back when I did a little fishing a friend made a couple of knives for me 1 was a Sailer's knife short bladed only about a 3 1/2-inch blade with a split tang extending all the way through the cork handle that was wrapped with cordage the handle was quite a bit longer than the blade around 5 inches it floated quite well sized to fit my hands. the other was a filet knife 7 inch blade very thin and flexible it floated but not quite as well if I dropped it overboard, I might have to wait a minute for it to surface. Both were hollow ground and surgically sharp and came with a sharpening and honing rig he made. @ $500.00 a pair in the 1980s it might take up to 6 months to get them but worth every penny IMO.