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Cutting a fishing hook can be quite tricky. Sometimes you get a hook stuck in a fish, or even worse, in yourself or a friend. As is often the case, cutting the hook may be the best solution.
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
However, although there are many tools out there, not too many are actually ideal for cutting fish hooks. Today we are here to help you find the best tool for cutting fish hooks (this is our top pick), we have narrowed it down to 6 tools that we feel get the job done well.
Contents
What Type Of Tool Do I Need?
Now, what you are actually looking for is something like a miniature bolt cutter or a pair of pliers with strong blades on them.
We will talk about these things more as we go on, but just keep in mind that many people use small bolt cutters, specialized pliers, or even multi-tools to cut fish hooks.
Important Things To Keep In Mind
Let’s just quickly go over a few of the main considerations that you need to keep in mind before purchasing any tools to cut fish hooks.
The Blades
First and foremost, to cut through fishing hooks, especially thicker ones, you will need something with strong and sharp blades.
The fact that they are strong is more important than their sharpness, but a good combination of both is ideal. Hardened stainless steel or something like that should do fine.
The Handle
You will find that some tools require both hands to use, while others only require a single hand. Of course, a single hand use tool is best so you can have your other hand free.
Although, sometimes, if you have a really big fishing hook, such as for shark or marlin fishing, you might need a tool that requires 2 hands to use. It’s all about leverage and power.
On that same note, having a fairly long handle does come in handy in terms of cutting power and the force required to get through a fishing hook. The longer the handles are, the easier you will be able to cut through hooks.
However, do keep in mind that you probably want something portable, so a 3 foot long bolt cutter probably is not the best idea to go with.
Length & Weight
We did already touch on the length, and the two way road of the length factor. However, another thing to think about is the weight of the cutting tool in question.
More than likely, the heavier the tool is, the thicker and more durable the materials are which were used in the construction.
Now, you obviously don’t want something overly heavy due to transportation, but do keep in mind that when it comes to tools like this, something super lightweight is often not the best way to go.
Extras
Bolt cutters usually do not come with any other extra features, although they perform their own intended job very well.
If you want something that can do more than just cut fishing hooks, you might want to look into something like a multi-tool that has lots of integrated tools and functions.
6 Best Tools For Cutting Fish Hooks
Based on our experience are research we felt these 6 tools was some of the best options at the moment.
Let’s take a closer look at each one;
1. Cuda Carbon Steel Hook Cutter
This hook cutting tool is made with carbon steel. This means that it is very strong and durable, plus it is also corrosion resistant, making it a good tool to use for hooks when you are saltwater fishing.
The carbon steel here is not about to break or bend anytime soon. The blades on this thing are made to be very sharp, but also very durable. It can cut hooks up to 6/o, plus it is spring loaded too.
This, combined with the fact that this hook cutting tool is close to a foot in length, means that you get a lot of leverage and have to apply minimal force to cut through hooks. With that being said, 10.5 inches is a bit long and can make it a bit of a pain to put in a smaller tackle box.
We do like the long handles that feature a good grip for safety and ease of holding. It also comes with a handle lock feature to keep them closed when not in use.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Very durable.
- Can cut thick hooks.
- Good grip.
- Locking mechanism.
- Spring loaded.
Cons
- A bit big and heavy.
2. Booms Fishing WC3 Hook Cutter
The Booms Fishing WC3 Hook Cutter is another neat choice to go with. It comes in at 8.5 inches long and is fairly lightweight. It’s definitely not a big burden to put in your tackle box. It is short enough for us to consider it fairly portable and convenient.
However, it is also long enough so you can get good leverage on hooks, thus requiring minimal force for cutting them. This is also true thanks to the induction hardened cutting edge and chrome vanadium steel construction of the blades.
They are very sharp and made to cut fish hooks and wire with ease. These things do weigh 0.7 pounds, which is not exactly lightweight, but at least you know that some hefty materials have been used in the construction.
These things also feature a spring loaded handle for quick use, plus a lock to keep them closed while not in use. The handles here are well padded for comfort, but probably not the most durable around.
Pros
- Convenient and portable.
- Good leverage and sharp blades for cutting.
- Comfortable handles.
- Spring loaded with a locking mechanism.
Cons
- A bit heavy.
- Handle padding is not the most durable.
