* Fishing Pioneer is a reader-supported site. Purchases made through links may earn a commission. Learn more.

Best Fishing Pliers

Last Updated: September 2024
Nancy Perry
Product Review by Nancy Perry

Best Fishing Pliers Review

Find the best fishing pliers for you, and you’ll notice the improvement in your arsenal.

Though fishing can become expensive and complicated with costly reels, lavish lures, and water-depth finders, it’s great to prioritize your tackle essentials.

Amongst your tackle essentials should be the best fishing pliers for you to remove bent wires, hooks, cut braids, change split rings, and more.

Overlooking fishing pliers is a big mistake.

Fishing pliers are the handy aid of any fishing trip because they allow you to make essential changes to lures quickly.

Additionally, they work as a vice grip by holding the bait in place, and they can assist while you adjust your rod and reel.

Fishing pliers are a great safety precaution too.

If you’re unfortunate enough to experience a hook in your skin, pliers can help you to remove it before infection beings.

This review aims to educate you on the best fishing piers purchase for your individual needs.

I’ve investigated five different fishing pliers, assessing their differing qualities to share my results with you.

I’ll also share my top choice with you, let me know whether you agree in the comments at the bottom of this page!

Our Reviews
1

Booms Fishing L1 Fishing Pliers

Boom’s multi-tool L1 Fishing Plier is versatile for anglers to handle general work when fishing.

The sturdy pliers jaw is made of polished stainless steel and works well in grip lines, split ring, cut lines, crimp leads and sleeves.

Recommended for both everyday carry and outdoor use, the L1 Fishing plier also includes a bottle opener, fish scaler, nail cleaner, file, awl, small screwdriver, can opener and a wire stripper.

The cutter works well for 30lb Spiderwire. The cut-outs in the pliers are excellent for holding the hook while tightening a knot.

The L1 Fishing Plier is an excellent tool at the perfect size for any tackle box because its many uses eliminate the need for almost any other device.

Like the other pliers in our list, the L1 pliers come with a customized sheath which is fastenable on your belt.

Pros

  • Includes spring-loaded knife, screwdriver, bottle opener, fish scaler, nail cleaner, awl and can opener.
  • Comes with customized pliers sheath
  • Durable ABS handles
  • Lightweight
  • Great for cutting braided line

Cons

  • Coil lanyard not included
  • Not ideal for saltwater use
2

Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers

Amazon rated these fishing pliers #1 in Fishing Pliers & Tools, and it comes as no surprise!

Piscifun Fishing Pliers are easy-to-use and make hook removal much easier with Titanium coated stainless steel jaws that come with split ring tips.

The split ring tips are strong enough for removing hooks, and the Spring-Loaded technology keeps the pliers open, making them easy to use with one hand.

These anti-corrosive, aluminum pliers deliver excellent corrosion resistance, allowing for long-term use without signs of rust and oxidation.

Higher quality aircraft-grade anodized aluminum perfectly adapt to freshwater and saltwater.

Additionally, the fully replaceable tungsten carbide cutters are extremely sharp and cut braids evenly and smoothly thanks to their positioning on the outside.

The cutters positioning is intentionally on the outside so you’ll never mistakingly ruin a hook or wire leader.

All Piscifun fishing pliers come with retractable coil lanyard and sheath, making them convenient and safe to carry.

The lanyard is a nice touch, especially if you’re fishing from a boat or in a river with waders because it prevents you from dropping and losing them in the water.

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Convenient to carry
  • Outside positioned cutters
  • Adaptable for freshwater and saltwater
  • Anti-corrosive
  • Comes with retractable coil lanyard

Cons

  • May not be budget friendly depending on color choice
3

KastKing Cutthroat 7" Fishing Pliers

KastKing claims that their stainless steel Cutthroat Pliers are 45% harder than aluminum pliers and are nearly 3X more bendable.

The corrosion-resistant stainless steel has a Teflon coating for added protection, and they’re suitable for both freshwater and saltwater environments.

Braid, mono, and fluorocarbon are sliced with ease by the super-hard Tungsten Carbide Cutters. The side-mounted anvil cutters allow you to cut your tag end as close to the knot as you desire.

Additionally, the raised surface behind the blade ensures your line will always be in the cutting zone.

The multi-function jaws provide a versatile straight and split ring nose design to grab and remove any fish hook. The serrated jaws and crimping slots help to secure a split shot weight or build a steel leader.

The ergonomic textured rubber handle provides comfort and control. The thin grip profile and spring-loaded jaws allow for one-hand use.

KastKing Cutthroat Pliers include a custom-molded sheath with belt clip to ensure wear and tear prevention. Also included is a coiled lanyard to ensure your pliers don’t get lost to the water.

Pros

  • Designed for saltwater and freshwater usage
  • Stainless steel is built to last a variety of environments
  • Comfortable grip
  • Lightweight
  • Protective Teflon coating
  • Budget friendly

Cons

  • Weak retention between holster and belt clip
  • May have to cut mono several times
4

Booms Fishing X07 Quick-Cut Fishing Pliers

The innovative yet basic quick-cut design on the Booms Fishing X07 Fishing Pliers ensures that the fishing line stays between the blade.

The unique ergonomic design on the spring-loaded handle is easy to hold and provides classic reach while the thumb baffles providing better grip.

