Fishing pliers are a tool that is often overlooked by anglers. They usually forget that this is a necessary tool when assembling their fishing gear for a trip.
Fishing pliers can be very handy when you catch a fish and need to retrieve the bend wires, and hooks, cut fishing lines, change split rings, and others. Therefore, having a good pair of fishing pliers is a must-have in a fisherman’s tackle box.
This tool is an essential fishing gear piece that you need to bring with you on every fishing trip. So, if you don’t want to be stuck in a frustrating situation where you’ll need a pair of pliers, you should probably get one from a nearby store.
Top 12 Best Fishing Pliers Reviewed
Now that we’re through with the buying guide, let us now move on to the list of the best and high-quality fishing pliers that you can buy in the market. Note that all of the following products below have one of the highest reviews on Amazon, but not all would fully satisfy your needs. Therefore, make sure to read the product’s description carefully to be satisfied with your purchase.
12Buck Knives Fishing Multi-Tool
Splizzors from Buck Knives is creatively designed to be used as both a plier and scissors. This tool also features several add-ons, making it a versatile and unique multi-purpose fishing tool that they can use for trimming, bending, cutting, crimping, shearing, and removal of hooks. It is constructed with 420HC steel that is very strong, rust, and corrosion-resistant. It also retains the sharpness of its edges for a long time.
Made in the USA, this specific plier is a well-made fisherman plier and scissors that could provide you with a good cut. The Buck Knives company has a reputation for making tools with superior quality. Therefore you won’t go wrong with this product. This tool is also backed by a lifetime warranty, so this is not a bad purchase at all.
11MadBite Aluminum Fishing Pliers
If you want to use an aluminum plier, this tool from MadBite is a good option. It is also one of the most creative fishing pliers in the market.
It has a great design and works multi functionally that can do things like stripping, removing hooks, pulling, crimping, and cutting to set up split rings. This tool is specially made to handle saltwater environments, but it can also be used in all kinds of water.
This fishing plier is made with anodized aircraft-grade aluminum, making it lightweight, sturdy, and built to last for a long time. Its anodized coating provides the plier an extreme resistance to corrosion and rust. Compared to the first product, this aluminum plier is much more affordable.
10Zitradis Aluminum Fishing Pliers
If you’re looking for something cheap but reliable, then this fishing plier from Zitrades is a great option for you. This tool is worth considering because not only is it affordable, but it can also be used for freshwater or saltwater fishing.
This tool is made with high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum, meaning this plier is very durable and robust enough to cut robust lines. This is also lightweight and very comfortable for the hands.
This is covered in an anodized coating, making it extremely resistant to rust, even when exposed to saltwater. Its jaws are made with stainless steel to offer strength and durability on its grip.
9Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Plier
If you’ve wanted to use a needle nose fishing plier, then this 8.46” fishing plier is the best product for you. This is Piscifun’s sharpest, lightest, and most nicely designed saltwater and freshwater tool for fishers in the market.
One of its great features is that the cutters can be replaced once they wear out. This way, you won’t have to buy another product to replace the whole tool.
This tool is made from aircraft-grade anodized aluminum, which has excellent corrosion resistance and prevents the plier from being rust shut.
This also means that the tool is strong, lightweight, and very durable. Also, its jaws are made of stainless steel that is covered with titanium for rust resistance and strength.
8Manley Professional Aluminum Fishing Plier
Measuring up to 7.5”, these fishing pliers from Manley are designed to grip fishing lines and remove small hooks quickly. This can be used in both freshwater and saltwater environments.
Made with stainless steel and anodized aluminum, the plier is durable, strong, and lightweight. Its protective coating can protect the tool from the salty water’s corrosive effects, making it perfect for all types of water.
The plier features a tungsten carbide cutter capable of cutting through all kinds of lines, including the braided ones considered tough lines. Along with its length, it offers a sufficient grip for comfortability. It is also very sturdy with the help of its strong jaws.
7Lix & Rix Aluminum Fishing Plier
This specific fishing tool features space-grade aluminum handles, tungsten cutters, and stainless steel jaws for a stronger grip. It is durable, strong, and resistant to corrosion, making them highly suitable for freshwater and saltwater use. Its hard and sharp tungsten steel side cutter can cut through braid lines, monofilament lines, wires, and even fishing hooks.
Besides, its handles are loaded with springs making it easier for you to use the pliers with one hand. There are even different sizes to choose from so that you’ll have an option in selecting a suitable size for you. The handles are also very comfortable to hold without slipping off your hand.
6Bubba Blade Stainless Steel Fishing Pliers
Bubbais a reputable company when it comes to making tools such as fillet knives and pliers. Their products are known to have red grippy handles, which IDs them as one of Bubba’s products.
