As a lifelong coastal fisherman, tournament angler and occasional charter skipper, I’ve always used a selection of wood- and plastic-handled blades of various lengths and shapes for cutting up my catch. Some are, “old-favorites,” especially one 8-inch filet model, the blade of which is now rapier-thin, due to decades of steel and stone. Yep, while I use satellite sea temp charts, and line and reels built on NASA technology, when it came to blades, I had remained decidedly old-school. Loining- out tuna, filleting mahi or steaking a wahoo with an electric knife would just not ever occur to me. Electric knives were for freshwater crappie fisherman…and Thanksgiving at grandma’s.
Of course, all that was before I was handed a BUBBA Pro Series Electric Fishing Knife and asked to cut a swordfish (one of three) we caught while fishing aboard Reel Deal, with Capt. Eric Reynolds. The Pro Series EFK’s serrated blade parted the flesh effortlessly, and without tearing, leaving a smooth texture and a glossy look. With the blade doing the grunt part of the work, I could concentrate more closely on the details of each cut—passing the gill plate just so, gliding evenly over the backbone, getting every last bit of meat off the caudal peduncle—and of course, the job is just plain physically easier. We prepped two swords, a wahoo and some snapper during this trip (two boats) , and the BUBBA Pro Series Electric Fishing Knife proved as right for the job every fish.
Powered by a Li-On battery– and it comes with a spare battery– there is plenty of charge for a day’s catch. The motor runs smooth, yet powerfully. The EFK possesses a solid heft and sports an obviously rugged build.
What’s in the Case?
The BUBBA Pro Series EFK comes with four different interchangeable blades — 7″; E-FLEX, 9″; E-FLEX, 9″; E-STIFF, and 12″; E-STIFF that reflect BUBBA’s tapered flex and stiff fillet knives. These blades are constructed out of high carbon stainless steel and coated with titanium nitride making them extremely corrosion resistant. It features a safety lock and trigger guard for ultimate security.The electric fillet knife comes in a premium EVA molded carrying case, which allows you to break apart the storage units for easy cleaning. This knife contains a second replacement battery, charging cord, and all batteries include a battery life indicator, so you can rest assured that you’ll never run out of juice.
Price: $169.99
Contact: bubba.com
Another Point of View
Editor’s Note: Colleague Jim Hendricks writes about the BUBBA Pro Series EFK
The celebratory mood after a great day of fishing faded as I gazed at a cooler stuffed with fish and contemplated the work ahead. Suddenly, my fishing buddies found a reason to skip out before I even set up the fillet table. No worries—Bubba to the rescue. I unzipped the EVA molded carrying case of the Bubba cordless electric fillet knife, snapped in the appropriately sized serrated twin-blades for the fish we caught, and went to work. The knife is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and sports an ergonomic non-slip grip (with the iconic Bubba red texture) and a trigger switch with a guard and safety. The reciprocating action of the blades made short work filleting 20 tasty Pacific rockfish. The kit includes four different blade sets, each with a different width for filleting anything from yellow perch to yellowfin tuna. It has been designed to maximize motor transmission output for extraordinary torque. Easy to remove and wash, the blades are constructed from high carbon stainless-steel and coated with titanium nitride, making them extremely corrosion resistant. The kit includes two Li-On batteries, each with a battery charge indicator. There’s also a charging cord. The electric knife works so well, it has found duties elsewhere in our household carving turkeys and roasts for family dinners. $159.95; bubba.com
