I have regretted every time I forgot my fishing pliers. The range of tasks that pliers can be used for is nearly endless, making them an indispensable angling tool.
Do you need to trim a difficult-to-cut line You can check?
Do you need to remove a hook that is deeply embedded or do you want to mash a few split shots? Make sure you check.
Do you need to cut a wire leader, clip a hook or flatten a barbe? You can check again and again.
A pair of pliers are an essential accessory for any angler. We want to help you choose the best option for you. Unfortunately, not all options are perfect. Keep reading to find out our buying guide as well as reviews of the best.
A quick look at the top fishing pliers for saltwater and freshwater
| Image | Pliers | Material | Length | Lanyard | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
KastKing Cutthroat 7” Fishing Pliers | Teflon coated stainless steel/tungsten carbide | 7″ | Yes | Yes |
 |
Booms Fishing X1 Aluminium Fishing Pliers | Aluminum/tungsten carbide | 7.87″ | Yes | Yes |
 |
Myco FP-8 8 | Stainless steel | 8 | No | Yes |
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Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers | Aluminum/titanium coated stainless steel/tungsten carbide | 7.1″ | Yes | Yes |
 |
Rapala Salt Angler’s Plier | Nickel-coated stainless Steel | 8.5″ | Yes | Yes |
How to Choose Fishing Pliers?
A pair of fishing pliers that is well-made and designed by the manufacturers will be a great investment.
Corrosion resistance
Most likely, the pliers in your toolbox and garage are made of carbon steel. Carbon steel is inexpensive and simple to machine, which helps keep costs down. It’s also an excellent material for most applications.
Moisture is the death of a carbon-steel tool. I have seen them rust in no time after being bathed with salt spray. While I don’t mind the cosmetic effects of oxidation on pliers, it’s the problem when they lock in place and cannot be moved that is a problem.
Look for pliers made of corrosion-resistant materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses that are worth taking into consideration.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a soft metal that can be alloyed with other substances to increase its strength. Common alloys are copper, magnesium, and manganese as well as silicon and zinc.
Aluminum has two main advantages: it is light and corrosion-resistant.
Aluminum’s weakness is the downside. It needs additional teeth and grippers made of something hard like tungsten carbide to work well. This is also very corrosion-resistant.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is basically carbon steel, but with added chromium for corrosion resistance.
Stainless steel has two main advantages: low cost and high strength. You can find quality stainless steel pliers at a budget price, as they are less costly to make than aluminum. Because stainless steel is strong, it can be used for cutting and gripping.
The main disadvantages of stainless steel are its heavyweight and moderate resistance to corrosion. Stainless steel weighs more than aluminum and will oxidize faster than aluminum.
Longnose
For most fishing, blunt-nosed tools won’t work. If you are reaching for the mouth of a marlin, then blunt pliers will work. You can’t do the same thing with crappie.
Fishing pliers that are “needle-nosed” have a long, narrow business end. This allows you to reach into the mouth of fish to retrieve a hook.
A-line cutting tool
Although it is not a good idea to do this, it can be done with your teeth. Just remember to bring your dentist when you need to chip a tooth. However, fingernail clippers or any other sharp tool are more than capable of the job.
However, heavy braided lines require something sharp and very difficult. Nail clippers will not do the trick.
Instead, I prefer to use fishing pliers that have a sharp blade, regardless of whether it’s stainless steel or tungsten carbide.
Ability to cut a metal leader or hook.
One thing that drives me mad about fishing pliers is their ability to only cut the line.
I have had to cut steel leader before, as I know many others, especially if I fish pike or other toothy fish.
Unfortunately, you will eventually catch yourself. It doesn’t matter if it’s small; you can always back it out. This video shows you how to use single and triple hooks.
However, small tungsten carbide line cutters will not work if you have a large salt-water hook.
Although I doubt even the most skilled pliers can handle that hook, stainless steel pliers that have wire cutters built-in would be a better choice. For most hooks, the cutting tool in a pair of stainless steel pliers will do the trick.
Ask me not how I know this!
Spring-loaded is a nice option
Spring-loading is another thing you should look out for. It’s much easier to use pliers that have a spring to open them.