Bubba also builds and designs fishing pliers meant to be an easy, durable, and strong tool that would satisfy a fisherman’s needs.
Besides, the pliers also have a superior grip, capable cutters, and precision. It also features an aerospace-grade aluminum material, rubberized handles, cobalt tungsten side cutters, and titanium-covered stainless steel jaws for overall protection and durability. This truly makes it one of the best tools for fishermen in the market.
5T-Reign ProSheath Stainless Steel Pliers
This is a combination plier set that includes a heavy-duty steel belt clip, aluminum fishing pliers, and two fixed loop straps to enable you to strap the tool on your pants.
The tools are made to be strong, corrosion-resistant, durable, and lightweight because of their aluminum construction. Its jaws are made of stainless steel for a much stronger grip, while the cutter is made of tungsten carbide.
Also, this is a needle-nose fishing plier that is suitable for mucky and bass shooting. The included tungsten carbide line at the pliers’ side can cut any lines used for fishing, from mono up to braided lines.
One of its great features is that its cutting surface and blade can be replaced any time they’re worn out.
4Gerber Multi-Plier
If you want to save some space and money when using tools, this Gerbersuspension can be an excellent option. Not only does it serve as a reliable fishing plier, but it can also be useful for all kinds of stuff like being a can opener, knife, nail file, plier, and more. This tool also has a lightweight open-frame design making it a very portable tool.
This portable plier has a butterfly opening mechanism that reveals a spring-loaded needle-nose plier. This multitool plier also includes a wire cutter with severe lines and leaders, a serrated knife for processing large fish, and a fine-edge knife to prepare and fillet baits. Therefore, this tool is not only good for a fishing trip but also for a camping expedition.
3PLUSINNO Stainless Steel Fishing Pliers
The PLUSINNO company is well-known and often praised for the quality construction of its products and their versatility. This tool’s jaws are made of stainless steel coated with titanium to make it resistant to corrosion. Simultaneously, its needle nose shape allows you to reach for the hook inside the mouth of a toothy fish.
Its other features include a side-mounted tungsten carbide line cutter that can slice through a braided line, monofilament lines, backing lines, and fly lines without exerting much effort. The tool also works as a crimping tool and a split ring tool, which could provide you with anything that you need to modify your tackle.
2Bite Aluminum Fishing Pliers
The Bite pliers offer you an aluminum fishing plier that has been CNC machined and treated with heat to reach its maximum strength and hardness when it comes to providing all your fishing needs. This tool is also included with a tungsten carbide cutter that is sharp, durable enough to cut through anything, and easily replaced when worn out.
This product looks quite similar to P-line Adaro but still has a bit of a difference. This tool has a soft-to-the-touch grip that is molded into its handle to provide comfort and easier handling. Its jaws are made of black stainless steel giving the plier a good design. Outside, its jaws contain several screws so that they can be easily replaced with a new one.
1Booms Fishing Stainless Steel Fishing Plier – Best Cheap Fishing Plier
This fishing brand specializes in making tackles and fishing tools to simplify tasks and make fishing much easier. This specific model from Booms Fishing is their first product and the most popular plier among their other products.
Constructed with a 420 stainless steel material, the tool is very durable and robust enough to be suitable for fishing in freshwater. If this tool is exposed to a saltwater environment, make sure to wash it to clean off the salt water. Dry the plier and keep it oiled to prevent it from rusting and corrosion.
Fishing Plier Buying Guide
Choosing the best fishing plier in the market can be quite a daunting task for fishermen because of all the available options. Therefore, before we list down the best fishing pliers brand, you should first look at the features you need to look for in a tool.
Here are some things that you need to look for in a plier to choose a high-quality and useful tool for your fishing needs.
Materials
Fishing pliers are often used in fresh or saltwater environments. Therefore using a low-quality fishing plier will only cause it to rust after a couple of use. This is why it is important for fishers only to choose high-quality products that won’t rust or corrode, especially if the tool would usually gets drenched with fresh or saltwater. You wouldn’t want to end up with a rusted piece of tool that is hard to use.
Fishing plier materials come in three types, Titanium, Stainless Steel, and Aluminum, which are all great to prevent rust or corrosion. These kinds of materials are long-lasting, heavy-duty, and contain corrosion-resistant properties.
- Aluminum – this material is usually lightweight, rigid, and doesn’t trust easily. However, it would be best to choose aluminum products as there are low-quality products. Low-quality aluminum is soft and tends to bend when it is exposed to heavy-weight or high pressure. A high-quality fishing plier is made from an aircraft aluminum alloy, which is a standard material to ensure the tool’s durability.
