Nippers and Clamps in a Nutshell

We often get the question: "what tools do I need?" Talk about opening a can of worms! Everyone knows you can't go fishing ...

We often get the question: "what tools do I need?" Talk about opening a can of worms! Everyone knows you can't go fishing without at least 9 different tools. There really are dozens of tools and gadgets that an angler could put in a pack that will make a day of fishing easier. It comes down to what type of angler that you are.

Replaceable cutters w/ bottle opener!

There are two different types of anglers; one has the least amount of tools to get through a day of fishing and one has every tool that they might need in a day. I fall into the former category. I carry one tool, two if you count the small knife for bleeding out a fresh salmon in the rare instance that I get one..

All anglers will need at least a pair of nippers. Cutting line is a necessary part of fly fishing. No matter what, using teeth to cut line us a bad idea.

You will also need a set of clamps. If you pinch your barbs (highly recommended), you will need clamps to do so. If you don't pinch your barbs, you will need a pair of clamps to help get that hook out of those fish, and anything else that your hook gets stuck in.

Better than nail clippers

Nippers are not that complicated, or at least they shouldn't be. Two sharp blades made with good steel should last quite a while and stay sharp. Many of the nicer nippers have replaceable cutters. If you don't lose them, then it is a worthy investment. Loon's Nip 'n Sip Nippers are great. Replaceable jaws, not terribly expensive, plus a nice bottle opener for post-fishing beverages. Dr. Slick XBC nippers are a very sharp basic nipper. No frills, just a comfortable, sharp tool.

Most anglers have dabbled in fingernail clippers at some point. They will quickly find out that outside of the bathroom, the functionality of clippers are poor. They don't stay sharp and they fall apart easily. They are OK to steal a pair from your parents in a pinch, but they are not a good long term solution.

Good clamps make fishing easier

There are three basic types of clamps: hemostats, mitten clamps and pliers. They all have their unique qualities. Hemostat clamps have locking jaws, are easy to use, and the amount of pressure that is used can be manipulated fairly easily. Overall, they are easiest of the clamps to use. The big disadvantage is that the locking mechanism is often the weak link. It is not difficult to knock them off of your vest or pack if you clamp them down. Not all of them have locking jaws. Most do, and I personally prefer them to lock. Another disadvantage is that most of them are not easy to use with gloves or mittens.

Mitten clamps, perfect for winter

That is where mitten clamps come in. They are easy to use as well, especially with gloves or mittens on, think winter steelheading. Mitten clamps tend to clamp down and stay locked with more pressure than hemostats. This makes them less likely to get knocked off if clamped onto a pack or vest. Mitten clamps usually require you to squeeze them down to their maximum pressure in order to release and open. Some are possible to open without clamping down fully, but it can require two hands. If you are pinching a barb or a split shot, it is possible to find yourself clamped down onto that object with more pressure than you originally intended, which can result in a broken hook point or an awkwardly placed split shot that clamped down before you adjusted it exactly where you wanted it.

Pliers are great for anglers as well! If I fished out of a boat more, I would definitely have a good pair of pliers. They tend to have big handles, great for gripping and ripping with extra purchase, but are bulkier, heavier and more expensive than hemostats. Fishing specific pliers like Dr. Slick Typhoon Pliers have a great cutter on them. Your average needle-nose pliers do not have good cutting edges, or if they do, they are likely to become dull very quickly. The reason I say boat is that they are bulkier than I like for a my minimalist style when I am wade fishing from the road.

Typhoon Pliers far outperform pliers twice their price

I am not sure how to define these next tools. Several clamps out there do not have locking mechanisms. I think that those would all be considered pliers, but they are often called clamps, forceps or "barb crushers". Both Loon's DeBarb Pliers and Dr. Slick's Barb Crusher have a flat edge for crushing barbs, but they do not lock. If I have them on a lanyard, they can easily fall open. I foresee damaging myself or the tool if it is splayed open on the bottom of my messy fishing bag, but they do a great job at pinching even the biggest barbed hooks without damaging them. The lack of a locking mechanism allows for more precise adjustments while boasting greater strength in the cutters and jaws.

I usually get the scissor variety of clamps. These come with a cutting edge near the fulcrum point. The advantage is that you only have one tool to worry about. The scissors tend to cut tippet very well, but it may not be as easy to cut that tag end down as far because the size of the tool makes it more awkward than a pair of good nippers. As far as tag ends go, I am with the great author Patrick McManus when he said that if fish don't care about tippet coming off one side of a knot, why would they care about it coming off two sides?

Flat jaws on Dr. Slicks Barb Crusher

The problem with scissors on your clamps is that when you lose one tool, you have really just lost two tools. I lost my scissor clamps on my backpacking trip last month. I know exactly where they are, but I am certainly not hiking that far again in order to look for a pair of clamps! I had to fish for two more days without any tools, constantly having to stay within feet of my friend so that I could use his tools. The lesson that I learned is that I should throw an extra pair of nippers in that one pocket of my pack that never gets used, just in case I lose a tool in the forest... I can at least change flies and I hopefully have a bunch of pre-pinched flies in my box anyways.

So if you choose to use two tools instead of one, you will need a pair of clamps and a pair of nippers. The advantage here is of course, one, you will likely only lose one at a time. Another is that if you wear out the cutting edge on the nippers, you can easily replace the nippers and still have your clamps. Same with the clamps. I have seen plenty of them break, even the highest quality items. Anglers are hard on their gear and things break sometimes.


Loon Rogue Micro Scissor Clamps are compact and sturdy!

Both Loon and Dr. Slick definitely make the highest quality tools available. Loon tools often have more comfortable, oversized, padded grips, but I have found Dr. Slick's cutting edges to stay sharper over time. Both of them use high strength metals that do not bend out like cheap tools can.

Out of all of the tools that I have used, I like Loon's Rouge Micro Scissor Clamps the most. They are comfortable, sturdy, sharp and compact; and they will be the next set that I buy, again. Loon's Rouge Quick Draw Foreceps are really cool as well; they have a carabiner to make access and storage easy. Dr. Slick's Mitten Scissor Clamps were my tool of choice for winter steelheading over the past three or four years until I lost those last year...

Hopefully, this has helped out a little with the basic tool situation. Now some of you just need the other nineteen tools to complete the kit; nail knotter, screwdriver, hook file, bottle opener, floatant holder, thermometer, fly threader, leader stretcher, hook sharpener, tape measure, de-scaler, split-ring tool, and then all of the zingers to attach them to your vest...