Before every outdoor excursion I employ Karl Malden’s seasoned “The Streets of San Francisco” TV cop-turned-pitchman’s advice: “Don’t leave home without it!” But Bruun replaces Karl’s American Express card with dependable fishing pliers.
Beginning when I was a youngster exploring South Florida bridges, seawalls, head boats and rental skiffs, Dad made sure my earliest tackle boxes packed the unique parallel-action, side-cutter fishing pliers. By the time I was in junior high school, my belt had a salt-stained leather holster in which lived those same indestructible “Sargent Shorties,” exactly like those worn by all my fishing captain and mate heroes.
So I’ll admit to carefully scrutinizing every magazine article, fly source info roundup or YouTube sales pitch that boldly announces: “We choose the best new fishing pliers.” The array of catchy and colorful, mostly imported “machined aircraft grade aluminum” 5- to 7.5-inch saltwater-resistant pliers available from $20 to $300 or more is bewildering.
Usually these pliers-related blurbs are connected to online sales outlets. I suspect it’s a rare blogger who practiced removing a multi treble hook lure from snapper bluefish or 5/0 J-hook from themselves more than once.
Sargent discontinued its original shorter, parallel-action, high-carbon nickel-plated steel side-cutter fishing pliers. Its parent, Oetiker Tool Corp., of Branford, Connecticut, builds a pair of 6 1/2-inch flat-nose pliers in the $90 range. Happily, British manufacturer Manley perpetuates the 5-inch Sargent Shortie “feel” with mirror image 2007 Standard Super Pliers ($35-$50) as well as a beefier 6.5-inch. Manleys are online and in most saltwater shops.
Right here let me emphasize an important fishing pliers truth. Regardless of pliers’ expense and quality, this tool is most valuable when readily available. Pliers inside gear bags or boat storage compartments are woefully inaccessible when your partner’s hand painfully tangles with a lure or fly hook also attached to a furiously wriggling jack crevalle. I’ve been literally pinned in place when a spinning lure on a rod stored under the skiff gunwale, hooked my khaki pants leg. Pliers should be reachable.
My fishing pliers requirements are relatively basic, beginning with a comfortable hand fit. Some expensive and popular “fly-fishing pliers,” like the 6-inch titanium Van Staal, are too small to be cozy in my mitts. Those premium pliers fit Dear Jean’s smaller hand nicely.
Many newer pliers feature spring action handles that pop open after leaving the sheath. While not all-important, this contrivance is handy. I’m growing accustomed to this advantage, especially when only one hand is usable.
A firm jaw grip is paramount for unhooking, barb pinching and tightening knots in heavy monofilament and stiffer fluorocarbon leaders. Despite ferocious jaw texture appearances in some newer pliers, clamping on a 3/0 or larger hook so it can’t twist around during the unhooking process is challenging. Jaw grip efficiency takes another dive when it’s a struggle — in one squeeze — to mash the 3X and 4X strong treble hook barbs.
Cutter proficiency of saltwater pliers is a much ballyhooed YouTube talking point, with testers regularly snipping super braid, monofilament and light wire leader materials. Fishing pliers feature either an in-line cutter located behind the jaws on opposite frame insides or a side cutter that in many cases may now feature replaceable jaws. New Leatherman tools, the Wave+ and magnetic opening Free P2, feature premium, in-line replaceable cutters.
Side cutters are my favorite system mainly because with in-line cutters it’s hard to see and gauge exact distances to cutting surfaces due to the pliers being between your eye and any immobile cutting surface. Careful inspection shows many pricey and highly touted replaceable titanium side cutters don’t line up and thus fail to cut consistently in all surface areas.
My view of fishing pliers’ cutter importance is from an extraordinary, youthful experience ages ago after our small rental boat outboard engine sheared a pin while we were fishing along the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades. With no visible spare shear pins aboard, my Sargents fashioned a spare by cutting the shaft of a huge 7/0 black steel “shark hook” that was in my tackle box because it had so fascinated me after spotting it in Dad’s gear.
Emergencies that require instant cutting of heavy metal objects are what I ask from my fishing pliers. My shirt pocket always has a lightweight pair of “braid scissors” for more delicate knot surgeries.
Several recent backcountry incidents may provide better examples of my plier demands. The first isn’t a pretty discussion and happened accidentally when a sinking Bomber Mullet lure with extra-strong saltwater hooks managed to snag a hefty painted turtle in front of its shell and head. Naturally the turtle was hopping mad, its clawed feet dangerously churning where unhooking was needed. Resolution began with side-cutter snipping the stout steel split ring to the offending treble hook, thereby freeing the lure from the battle. I needed Jean’s second pair of pliers to aid in hook extraction, a job better suited for a surgeon with specialized instruments. Fishing pliers were all that we had, and the turtle swam away.
Another time we were snacking at anchor along the shady bank of a small tributary to Florida’s Indian River when I noticed a large cruiser speeding in our direction. Many of these outfits either don’t see our 14-foot craft beside the shore or don’t realize their wakes are devastating. I quickly tugged in the anchor line until the process stopped short. A snagged piece of heavy braided fishing line tangled the anchor. A one-hand-opening emergency knife was clipped to my left pocket. Since I’d grabbed the heavy line with my left hand, my right hand (the fishing pliers’ side) was free to use the pliers’ side cutter to snip the super braid and complete facing the big wakes.
Despite promises of “aircraft grade aluminum construction,” I’ve learned the hard way that what appear to be sturdy tools bend noticeably under pressure. The expensive pair of aluminum pliers from a well-known reel maker purchased for a Bahamas trip, required super effort to chop knots and snip coffee-colored leader wire. After several days I recognized that despite being beautifully machined, the handles were noticeably bending under heavy hand pressure and not providing a good grip or cutting.
Another new multifeature import pair of pliers that looked sturdy lasted all of one day. Despite having jaw indentions designed to crimp copper fittings to make heavy leader loops, the jaws bent apart after one crimping operation. Even after they were straightened in a vise, the jaws never closed tightly again.
Some final pliers thoughts include the importance of obtaining a holster and attaching it to the pliers with a swivel to either a circularly coiled or an elastic cord. A demanding guide friend refuses to let a pliers wearer aboard his fastidiously kept fiberglass skiff if the pliers’ holster doesn’t completely surround the pliers to prevent potential boat scratching.
I went for ages with using cords to attach my pliers to their holsters. But after absentmindedly snipping off a mono leader knot and dropping the pliers into the water instead of the cut piece of mono, the time was right for adding a protective cord.
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