Lightweight fishing pliers?

> I have hard time getting the hook of out a fishes mouth.
Barbless hooks.

Cheers

I know of two options:

1) Use fly-fishing style forceps to remove hooks. My cheapo generic ones weigh .9oz.
(5 dollars). There are even lighter and expensive titanium ones.

2) If you feel that you really need actual pliers because you are using giant barbed hooks, crimping, and smashing split shot then the other alternative is machine cast aluminum fishing pliers or titanium (much more expensive and a little lighter)

I'd just use the forceps unless you need the pliers for other purposes for which you need actual pliers.

If you have a Harbor Freight Tools near you, they sell a small locking forceps plier that is lighter than what you typically see in fly fishing kits at 0.5 oz stainless.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-1-2-half-inch-locking-clamp-99931.html

+1 on forceps.

Also can be used as a roach clip and for medical purposes. Multi use!

No catch and release? If you are, you should go barbless for the fish's benefit.

If you’re looking light purpose built fishing pliers, I’ve found these are quite handy. Work for separating split shot, clipping line, and removing hooks. They are also spring loaded. A bit heavy though. I think the pliers alone were about 2 oz.

cabelas offers the pline mini. the catalog lists them as 2 oz. for some fishing, i agree you need pliers.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Fishing-Tools/Pliers-Grippers-Hook-Removers|/pc/104793480/c/104720580/sc/104505480/P-Line-Adaro-Mini-Pliers/1573104.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1100396%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd738598&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd738598%3Bcat104505480

crazy long url tere.

Those forceps look great.

About barbless hooks… I generally eat what I catch. However, I am considering taking barbless hooks for fishing in places that have mostly tiny fish (too tiny to eat) and only a few big fish.

I assume you are fishing to eat the fish. This is probable the lightest option. But if you are engaging in catch and release it probably is not good for the fish.

Since I already carry the 'Squirt' as my all-around tool, I just use it for hook extraction. Works great! FYI, it's already strong enough to smash down barbs on hooks as well.

I use the pliers that Josh links to, above, at Harbor Freight. They're light but strong, clip to my shirt or fit in my pocket and are like a third hand when tying knots, etc. They're strong enough to crimp barbs for anglers that want to do so on trail/at lake and very affordable.

The 3.5" SS hemostats are 0.5 oz, but the ones I got on amazon were so difficult to open I had to file down the teeth. Ovis makes a pair the same size 0.6 oz that also have a line cutter built in. Those pop open one handed and are really nice. The orvis one are also strong enough to turn you hooks barbless if need be. The regular hemostants don't seem very sturdy. maybe 0.1 oz well spent.

http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/accessories/clamps-pliers-cutters/orvis/orvis-micro-scissors-forceps

Still, the fanatic in me says they could be lighter.

http://www.tenkarausa.com/product_info.php/products_id/92

Less than .9 for forceps and .25 for nippers. I thought I saw the same forceps somewhere else without nippers but can't find it again.

+1 for barbless, even if fishing to eat. I usually catch/release until it gets close to dinner then I start thinking about keeping some of the fish. Just don't let any slack in the line or look at different hook types to give different options in the bend.

Barbless is fish friendly and finger friendly :)

I don't bring forceps per se, though I probably should. I use the scissors on my SAK classic (I know it will eventually dull them) to push down the barbs on my fish hooks and flies. Works great for me, and I find I don't lose ANY fish using de-barbed hooks, so I do so as a matter of course now, at least for all freshwater fishing.

+1 for barbless

I use the Tenkara forceps and nipper. I catch and release so I don't use barbs. But still a small fish can get a hook caught a bit deeper than fingers can get at. It's nice to have the forceps for that to not hurt the little bugger.

Oh, don't forget to put them in your kit. That's what I did last week. I got along fine without the forceps but not the nippers. Not a single one of us in a group of 4 had a knife, scissor or razor blade! Yes, I had 4 razor blades sitting in my car at the trailhead but forgot to hand them out to our group. Make your list and check it twice.

I use these to crimp my barbs down and they double as nippers. The quality is very good, and they are very light.

http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/accessories/clamps-pliers-cutters/stream-works/stream-works-micro-3-5-scissor-forceps

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This thread is paralleling the "Ultralight Forceps" thread.

A word of caution if you are considering a Forceps/Scissor combination like this one.

If you use them to remove hooks keep a Close eye on that nearly invisible 6x tippet relative to the scissors. As a newbie, I cut off a number of flys while removing hooks, and of course I hadn't clamped them, so into the river they went. I no longer use combos. To high-tech for me.

"A word of caution if you are considering a Forceps/Scissor combination like this one."

LOL I did this last week. Not only that, but I went to my local lake after work to do some tenkara, and I left my glasses in the car, which as a mile or so back when I needed to tie on a fly. Over the last few years I have migrated from having great vision to Mr. Magoo status, and I knew there was going to be trouble. 5x tippet and a 14 fly. Could barely see anything and it took me about 20 minutes to get the damn thing threaded. After finally tying it on, I go to trim the tag end off (with exactly the above scissor clamps) and of course Mr. Magoo cut the fly clean off!

After a curse that echoed around the lake and made little old ladies scowl I just said to hell with it an put a #8 fly on there. :-(