Handy for reach and grip, the long nose and spilt ring opener allows you to change lure and hook with ease.

The X07 Fishing Pliers comes with a new sheath design and self coil lanyard to them safe and within easy reach. The new sheath replaces the old design with a pocket that avoids scratching and allows for pick and place more smoothly.

The corrosion-resistant stainless steel and black titanium plating treatment easily cut through braided line and helps to get hooks out of toothy mouths.

These pliers are the most basic from our selection, providing the essential functionalities without the bells and whistles.

 

Pros

  • Quick-cut design
  • Ergonomic handle
  • Light weight but strong
  • Sharp sidecutter
  • Budget friendly

Cons

  • Basic functionality
5

MadBite KastKing Aluminum Fishing Pliers

The MadBite KastKing are durable, aluminum fishing pliers with a powerful light for hook pulling or braid line cutting at night.

The ultra-bright LED bulb on the MadBite KastKing focuses a bright beam of light directly on your work whether you’re using the pliers as a braid cutter or fishing plier.

With a simple twist, the light is on perfect for nighttime bites.

According to MadBite, these hard-anodized aluminum fish pliers outlast other brands, stay bright and do not fade. They also feature split ring tools and stainless steel saltwater corrosion-resistant materials. The light-weight aerospace-grade aluminum allows for quick hook removal from toothy fish.

The non-slip silicone grip handles and spring-loaded, super sharp tungsten carbide cutters provide effortless usage. Unlike cheap rubber or plastic handles on other fishing pliers, the KastKing grips do not retain odors or corrode.

These pliers are perfect for cutting, stripping, pulling, and crimping. Additionally, they’re an excellent size for wade fishing, kayak fishing, surf fishing, or bank fishing at night.

Pros

  • Useful for night fishing
  • Durable
  • Lightweight
  • Includes extra sheath and lanyard
  • Handle doesn't hold odors.
  • Multi-functional
  • Budget friendly

Cons

  • The case has a Velcro strap over the pliers that disrupts one handed retrieval
  • Case doesn't have a clip

Finding The Best Fishing Pliers for Your Money

Purchasing a junky set of fishing pliers will leave with you with a useless rusted piece of metal taking up space on your belt.

I’m going to show you that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on your perfect pliers.

Your pliers must be for fishing otherwise if not appropriately dried they’ll become fused shut and unusable.

Here’s what to look for in a good set of fishing pliers.

Material

Pliers come in either stainless steel or aluminum; your pliers mustn’t rust shut.

Aircraft grade aluminum is perfect because it’s lightweight and won’t bend under high forces.

If stainless steel is your preference, look out for 420HC quality to avoid premature rusting. Stainless steel often has a titanium layer which gives it extra durability for saltwater use.

Grip

Trying to unhook a slimy fish with water on your hands is no fun.

Pliers with ergonomic grip handle encourage a snug fit that’s secure in your hand, allowing you to go quickly unhook your catch.

Line Cutters

You’ll get frustrated if your line cutters aren’t sharp enough to slice through your braid.

Basic pliers have side cutters that cut monofilament, but that’s not enough for tough braid.

I highly recommend that you seek line cutters that are sharpened to cut through braid.

Side Cutters

Although line cutters can let you cut through different types of wire, side cutters are useful if you need to cut hooks or especially strong wire.

However, you’ll likely find that most pliers have both types of side cutters for both hooks and lines.

Split Ring Tool

Fumbling around with your fingers to open and install split rings is painful and a waste of time.

Split ring tools come in handy when you need to change or replace a treble hook on your lure.

Multi-Tool

Some fishing pliers are super versatile and can cut various types of fishing lines as well as removing hooks and crimping.

Additionally, some pliers are a real jack-of-all-trades with knives, bottle openers, screwdrivers, fish scalers.

Multi-tool fishing pliers are perfect for camping trips and general outdoor use.

Nose Length

Nose lengths should be an important consideration in your decision making.

The longer and narrower the nose, the easier it is to remove deeper hooks.

Long-nose or needle-nose pliers are an excellent choice for saltwater and big-game fishing.

Recap

As promised, I’m ready to share my top pick.

The Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers is hands-down, my winner!

I’ve chosen the Piscifun as the best pliers for saltwater and freshwater fishing because of its high-quality air-craft anodized aluminum that makes it perfectly adaptable and erosion free.

Additionally, these pliers are easy-to-use. I think that easy-to-use tools are severely underrated, why waste your money on a tool that’s tough to use?

The titanium stainless steel jaws come with split ring tips that make hook removal simple. Also, the extremely sharp carbide cutters are positioned on the outside so you’ll never accidentally ruin a hook or wire leader.

A close second is the Booms Fishing X07 Quick-Cut Fishing Pliers.

I’m impressed with the budget-friendly price teamed with the innovative design that provides the essential functionality with style.

However, it doesn’t quite compare to the effectiveness of the Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers.

You may be wondering why I didn’t select the multi-function Booms L1 Fishing Pliers; the answer is simple.

The Booms pliers aren’t ideal for saltwater fishing, a no-no for big-game days.

Also, the Booms Pliers don’t come with a coil lanyard, which is a simple perk that seems overlooked.

Now you know my favorite, I want to hear yours.

Share this review and tell me which pliers you chose in the comment selection below!

Share the Love

If you found this post useful, please let others know about it by sharing it.