I received a True SYK 9” Serrated Fillet Knife to test. The very next week, I had a Louisiana redfishing trip with Native Adventures lined up, so I thought that’d be a good testing ground.
I’ve fished in Louisiana since 2002, and here’d be my two bits of advice if you decide to go:
- If you go fishing in Louisiana, you want to hire a real Cajun guide, not some transport wannabe.
- You’ll want to hit some local restaurants to experience real Cajun food. Mexican food has taken America by storm, and I love Mexican food but Cajun food is twice as good!
I’ve written for years for a couple of Louisiana newspapers, and the editor, Brandi, introduced me to Native Adventures. This year, she suggested some restaurants that I hadn’t visited before. If you wonder why I’m raving so much about Cajun food, then it’s because you have never tasted it.
Blackened fish, boiled crawdads, shrimp etouffee, Cajun Seafood Boil, Gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp creole, Boudin, Jambalaya and the list goes on and on. Trust me, if you go fishing in Louisiana 50% of the experience is eating the Cajun food and stating 50% may be too low of a rating!
True SYK 9” Serrated Fillet Knife
Now, onto the Product Review. I had a few knives to test, but today, we’re going to cover the True SYK 9” Serrated Knife. On the first day of our trip, we fished with Justin Moreau. When we cleaned our catch, I had him use/test the True SYK 9” Serrated Knife.
My brother and I were striper fishing a few months ago, and while shooting the bull, he commented how many guides like to use a serrated blade when filleting the bigger fish. The bones are thicker, and the scales are tougher, which is especially true on the larger reds. I’m exaggerating, but on the big bull reds, their scales seem thick enough to turn a .22 bullet!
There were three of us fishing, so we had 15 reds to clean. After cleaning them all, Justin stated that he liked the True SYK 9” Serrated Knife, that it kept its edge, and that it worked well. Coming from an experienced Cajun guide, that is probably the best compliment that I can give it.
We then switched knives, and I tested it on a few fish. Yep, it worked fine. In Idaho, I usually use a 6-inch knife to fillet all of my fish, but the 9-inch blade on the True SYK 9” Serrated Knife worked well on the bigger bulls. I’d forgotten how thick their bones and scales were. (We also had a big pile of sheepshead to fillet, and it worked good on them as well.)
I like the fact that it comes with a hard plastic sheath. The sheath has holes cut in the sides, which allow it to dry quicker in case you put it in the sheath wet. You’ll always want to make sure that you have a sheath on your fillet knives for two reasons:
- It would be dangerous to have a loose knife bouncing around on the boat or even on the cleaning station back at the dock.
- A sheath prevents the knife from bouncing around and dinging up the edge.
Lastly, I like the wild colors. They set the knife off well. The True SYK 9” Serrated Knife’s MSRP is $44.99 (less $$ online), and as is usual, we will close with the company specs/comments.
- SYK™ Fillet Series
- For Freshwater & Saltwater Use
- 9” Tapered Stiff Flex Design
- For Medium to Large Size Fish
- 9CR18MoV Stainless Steel
- Serrated Edge
- Encapsulated Full Tang Construction
- Lanyard Hole
- Corrosion Resistant
- Molded Sheath (100% Recycled Ocean-bound Plastic)
- 1-Year Warranty
- HI-VIZ CERAKOTE® FINISH: Trusted as a firearm coating due to its wear resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, and overall durability, the Cerakote finish not only looks great, but its’ non-stick properties improve filleting tasks, and the Hi-Viz color allows it to stand out for enhanced safety and handling protection.
- SERRATED EDGE: Serrated edge blades provide the control and strength to effectively saw bone and cut through scales and is preferred for these tasks as it won’t dull as easily as a traditional fillet knife when preparing Redfish, Sheepshead, Triple Tail, Striped Bass etc
- HOLLOW GRIND BLADE: The hollow grind blade provides a strong spine while offering a symmetrical, razor-sharp point and optimal flex for filleting tasks.With less material immediately behind the edge, it offers less resistance when cutting and slicing, while the hollow grind leaves more material in the overall blade stock to improve durability and life span over repeated resharpening.
- TRAXGRIP TEXTURED HANDLE: The TraxGrip™ textured handle strikes a balance between cushion, ergonomics and traction in wet conditions in addition to an integrated finger guard for control/handling.
“When you need to prepare medium to large fish with strong bones, thick skin, or tough scales, reach for the SYK® 9-inch Serrated Fillet Knife. The Hi-Viz, blade is not only striking, but it is also designed to improve safety when filleting and sheathing the knife. Constructed with 9Cr18MoV, this upper-end, high-carbon steel offers excellent edge retention, hardness, corrosion resistance, and durability. The Cerakote® finish improves the blade’s wear-resistance, corrosion resistance, and overall toughness. The TraxGrip™ textured handle strikes a balance between cushion, ergonomics, and traction in wet conditions in addition to an integrated finger guard for confident control and handling.”
SYK /sɪk/: adjective for cool, excellent or rad.
“TRUE set out to design a new standard in fillet knives that are an extension of your personality and angling lifestyle, just like your fishing apparel, rods, and watercraft. The SYK fillet knife designs were inspired by the vibrant colors of the Yellowfin tuna, so they are unapologetically bold and proud, making them distinct among the sea of fillet knives on the market and ideal for both freshwater and saltwater use.”
Live Inventory Price Checker
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AccuSharp Fixed Fillet Knife Kit with Knife Sharpener Blue - for Precision Cutting - 737C | Palmetto State Armory | $ 34.99 |
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149 Hookset 10" Salt Water Fillet Knife | Buck Knives | $ 48.99 |
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Old Timer Lithium Ion Cordless Electric Fillet Knife (1140756) | Bereli | $ 64.99 |
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225 Silver Creek 9" Fillet Knife | Buck Knives | $ 45.99 |
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About Tom Claycomb
Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoors writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening for $.99 if you’re having trouble.”