This is something I love to see on a pair of fishing pliers. A few minutes will show why. It’ll be obvious that the pliers open easily one-handed.
Grippy, especially when slimy or wet
Even if your hands are covered with blood, fish slime, or other liquids, great pliers will provide a secure grip that is comfortable and easy to use. They won’t be able to do this, so all the other features are useless.
A lanyard
We’ve all been there. Some gear is dropped or bumped. And into the water, it goes. It’s possible that fishing is over if it’s an essential piece of gear.
You can play it safe and get pliers with a long lanyard.
Best Fishing Pliers Reviews
KastKing Cutthroat 7-inch Fishing Pliers –Our Choice!
Material Teflon coated stainless steel/tungsten carbide
Length7″
Lanyard: Yes
Spring: Yes
KastKing’s Cutthroat Fishing Platters are as perfect as it gets. They are made from durable, tough materials and offer great performance for a fair price.
KastKing chose to make the Cutthroat out of Teflon-coated stainless Steel. This makes them very durable and tough. This combination of Teflon and stainless steel works well to prevent saltwater corrosion. I love this material choice as steel is much more durable than aluminum, especially when you are really pressing to do hard work.
The Cutthroat has two tungsten carbide knives on the outside of its mouth. This allows you to easily cut thick braids. They are a rare find among the competitors and can do a decent job with wire. Although they wouldn’t be my first choice, I would trust them to do the job.
You’ll find crimping and split ring tips as well as a lot of teeth in the jaws. KastKing suggests tightening knots using the hooks inserted through the jaws. This seems a little too much, but you may find that it is not enough.
The rubber grip on the handle is better than the bare metal. These pliers are more affordable than the competition. The spring-loaded hinge makes it easy to use one-handed.
The included lanyard can be used in two positions. This is our top choice for fishing pliers, and it’s reasonably priced.
Pros
- A long, thin nose can reach deep
- Great grips
- Spring-loaded
- Excellent cutter
- Reasonably priced
- Great lanyard
- Amazing handle
Cons
- It still lags behind other wire cutters when it comes to clipping steel leader and hooks
Booms Fishing X1 Aluminium Fishing Pliers
Material Aluminum/tungsten carbide
Length7.87″
Lanyard: Yes
Spring: Yes
Booms Fishing’s X1 aluminum fishing pliers are a great addition to any angler’s equipment. These pliers are virtually indestructible to corrosion so that is one worry you won’t have.
The frame of the X1 is made from aluminum and tungsten carbide where strength, pressure, and durability are most important. Because the teeth are much harder than the hooks they will be holding, they provide a lot of grips. You’ll always have the right tools at your disposal, including crimpers and cutters as well as a ring spreading tip.
The cutters are located at the rear of your mouth, just like standard pliers. These cut thick braids well. It’s easy to sharpen the edges with a file or rod if they become dull. However, the cutter is not able to cut heavy wire leaders and hooks.
This is a problem for me. If you use wire leader or tileable wiring, I would probably give the X1 a pass.
Although the handles are a great shape, slimy hands might have trouble with the exposed metal. These pliers have a spring-loaded design that makes them very easy to use. They also come with a clip lanyard and a lanyard hole, so you won’t have to worry about losing them in the deep.
Pros
- A long, thin nose can reach deep
- Great grips
- Spring-loaded
- OK cutter
- Reasonably priced
- Great lanyard
Cons
- It can be slippery around the handle
- Heavy wire and hooks are not possible for the cutters
Myco FP-8 8
Material Stainless steel
Length8
Lanyard: No
Spring: Yes
Myco’s stainless steel fishing pliers prove that less is not necessarily better. This simple design is clearly derived from standard needle nose pliers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
If you take care to clean them after use, these pliers can withstand saltwater. This is a must-have for any tool that uses saltwater, and it’s not something I consider a problem.
They have excellent hook grip and are very toothy. This, along with their narrow profile makes them an excellent choice to reach deep for small species, from crappie to croaker.
You’ll find the cutting blade on standard pliers at the rear of your mouth. Although it’s not the most sharpening, a few licks using a ceramic rod/file should give it enough edge. This is normal maintenance, so I’m okay with that. It’s easy to cut braided and leader line as well as small hooks.
