i am sure this has been asked a thousand times, but i received a BPS gift card and want to purchase an electric filet knife and/or a scale - would like to keep around $50 each (ie, i have $100 to spend) - have read reviews, but most from non-Texans (dont trust em' - I dont fish below ice) -would appreciate some Texas advice - I fish LMB, hybrids, sand bass, crappie, catfish, etc. - any help appreciated - thanks!

I've been using a Rapala electric fillet knife for a few years now and it's still working. Have to buy new blades now and then but they're not very expensive. I have noticed this Rapala is starting to get hot now after cleaning about 15 or so fish but for the money I have no complaints.

Mister Twister electric Fisherman. It's the best one I've found. I've burned up a couple of Anerican Angler knives and one black and decker. I just got a new Mister a Twister last month, the previous one lasted 6 or 7 years. As far as scales go I've had a Berkley electronic scale in my boat for several years. It's been rained on, dropped and cooked in the sun and keeps on working. Seems to be fairly accurate too when compared against our club's weigh in scales.

I know this is not bass Pro, but I've used these several years catfishing and found them well worth the money--
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Electro...=item2ecf4f1661

Save some more money for a scale and Bogagrip.
Fillet knife-
No need for electric. Dexter Russell traditional 1378. http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/dexter-russell/1378/p9145.aspx
You can sharpen it for years, don't need a plug, it's cheap and no buying replacement blades.
Sometimes I just use my old KABar if I need to get thru big bones. Then rib out the fillets later.
Easier, faster and better fillets that aren't all chewed up.

Yeppers. Filleted lots of fish and still kicking.

Last time I had a filet knife, it was a cheapo from walmart that plugged into a 110 outlet or clamped on the battery. I used the [censored] out of it and it was still ticking when I got rid of it. So, any cheap filet knife should work fine. I never had to replace blades but I'd look for one that you could get easy replacements if needed. For me an electric is so cheap and I can filet fast with it and never have to spend time sharpening blades.

Go to Walmart and buy a Black & Decker electric knife in the small appliance dept. About 10$ and most folks will get 3-5 years use out of it. Save the gift card for something else.

I have one of the black and Decker knives, it has outlasted many of my friends' knives that sport fishing brand names. One by one they have all bought B&D's and never looked back. Mine is close to ten years old and the blades still do just fine.

I agree on the boga grip style grabber with a scale. Does double duty and allows a second fish to be brought on board when your buddy is trying to get a crank bait untangled from the net.

Mister twister is awesome

I used the cheap electric knives from Walmart for years and burned through 4 or 5 per year. The part that always broke was the internal arm that pushed the blades back and forth. About 4 years ago my sister gave me a 110v Rapala electric knife. I am still using it today and it is running like a champ. I just buy replacement blades when the blades get dull. I love my Rapala. If you buy a Rapala do not get the rechargeable knife. It is a piece of junk. Get the one that plugs into a 110v electrical outlet.

the problem I have found with mister twister ,rapala ,etc is when cleaning large amounts of fish everyday the gears get wasted pretty fast . I use a bubba blade 7inch won't look back to an electric until I physically can't use it . I have used a American angler heavy duty and it seems like a good electric knife but it is twice the price . It is 90.00 at Walmart and 109.00 at bass pro . Friend cleans a ton of cats and crappie on fork and that is what he uses. I think the amount of fish you plan on cleaning at one time is the thing to consider.

American Angler

I just purchased a top of the line Rapala for $49.95 at Academy and I expect great service from it. The Mr. Twister I purchased before the flood lasted two fish cleaning sessions. This past weekend, I picked it up to begin cleaning the day's catch and the switch fell off in my hand. Academy exchanged it for the Rapala with about $15 more to make up the price differential. Academy gets my business when they have what I need. The $10 Black & Decker will give good service for a short time. They used to have much better quality than now. It is a good idea to have a back up knife available if you clean many fish.

Rapala. Easy to find blades for. Ours has held up for 5 years and it's cleaned plenty of sandbass and catfish. Even use it at the coast when we clean the sheephead.