Best Knife for Surf Fishing

Written by Tyler Paul in Surf Fishing 

What is the Best knife for Surf Fishing?

There isn't one knife that will adequately solve all the cutting needs of the surf fisherman. There is no such thing as the mythical “one knife to rule them all”. Instead, Surf fishing anglers need a set of knives knives to safely and effectively perform the common surf fishing tasks such as: cutting braided fishing line; trimming mono leader; preparing fish to use for bait; killing and bleeding fish to keep; and perfectly filleting those keeper fish for dinner. The following knives are what I believe to be the best set of knives that every surf fishing angler needs to best handle the job at hand be it cutting, killing, gutting, or cleaning.

In this article we will discuss the three major types of knives that every surf fishing angler needs on the water as well as some recommendations on each. These types are the fixed blade utility knife, folding utility knife, and fillet knife.

Fixed Blade Utility Knife

Spyderco Fish Hunter w/ Sheath

When it comes to selecting the best fixed blade utility knife for surf fishing, it is hard choose between the classic design of the Aqua Salt fixed blade utility knife and the dagger like Fish Hunter fixed blade utility knife. Both of these knives are built by Spyderco and are part of their Salt Series line of knives which feature the H-1 corrosion resistant steel. There is nothing I hate more than to open my tackle box to find my favorite knife all discolored and rusty after one day on the water. Luckily Spyderco has taken that out of the picture with its salt series line of knives which feature the durable and ultra corrosion resistant H1 steel.

It is a well understood fact that immediately killing your fish both benefits the fish by reducing stress and any potential suffering as well as increasing the quality of the meat. I personally use the Ike-Jime method which requires you to “spike” by puncture the brain of the fish to quickly kill it. This method requires a tool with a sharp point which is handled nicely with the pointed tip of the Spyderco Fish Hunter Fixed Blade Utility Knife. The yellow handle and shiny blade is a deterrent for some but I actually like the brighter color to increase visibility. This knife isn't only good for spiking a fish however. The Fish Hunter was designed to meeting the demanding needs of free divers and spear fisherman who need a quick access knife for cutting line if they are ever tangled or if they ever need to get rid of their catch quickly. In short, this knife is a great corrosion resistant utility knife that is great for tasks including: cutting fishing line; cutting rope; killing fish; and can even make short work at cutting/prepping baitfish.

If the yellow handle and shiny blade of the Fish Hunter isn't your style don't fret. Spyerco's classic Aqua Salt is another great fixed blade utility knife option that is likely right up your alley. Just like the Fish Hunter, the Aqua Salt is constructed of durable and ultra corrosion resistant H1 steel. What stands out about the Aqua Salt however is its traditional and almost tactical look, style and feel. The Spyderco Aqua Salt features a fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle and non-reflective titanium carbonitride (TiCN) blade coating that just looks sharp (can't help the puns here). Just like the fish hunter, this knife is great for just about everything other than filleting.

Folding Utility Knife (pocket knife)

When it comes to the folding utility knife there are a ton of options on the market today. However, when it comes to proven ability to stand up to the saltwater environment associated with surf fishing there are few that stand up against the Spyderco Salt Series knives. I personally recommend the 

  • Spyderco Salt Folding Knife
    • . This blade is a great not only for keeping in your pocket while casting a line at the beach but also as you Every Day Carry (EDC) knife. This knife not only looks great but is easy to operate, maintains a good edge, and the corrosion resistance doesn't hurt. This knife comes in a plain edge or Spyderco's spyderedge designs. For my fishing applications I prefer the spyderedge design for its additional cutting surface area.

    Fillet Knife

    The filet knife is a specialized knife used for removing usable meat of the fish from the bone and skin. The filet knife is typically a thin, flexible, non-serrated blade knife that are typically 6 to 11 inches in length. The filet knife is designed to easily cut into the fish and navigate close to the bone to efficiently extract the most amount of good meat as possible. I have a great personalized 6″ filet knife that my brother-in-law gave me as a groomsman gift a long time ago pictured below).

    Most surf fishing anglers like to keep one good filet knife on hand in the tackle box to use for bait prep and/or cleaning fish away from home. For this application I prefer a 6″ knife that is easy to fit in the tackle box, tolerant to corrosion, easy to grip/hold, and has a protective sheath. I recommend the Rapala Fish n Fillet Superflex Knife. As a note, this knife is corrosion resistant not corrosion proof so be sure to wash with soap, rinse with fresh water, and dry well between uses to reduce chance of rust.

    Back at home I like to have a nice set of filet knives to clean the various species of fish I bring home. The best knife for filleting a pompano isn't always the best knife to use when cleaning a big snook. I am all about having the right tool for the job and with that I like to have on hand a variety of filet knives to handle whatever fish I typically bring home and whatever cut I need to make. The set of filet knives I keep in the kitchen are listed below in order of priority. If I had to pick a single knife that was most versatile for typical surf fishing game, I would pick the WÜSTHOF Classic 7 Inch Fillet Knife since the 7″ blade is long enough to get through the full width of most fillets and not too large to carefully carve up a nice pompano or whiting. This knife really is my workhorse and is what I use 80% of the time (if not more).

    If I need to get into some smaller fish than the 7″ WUSTHOF can handle, I just pull out the Rapala Fish n Fillet Superflex Knife from my tackle box.

    Filet Knife Length

    Selecting the correct length of filet knife depends on the type of fish you are cleaning and a little bit of personal preference. I prefer to select a knife that is long enough to extend the full depth of the fish so I can remove the meat from the bone in one motion as well as remove the meat from the skin in one motion. One might ask: “why not just get the longest knife you can find?”. Selecting the largest knife might get you through most any fish, but the larger knife may also limit your ability to clean the smaller, more common, fish that you are typically brining home for dinner. This is why I have a variety of filet knives to handle the different sizes of fish I bring home.

    When surf fishing I typically bring in the following species of fish for the purpose of eating: pompano; whiting; redfish; snook; flounder; smaller black drum; sheepshead; and bluefish (especially when I want some good smoked fish dip). These fish are typical on the small to medium sized range and I find that the 7″ filet knife does the trick pretty well. Occasionally I will run across a fish that is pretty hefty where I would need a 9″ blade but the 7″ is pretty much my go to knife.

    While we're talking about how to fillet your fish for consumption, you enjoy our articles on How to Store Your Keeper Fish and Should You Store Your Fish Alive or Dead to learn more about how to properly prepare your catch for the table.

    Tight Lines Y'all

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