Just started out angling? You better have a good fishing hook remover at your hands!

Fish hook removers will save you time and keep you safe. When you have just started out, you don’t need to spend a hefty sum on a simple tool.

We got some of the best fish hook remover tools for you at a reasonable price. You find better versions of these tools, but not at this price. We didn’t put in 30 hours for junks!

Let’s get started!

Why do you need a fishing hook remover?

You need a fish hook remover tool:

• To remove fish hooks safely without causing injuries to your hands

• To remove hooks that penetrate deep into the gut

• For hands-on operation and quick catch and release

Top winner: Kastking Cutthroat Fishing Pliers- for durability, quality, and price!

Best fish hook remover.

1. Booms Fishing H1 Pliers.

These are stainless steel pliers and best suited for freshwater fish. However, you can’t really expect the pliers to last too long in salt water. In that case, you need to take extra care in washing with fresh water after every use.

These pliers have a bent nose with serrated jaws for getting the hook out efficiently. It can be also used to cut braided lines, however not as effectively.

The best thing about these pliers is the availability of the coiled lanyard that helps you to carry the pliers without losing them. You can also go for the pliers with a fish gripper. This tool will help you to hold the fish without touching with bare hands. But not mandatory.

Final verdict.

Booms Fishing H1 Pliers are more for beginners. Technical anglers should look for better ones that last longer. If you want your children and wife to learn de-hooking, these are the fishing pliers to get.

2. Surgical Online Curved Hemostat Forceps.

You get two pairs of the hemostat. There are a straight one and the one with curved forceps. The curved hemostat is more effective than the straight one.

The material is stainless steel. It’s quite durable and rust-resistance. The only issue is the finish being a little on the rough side.

The locking mechanism provided is more of a problem than an advantage. It restricts you to apply more pressure on the hemostat.

Final verdict.

Hemostats are basic fish hook remover tools. So, we don’t see the need to buy something expensive. So, long the surface has quality teeth for grabbing the hook and rust-resistant capabilities, the hemostat is good enough to buy.

3. KastKing Cutthroat Fishing Pliers.

The Kastking Fishing Pliers are hands down the best fish hook remover with a budget-friendly price tag.

The stainless steel construction makes the pliers durable and strong enough to handle hook removal and cutting wires.

We love this plier for its multi-tasking function. The split ring nose helps to remove the hook efficiently, and the tungsten carbide blades allow you to cut heavy braids.

The position of the liner cutter is just perfect. In most fishing pliers, you will have a difficult time cutting the line because of the position. But not in this case. Also, the cutters are replaceable. Just remove the hexagonal bolts and change them.

The size of the pliers is not too large and not too small. So, big hands or small hands, it will suit them all. Also, the rubber grip provides more comfort when holding.

You get a lanyard with a belt clip for easy access during hook removal. This eliminates the chance of losing your pliers in the water.

Final verdict.

These fish hook removers are the best you can get at a reasonable price. We don’t say that these are the ultimate pliers. However, you can’t beat the price with such quality.

4. Booms Fishing R1 Fishing Hook extractor.

It has a stainless steel construction. However, we are still skeptical about using this tool for saltwater fish. Otherwise, this will hold up quite well for freshwater fish.

You get an 11-inch length to go deep into the fish mouth. This helps in removing hooks that gets into the gut.

The quality of the jaws is very good. They will grip the hook strongly. But the distance between the handle and lever is a bit too much. Small hands might have a hard time pulling the mechanism.

If you love to fish pickerels, this is your go-to hook removal tool. For bass, you would better stick with pliers.

You can also use a lanyard if you want. Just use the spring at the top to attach the lanyard.

Final verdict.

Spring-loaded fish hook removers are not mandatory. But you do need to have one in hand. An average quality tool like the Boom fishing R1 will not cost much but will get the job done.

5. Mossy Oak 4 Pc Fish Remover Tool Kit.

The fishing pliers here is quite different from the ones you can find in the market. It has a 45-degree pistol grip. This makes it easy to hold the pliers. You can use pliers for removing the hook, crimping, and cutting wires. But don’t use it in saltwater.

The fish gripper is quite handy. You can use it to grab fish like walleye. The rubber grip makes the tool non-slip.

