# Electric Fillet Knives???



## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

I've searched the forums and found plenty of topics concerning electric knives, however none were here in the catfish section. When we are catching the smaller 12-13" fish it seems just about any knife will do, but lately we've been averaging 4 pounders and of course they are much tougher to clean. We've got an old American Angler that has probably cleaned over 1,000 fish, but it's big and bulky, so you get hand fatigue quickly. Last week my Dad bought a new Rapala, the contour of the handle was nice but the old American Angler ran laps around it. I've got one of the Mister Twisters that flat out sucks along with another one that I can't recall the name of.

Any advice on a good electric knife that can handle cleaning a cooler of catfish?

Thanks,
Brandon

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## Purefishn (Mar 22, 2005)

I've tried almost all of them and the only one that has lasted has been the blue/white piranha. Most of the others have plastic gears that strip out. It's the only one I've tried that can handle a redfish over and over again.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Brandon, i grew up before electricity so I never got the hang of using one of the gadgets.
Cleaning larger cat, it would appear that the rib bones are your biggest problem. 
I use two knives. One a very good fillet knife and the other a high quality straight edge "bread" knife.
Using the bread knife, I cut down behind the gill to the back bone. Do the turn to the right and using a sawing action the serrated blade cuts through the ribs very easily.
I do both sides of each fish. I stop after the ribs are cut and go to the next fish.
Now I use my trusty manual fillet knife to finish each side of the fillet and to de-skin.
I believe if you substitute the electric for the manual the same procedure would work.
Of course the sixty years of experience filleting a million cats helps. But at your catch rate you will be there soon.


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## Canny (Jul 4, 2011)

Purefishn said:


> I've tried almost all of them and the only one that has lasted has been the blue/white piranha. Most of the others have plastic gears that strip out. It's the only one I've tried that can handle a redfish over and over again.


X2 on the piranha it's the best electric knife IMO.


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## Jeff G (May 18, 2010)

Buy it at Academy and keep your receipt . They gave me a new piranha when my plastic gears broke . If I use one now , I try to avoid cutting into bones . I mainly use a knife .


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## olsteve (Jul 20, 2008)

I always skin the catfish first, resulting with a lot of sinu left on the meat. 
I will be trying Sunbeam's method next fishing trip.
As for electricity not being available when you were young,Sunbeam, had rocks or dirt been created then? 
LOL


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

olsteve said:


> I always skin the catfish first, resulting with a lot of sinu left on the meat.
> I will be trying Sunbeam's method next fishing trip.
> As for electricity not being available when you were young,Sunbeam, had rocks or dirt been created then?
> LOL


I'm not that old. But I will admit to being a busboy at the last supper.


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

Thanks for all the advice. I may have to try the manual knife through the bones, then the electric to finish the job.

-Brandon

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## agteacher (Jun 29, 2005)

I received my electric knife for a wedding present. It came from Bed Bath and Beyond. It has worked pretty well for me for the past three years.


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

When I clean my cats I never hit the rib cage just angle behind the rib cage and follow down to the tail, pretty easy!


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## jdot7749 (Dec 1, 2008)

I have never seen an electric filet knife that will cut larger catfish or redfish ribs and I've had one of everthing made including the house hold ones for turkey and ham carving. Maybe I'm just catching too big a fish.


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## Farmer Jim (May 21, 2004)

agteacher said:


> I received my electric knife for a wedding present. It came from Bed Bath and Beyond. It has worked pretty well for me for the past three years.


LOL. I hope whoever gave you & the wife that for a wedding present doesn't read this board. :rotfl:


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

Next time I'll pay a more attention and try to avoid most of the rib bones. I'm used to filleting bass and smaller catfish, so the rib bones have never been much of an issue until now. 

-Brandon


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

I bought the storm brand that was on sales for 10 bucks at academy years ago it still works I cleaned 5 specs and 2 sandies yesterday.The biggest trout was caught with dead shrimp .My next electric fellet knife will be the pirahna


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## Flashof1979 (Feb 28, 2011)

Canny said:


> X2 on the piranha it's the best electric knife IMO.


 X3 just bought one this week and used it today when I got home for the first time. It made those Fayette cats clean like a somerville cat. Best knife I have ever used! The best part is it only cost $29 at Academy.


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

Flashof1979 said:


> X3 just bought one this week and used it today when I got home for the first time. It made those Fayette cats clean like a somerville cat. Best knife I have ever used! The best part is it only cost $29 at Academy.


My Dad picked one up last week and we used it this past week on those Fayette cats...it did work much better than the other 4 I have.

-Brandon

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## inxpress (Mar 2, 2007)

*electric fillet knife*

I have had fair luck with the piranha brand from Academy. I clean lots of redfish. I had 1 for 2 years and finally gave out, Academy replaced it.


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

inxpress said:


> I have had fair luck with the piranha brand from Academy. I clean lots of redfish. I had 1 for 2 years and finally gave out, Academy replaced it.


My Dad actually took back a used Rapala that sucked and Academy didn't give him any problems about exchanging it for the Pirahna.

-Brandon

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## humble one (Jan 31, 2011)

buy a cheap black &decker from walmart,I have been told they are good by a couple of differnt people


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## ronnie slate (May 16, 2009)

*The black and decker*

Buy the cheap black and decker at wall mart. I keep 2 of them in my boat. 9.95 each and I have cleaned over 2000 with one. The easy way to clean cat's , is go around the ribs. It just takes a little practice.


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## olsteve (Jul 20, 2008)

Brandon,
Have you ever considered buying a Droid and possibly even using Tapatalk?


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

olsteve said:


> Brandon,
> Have you ever considered buying a Droid and possibly even using Tapatalk?


It has crossed my mind

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## joshdebo (Oct 12, 2009)

Sunbeam said:


> Brandon, i grew up before electricity so I never got the hang of using one of the gadgets.
> Cleaning larger cat, it would appear that the rib bones are your biggest problem.
> I use two knives. One a very good fillet knife and the other a high quality straight edge "bread" knife.
> Using the bread knife, I cut down behind the gill to the back bone. Do the turn to the right and using a sawing action the serrated blade cuts through the ribs very easily.
> ...


Do you de-skin after you remove the fillet from the fish? Ive always gutted and skinned first, but im open to a new way if its easier. Thanks


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## Dwayneinfo (Aug 15, 2005)

Can someone who has a Pirana look on the body. See if you can find an amp or watt reference. may be something like 120v 60hz 100w.


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## Flashof1979 (Feb 28, 2011)

Dwayneinfo said:


> Can someone who has a Pirana look on the body. See if you can find an amp or watt reference. may be something like 120v 60hz 100w.


 Your numbers are correct!


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## Dwayneinfo (Aug 15, 2005)

Flashof1979 said:


> Your numbers are correct!


Wow, I called Mister Twister today and they told me the Pirana was a 12amp motor. More like a .83 amp motor if my math is right. So for reference the Pirana has the same basic motor as a wal-mart knife.


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## redneck (Jun 5, 2004)

I'm a guide and the only knife I have found that will work and that will hold up is the American Angler Ultra MT3 Saltwater. I have used everything else out there and nothing will work as well or hold up as well.

http://www.learntocatchcatfish.com/american-angler-mt3

Last year I burned up both of mine (after two years of use) and could not find any locally and I had to have knives so I bought 3 Mister Twister Piranha knives. I burned up all three of these within the first two days. They are no better than the other Mister Twister knives and they really lack power.

I cut through rib cages and the Ultra MT3 knife does so with no problems at all and I can usually get between 18 and 24 months use from these knives. The trick is rotating them when they start to get hot.


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