Lightweight Pliers?

[a23fish]

I'm looking for a pair if lightweight needle nose pliers to carry in my vest. In the past, I've used relatively small standard needle nose pliers, but I'm interested in reducing weight in my vest while wading and am looking for something about 4"-5" long with minimum weight. And of course, not a lot of money. I also have hemostats, but those have limits sometimes when I'm wade or shoreline fishing and encounter larger fish using larger lures, i.e., removing hooks from a river resident tiger muskie or scrappy smallmouth. Any recommendations?

 

[Bamboozle]

Unfortunately for you, lightweight means aluminum or titanium and quality aluminum or titanium usually means big $$$ and a small size “fishing” plier is essentially non-existent.

There are plenty of cheap aluminum fishing pliers out there, but most are far from small and you get what you pay for in regards to quality. Regular pliers rust and even some cheap stainless pliers like the Dr. Slick will rust.

No one is really making a decent pair of aluminum fishing pliers in a size less than 6" any longer, probably because the market they were targeting with the smaller sizes (trout anglers) prefer hemostats. Abel had a really cool hybrid hemostat a few years back that probably would have been perfect for you, but too expensive. They have been discontinued too.

If that isn’t bad enough, high quality fishing pliers have been skyrocketing in price the last few years. About 5 years ago, a $100 got you Abel Fishing Pliers and a sheath. Now they cost $300!!

You may just want to stick with what you got and reduce weight elsewhere. Or do what I do and only carry the pliers when fishing for species that require them.

Another thing that helps is to make sure your hemostats have as short a nose as possible meaning from the actual joint to the tip. Long nosed hemostats apply less pressure and have a tendency to spread or twist versus short-nosed versions.

Good luck in your search!!

 

[outsider]

a23fish, check you pm box

 

[theoriginalnickyp]

Manley 2007's, 5 inches and pretty rugged with a nice side cutter.

 

[poopdeck]

I carry a leatherman sideclip in my pocket. They don't make the sideclip anymore but they make a similar leatherman with only 5 tools and a weight 5 ounces.

https://www.leatherman.com/skeletool-18.html

 

[a23fish]

I'll keep looking. Thanks for the responses & suggestions. In the meantime, those old pliers will still tag along.

By the way, what are the best hemostats for trout fishing?

 

[Bamboozle]

I don't know about "the best," but I've been using Dr. Slick hemostats for years. I prefer what is now called the Barb Clamp because with a short nose they are up to other tasks or the Standard Clamp.

In the Standard Clamp I prefer straight, smooth jaws and 4-5" long and I like black hemostats, but that's me.

 

[tomgamber]

If its just for unhooking bigger fish I would imaging one of these might work and weigh very little.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Eagle-Claw-Hook-Remover/37288538?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1259&&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-51320962143&wl5=9006093&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112343778&wl11=online&wl12=37288538&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm-LQguqW7wIVC9vACh3ULgYtEAkYByABEgJKtfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[falcon]

Hanson Pliers if you can find them. About 35 to 40 dollars. They may have gone out of business

 

[Baron]

Has anyone used Dr. Slick barb pliers? I have issues with regular Clamps that lock up when I least desire.
Also has anyone used scissor clamps?

 

[Bamboozle]

I use Dr. Slick Barb Clamps as my regular hemostats. Never really had a problem with them locking up when not desired, but I have been using hemostats for so long it is just 2nd nature to unlock them.

I never cared for scissor clamps since they first came on the scene decades ago. They seemed like a compromise of both tools to me.

If I need scissors, (which isn't often when fly fishing) I use the scissors in my Swiss Army knife.

For other fishing, I carry a small pair of Fiskars.

 

[CRB]

Dr. Slick Mitten Clamp, been using one since 2000. I find hemostat finger holes don't fit well when trying to get a fly out of a fish's mouth.

 

[Canoetripper]

I will second the mitten clamps as a great fly fishing tool, but all I fish for now is trout.

 

[Baron]

I lack dexterity. The Mitten Clamps interest me.

 

[Canoetripper]

Do a Google/YouTube search. The mitten clamps are great for both tying the limited slip knot, which is what I use for streamers, and also making flies barbless.