The fillet knife is also made of quality material. You get a deboner at the top of the blade and a knife sharpener.

We loved the retractable lanyard. You can attach this to any of these tools and make it easy to carry them.

Lastly, there’s a foldable line cutter scissor that will come handy in certain situations. You might even use it for self-defense along with the lanyard attached.

Final verdict.

For a beginner, there’s no better tools combo than the Mossy Oak tool kit. It will be a real inspiration if you gift it to someone who loves fishing and angling.

Fish hook remover buying guide.

1. Hook size

Hook removal mainly depends on the size of the hook. So, you can’t use the same hook removal tool for all hooks.

Usually, for medium and large hooks, a spring-loaded remover is the best option. Because it gives more surface area to work with. As the large hooks are strong, using a plier or forceps won’t be suitable.

If you want to remove small hooks, then a spring-loaded remover will too tough to handle. In that case, pliers and forceps give you flexibility and a small surface area for easy hook removal.

It’s best to have at least a spring-loaded tool and a plier/forceps at hand.

2. Types of fishing hook remover.

After deciding on which hook to use, it’s time to consider certain features of these hook removers.

#1- Fishing pliers.

The Kastking Cutthroat fishing pliers are the best fishing pliers we reviewed here.

Material.

For fishing pliers, stainless steel is the best choice in terms of durability and price. These are corrosion resistant. But you still need to take good care of them. They will start forming occasional rust, but you need to remove it as soon as it forms.

Aluminum is another option that we don’t recommend. The softness of the metal makes it less durable and can bend when too much pressure is applied.

If you have the budget, the ultimate solution could be titanium. They are almost corrosion-proof with high durability. But for most anglers, a stainless steel plier will be more than enough.

Grip.

The comfort of the grip is optional if you don’t catch lots of fish at a time.

However, for tournament anglers, it’s best to get a fishing plier that has a soft rubber grip. This will keep your fingers from becoming sore.

Length.

By length, we mean the length of the nose and handle of the plier. Depending on the type of fish you want to catch, the length of the plier will change.

For small freshwater fish like bass or trout, a short plier will be good enough.

For large saltwater fish, pliers with long needle lose will help most. You can reach deeper into the fish’s mouth and gut and get the hook out.

Weight.

In general, the weight of the fishing pliers is kept at a minimum for swift movement and removal of the hook.

However, for fly fishing and kayak angling, it’s better to get a more lightweight plier made from aluminum or titanium.

#2- Fishing forceps.

Fishing forceps or hemostats are also a good replacement for fishing pliers. However, having a hemostat along with a set of pliers will give you more advantage.

Though we reviewed only one fishing hemostat, you can use these two factors to buy more.

Strength.

The strength of a fishing hermostat mainly depends on its length and the material used.

Go for the one with a shorter length. The longer length will make the grip weaker.

Stainless steel is the go-to material for such fish hook removers. As an added bonus, if you find a hermostat with a black finish, then go for that. These won’t spook the fish with reflected sunlight.

Clamp surface type.

You don’t want a pair of surgical scissors with a smooth surface. Look for a hermostat with a completely knurled surface. The knurled surface will help you to grip the hook with more precision.

Some hermostats have both knurled and smooth surfaces. In that case, you can use the smooth surface to pinch down barbs when needed.

#3- Spring-loaded hook remover.

A spring-loaded hook remover almost looks like a gun. These tools though not much popular as the pliers or hemostats can help you to remove bigger hooks efficiently.

Shaft-length.

The length of the shaft will depend on the size of the fish you are catching. These hook removers have shaft length ranging from 8” to 13”.

The 8” length would still be quite large for removing hooks from bass or walleye. But can still doable.

If you are hunting larger species like muskie or bowfin, a longer shaft length will make your job easier.

Material.

Like pliers, spring-loaded hook removers are also made from aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium.

We recommend sticking with stainless steel. It will cost less and still last a couple of years. However, titanium models are expensive but have a longer shelf life.

Grip.

There are two grip styles in spring-loaded hook removers- T-style grip and pistol grip.

The T-style grip is more compact and can be easily carried in small boats and kayaks. So, we recommend sticking with T-style grips. The Pistol-grip removers are larger and can consume a lot of space in your boat. But the upside is they offer more precision.