This is a big deal because they need to cut wire leaders or small hooks doesn’t exist in theory, and many of the tungsten carbide cutting blades are just not up to the task.
Although the Myco’s handles have a strong cut-out to improve grip, this is the least important aspect of this excellent tool. You’ll have to pay extra attention to your grip, as slimy hands won’t be able to purchase the Myco. You’ll also need to take care not to drop the lanyard attachments, especially as you won’t be able to find one.
The addition of spring makes it easy to use for most tasks.
These pliers are affordable and easy to use.
Pros
- A long, thin nose can reach deep
- Great grips
- Spring-loaded
- Good cutter
- It’s very affordable!
Cons
- It can be slippery around the handle
- No lanyard hole
Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers
Material Aluminum/titanium coated stainless steel/tungsten carbide
Length7.1″
Lanyard: Yes
Spring: Yes
Piscifun is a respected brand in fishing accessories. Their Aluminum Fishing Pliers are a great example of why.
Piscifun’s scissors have an aluminum frame that is completely resistant to corrosion. As we said, aluminum is not tough enough to be used as a gripper or cutter. To provide the strength they need, they use two stronger materials.
First, titanium-coated stainless steel. You can add a thin layer of titanium to an already-corrosion-resistant material to get even more protection. This combination is used by Piscifun on its grippers. It provides no-nonsense traction for teeth and sufficient hard material to crush lead sinkers easily or open a closed band.
Two tungsten carbide cutting blades are located at the back of these pliers. They are sharp enough to handle heavy braided wire. However, they won’t cut through the heavier wire. They’re too fragile to be used for this task.
The Piscifun’s aluminum handles are very strong and the deep finger wells allow you to hold onto them. They can get slippery if you have wet hands, but they are very easy to use, especially because they are spring-loaded.
Two great options for lanyards are available on the grip formed the last pair of holes. This excellent pair of pliers also come with a nice, coiled lanyard.
Pros
- A long, thin nose can reach deep
- Great grips
- Spring-loaded
- A great cutter
- Reasonably priced
- Great lanyard
- Excellent handle
Cons
- Heavy wire and hooks are not possible for the cutters
Rapala Salt Angler’s Plier
Material Nickel-coated stainless Steel
Length8.5″
Lanyard: Yes
Spring: Yes
Rapala is a well-known brand in fishing and makes a great pair of fishing pliers. The Salt Anglers are my favorite choice for snipping a hook or working with wire leaders. However, they leave something to be desired for everyday use.
This tool is made from nickel-coated stainless by Rapala, which provides very strong corrosion resistance. This is a great choice for heavy use. I would trust the pliers with any kind of abuse.
This is a basic design, just a modified ordinary needle nose. The back of your mouth will have a solid cutter and a crimping instrument. These bad boys excel in cutting wire leader material and popping a hook in two. These are great options if you need either of these, as many anglers do.
These are the best pair for fishing with tileable wire or steel leaders.
The handle is great and provides a firm grip thanks to the plastic cover. There are two lanyard holes in the handle, but there is no lanyard. This is not a major deal but it’s something to remember.
These pliers have spring-loaded handles that make them easy to use one-handed.
Pros
- A long, thin nose can reach deep
- Great grips
- Spring-loaded
- Amazing cutter
- Reasonably priced
- Great lanyard holes
- Amazing handle
Cons
- It doesn’t provide fancier options.
Our Pick–The KastKing Cutthroat 7′ Fishing PliersYou can!
Pliers are an indispensable angling tool. However, you don’t have to spend a lot to get great results. KastKing’s Cutthroat Fishing Pliers offer a great option for salt and freshwater fishing and an unbeatable price.
You can be sure that the Teflon-coated stainless Steel with tungsten carbide cutters will not rust. You should give your tools a quick rinse when you return from work, but they will withstand significant abuse.
The jaws are very well-designed and can hold a variety of tools. This is a rare feature among fishing pliers. However, I would recommend the Rapala Salt Angler’s Pliers to anyone who uses this tool regularly.
The Cutthroat has a great handle design, a belt, and a spring. All of these make it an excellent tool.
