yourself with. If you’re in fresh water or on a camping trip you’ll also have other scenarios to consider.
Overall, a knife used for fishing should be durable and dependable, easy to sharpen, corrosion resistant if possible, and easy to deploy or access. Some of you may be thinking that one fillet knife can suffice for all edge purposes on a fishing trip, but we would advise not using that blade on anything but fish flesh.
One last tip, pocket knives are great for fishing, but make sure you have a designated area or secure spot for a backup blade because, as many old timers and sailors will tell you, one hard wave, fumble or slip of the fingers, and your edge may be lost at sea forever.
We don’t recommend spending a fortune on fishing knives, simply because you can get quality blades at an affordable price and they can easily get lost forever, as stated above.
Checkout our collectionof lake, beach, ocean and sea worthy fishing blades: We recommend carrying at least three knives on-board with you. A fillet knife, a multifuntion pocket knife with a saw or serrated edge, and a fixed blade tactical knife. Throw in a survival knife and keep in the cabin just in case.
Now you’re ready to set sail! Ahoy!