3. LEATHERMAN MUT Multitool
Now, although this thing is not specifically designed for cutting fish hooks, it can definitely do that, plus a whole lot more. It is a really nice multitool that can perform a lot of tasks. Just to name a few features, here you get a screwdriver, needle nose pliers, a cutting hook, integrated cutting blades (built into the pliers), a serrated knife, a flat knife, and more.
This Multitool actually comes with over 25 different tools integrated into it. It comes in at 10 inches long, which is not the most compact thing around, but still small and versatile enough to be considered portable and convenient. It does weigh around 1 pound, making it fairly heavy.
However, the weight is due to there being a lot of tools in a small space. We do like that this tool is very durable and should be able to cut through most fishing hooks with ease, without breaking on you.
Pros
- Very durable.
- Tons of tools.
- Perfect for cutting hooks and lines.
- Fairly portable and convenient.
Cons
- Handle does not have the best grip.
- A bit heavy.
4. WORKPRO Bolt Cutter
Ok, we know that including a pair of bolt cutters here may seem a little farfetched. However, we have heard of people using bolt cutters to cut really big and thick fishing hooks. So, we figured we may as well provide you with a nice pair of bolt cutters to consider.
To start out with the downsides here, this Bolt Cutter is 18 inches long, making it a really big and not very convenient. Moreover, you do need to use 2 hands to properly put this thing to use. Also, it weighs well over 3 pounds, making it very heavy for this purpose.
With that being said, this bolt cutter is more than thick and powerful enough to cut through any fishing hook with ease. Yes, it is best used for bigger hooks, as it may actually be too large for smaller hooks.
With that said, the length of the handle and the large sharp blades to allow you to cut through even the thickest of hooks like a hot knife through butter. The blades are made with drop forged chrome molybdenum, and the handles are very durable too. The handles do come with a soft grip for some comfort and safety.
Pros
- Will cut through any fishing hook.
- Allows you to cut hooks with minimal force.
- Comfortable handle.
- High quality and heavy duty construction.
Cons
- Really big.
- Really heavy.
- Not ideal for thin or small hooks.
5. Capri Tools Mini Bolt Cutter
Ok, so this is a bit more of a smaller and more manageable bolt cutter to go with for fishing hooks. Unlike the other option we looked at above, this is a one handed bolt cutter, one that comes in at 10.5 inches long and weighs just a little under 1 pound.
No, it is still not particularly lightweight, but at least it is made out of heavy and strong materials. Moreover, although it is not the smallest tool in the world, at least it can be used to cut hooks with a single hand, plus you should be able to fit it inside of an average sized tackle box.
The Capri Tools Mini Bolt Cutter comes with handles that are both comfortable and durable. They do provide for good grip. These things come with a high leverage design, combined with double heat treated CrMo blades, which means that you can cut through any fishing hook with barely any force required.
This thing is quite durable no doubt, and it does come with a locking mechanism for safety. Although, keep in mind that these bolt cutters are not spring loaded.
Pros
- One handed use.
- Very sharp and durable blades.
- Good for cutting any fishing hooks.
- Durable and ergonomic handles.
- Fairly compact.
Cons
- A bit heavy.
- Not spring loaded.
6. RUR-MEL Mini Bolt Cutter
This is the smallest pair of bolt cutters on this list so far. Sure, they cut wires and bolts just fine, but they also work pretty darn well for cutting fish hooks too. They feature forged and hardened alloy steel jaws, which are about as tough as can be.
They are more than sharp and durable enough to deal with cutting thousands of fishing hooks on end. Also, these things feature a compound cutting action that does not require much effort or force to cut through that fish hook.
We do like how the RUR-MEL Mini Bolt Cutter is only 8 inches in length. It is quite small, and this highly portable, not to mention that it can be used with a single hand.
The rolled steel handles here are very tough as well, plus they come with cushioned non-slip rubber grips for comfort and safety. They even come with a locking mechanism so they stay shut while not in use.
Pros
- Small, lightweight, and portable.
- Very sharp and hard blades.
- Comfortable and safe handles.
- Locking mechanism included.
Cons
- Not spring loaded.
- Rubber grips are not the most durable.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of good tools out there for cutting fish hooks. You might go with a specialty tool, a small bolt cutter, or with a multi-tool too. As long as the tool in question has strong blades that are sharp, a good handle, and is not overly large or heavy, you should be just fine!