- Stainless Steel – this material is usually coated to make it resistant to corrosion and rust. If you’ve bought a cheap stainless-steel fishing plier, except its coating wears off easily, making it prone to corrosion and rust, therefore, before you purchase a stainless-steel plier, make sure that the tool is made of high-grade stainless steel to ensure its durability.
- Titanium – Compared to the previous materials used, titanium pliers are more expensive than steel and aluminum. It is a premium material that is lightweight, hard, and highly resistant to corrosion and rust. If you think that titanium pliers are the best kind of tools that you can use for fishing, you should prepare your budget for it as they won’t come cheaply.
Besides checking the material used, you should also wash and wipe your tool dry after being exposed to water, especially saltwater, to prevent rust and corrosion. This way, you can ensure that you can still correctly use your pliers during your fishing trip.
Features of Fishing Pliers
Unlike normal pliers, fishing pliers have an extra feature to make them a suitable tool for fishermen. Therefore, this tool is designed only for fishing. Here are a couple of features that you can expect from a fishing plier compared to standard pliers.
Versatility
Some pliers for fishing can be very versatile. They can be used to cut all kinds of fishing lines, work as a crimping tool to make joins, and even help remove hooks. You can also find some pliers where handles are spring-loaded to make them easier to use. This can be important, especially if you use the tools frequently and repetitively, helping lessen fatigue.
Lightweight
The one feature that you should look out for when buying your next set of fishing pliers is its usability and portability. Since a fishing trip will cause you to walk or sail more, having a lightweight and portable plier that is comfortable to hold or keep will make your trip a lot easier. Fishing pliers are often lightweight. Therefore this tool shouldn’t add too much weight to your tackle box.
Choosing a plier with a protective lanyard and sheath can also be a good idea, especially if you are always fishing while riding a boat or kayak and need to keep a plier near you.
Besides pliers, having an extra tool and function like lights or knives can be convenient to keep your things light. Bringing a multi-use tool can also help reduce the number of things that you need to bring with you for the trip.
Other Things to Consider
Aside from the tool’s features, there are other things that you need to consider when choosing the best fishing plier for your next trip.
The Nose Length
The ideal handle and nose length of a plier will depend on fishing and what kind of fish you are trying to catch. Using a fishing plier with a longer nose length, such as the needle-nose length, would be best for saltwater environments and handling fish large and toothy like groupers and snappers.
The needle-nose pliers’ length and design will enable you to reach deeper into the fish’s mouth when removing the hook. This is one of the reasons why needle nose pliers are popular among anglers. If you often catch smaller fishes like bass and trout, using a plier with a shorter nose length will be suitable for freshwater fishing.
Cutting Alternatives
Pliers, including some of the standard ones, offer options for cutting. It includes side cutters and line cutters. If you are looking for an ideal pair of fishing pliers, it should have both of these cutting options, as this could meet different kinds of cutting needs that may happen when fishing.
Let’s see how both of these cutting options can help with your fishing needs:
- Line Cutter – this option is a standard feature of a plier, and it is often good enough to cut fluorocarbon and monofilament lines. If you want your pliers to be able to cut through a braided line efficiently and without causing any injuries, the tool should be extra hard and sharp enough to cut through a thick line.
- Side Cutter – A strong side cutter will be needed to cut through steel wires, hooks, and other tough materials. The best material for a side cutter would be a tungsten carbide.
Aside from these options, it would also be a good idea for you to choose a plier with a replaceable cutter, as cutters usually wear down when used for quite some time.
It’s a Convenience
If you are lucky enough to catch a lot of fish for one day, you’ll most probably find yourself using your set of fishing pliers a lot. Using a lightweight plier that is comfortable to hold and not too heavy to carry is very important, as you’ll only have to use them with one hand only.
And to make it much easier to use, choose a plier that has spring-loaded handles so that you can use the plier with one hand. This way, you don’t have to keep on adjusting your grip or worry about prying it open when pressed together.
Split Ring Tool
This kind of tool is a feature that you use to set up split rings. This is a handy feature to have for saltwater anglers and bass. It also makes changing and replacing the hook from a lure safe, fast, and easy. Without this tool, you’ll have to resort to using your fingers to install and open split rings.
Conclusion:
Whether you are a professional fisherman, sportsman, or just simply enjoying a hobby, investing in a high-quality fishing plier is a must to meet all your fishing needs, as well as serve you for a long time is important. If you use a good pair of pliers, you’ll be less likely to experience frustration making your fishing trips less tiring and more enjoyable.
Therefore, when looking for the best fishing pliers in the market, it would be a great idea to think about all your needs before choosing and settling for one product.
