Tackle Review - Release Tools

Tackle Review - Release tools
During the off-season I’ll try to post some tackle tips. I’ll focus most on the new stuff used during the ‘08 season and I’ll also focus on stuff that seems to draw a lot of questions from my guests throughout the year.


I usually get as a lot of questions about the release tools I use, usually during and after releasing a fish. I feel there are still way too many musky anglers skimping on the tools they carry. Having the right tools is absolutely crucial for the successful release of healthy fish. It’s also very important for the angler’s safety, which I think is often over-looked. When you have a large musky deeply hooked, isn’t the time to find you’re your took kit isn’t sufficient for the job. I’ll list the tools I use and explain each. Pictures are included so you can see what I’m talking about.

I’ll first point out that all my tools are corrosion resistant and sit on the floor of the boat exposed to the weather all season long. I’ve found that anything that can rust will, no matter how you careful you are. Also, these tools have to be within quick reach, not buried in a dry box.

I always carry the following:
Needle-nose Pliers, standard and long
Knipex hook cutter
Hook-out, long
Compound action needle-nose
Hook Pick
Custom Super Jaw Spreader

A good pliers and cutter is all that’s needed about 80% of the time, so I’ll start there.

Pliers:
Attentionn here’s a hot tackle tip for you: get a compound-action pliers. I always reach for this pliers (pictured) because it’s so powerful. It won't slip on the hook and gives you way more power for turning or pulling the hook to set it free. I can’t tell you how many times my guests fishing with me have commented on this pliers. They're made by Crescent, cost about $15 at Home Depot, and are thoroughly awesome. I rarely use any of the other pliers because this is always the one I grab first. They’re holding up really well and aren’t getting too rusty even after several seasons of exposure to the elements. Home Depot is the only place I’ve seen these. The one in the photo is brand-new so you know what to look for; I bought these for a friend as a Christmas gift.

The other pliers are pretty standard - a regular needle-nose and a long needle nose. The standard-length pair is a Shimano pliers that are stainless and aren’t rusting. They’re several years old and are still like new. The long pair is from Cabela’s and they're pretty good, too. All the long pliers I've had in the past had sloppy jaws or rusted quickly, or both. At least one good set of needle-nose is mandatory and I very strongly recommend the Crescent ones pictured.

Knipex cutter:
A good cutter is a must. Let me emphasize the word GOOD. A cheap cutter is worthless. The Knipex is worth every cent. Since I started using a Knipex, I’ve got in the habit of cutting free almost every fish I work on. It’s faster, better for the fish, and better for my safety. I usually begin by cutting every exposed hook that’s outside the fish. People are sometimes surprised and ask why I would cut hooks that aren’t even in the fishes mouth. For one thing it’s safer for me. I’ve gone a few seasons now without being hooked and seldom even have near-misses. Cutting all exposed hooks eliminates the risk of being hooked by a thrashing fish when reaching in the net. This will almost eliminate the risk of being pinned to a fish, which is the worst-case scenario. Also, it’s faster and better for the fish. While the fish is rolling or struggling in the net, everything gets so tangled up that you can’t even begin unhooking. How often have you spent significant time untangling everything to begin the job of unhooking, only to have the fish thrash and get all tangled again? It usually takes about 10 seconds to cut all exposed hooks, and that 10 seconds almost always saves time in the long run. I can’t stress enough how good the Knipex is. It’ll snap through the strongest hooks with ease. I’ve cut up to 10/0 without a problem - snap, snap, snap, it cuts through them that quick. My pair has cut hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hooks and isn’t getting dull. My old, trusty Knipex is also nearly free of rust. A Knipex can’t be beat. Even the best of the other mini bolt-cutters (Craftsman, Crescent, etc.) don’t even come close. A good cutter is mandatory. Don’t waste your money on anything but a Knipex.

Hook Pick
The pick isn’t used often, but it’s a life-saver when it is. When a fish is deeply hooked the Hook Pick becomes one of the most important tools in the boat. A Hook Pick is especially important if you fish the Double-10 lures like Spanky Bait Fireball, DCG, etc. Those lures are often inhaled and hooked deeply. A Hook Pick is only about 10 or 12 bucks and it will save a fish’s life when you need it. It also makes it safer for you when you’re working on a deeply hooked fish. Having your whole hand in a musky’s mouth past your wrist is no fun. You’re cringing the whole time and hoping the jaw-spreader will hold and the fish won’t thrash. You won’t be in that situation again with a Hook Pick. In my opinion this tool is mandatory. A home-made version could be fashioned quite easily if you want to save the $12.

Jaw-Spreader
Here’s another hot tip: make a beefed-up “super-spreader.” I rarely use a jaw-spreader but when it’s needed it’s an absolute must to have it on board. Look at the photo of mine. This is a tip I picked up from a guest a few years ago. Simply use electrical tape to attach two pair of spreaders. Put them together so one point on each side sticks out further than the other. I sharpen that point a bit so it’s less likely to slip. A single pair of spreaders doesn’t have enough spreading power and usually slips too much. The super-spreader will hold and will give you the confidence to go after a deeply hooked lure. If you’re going in up to your forearm into a fish’s mouth, you’d better have a good spreader in which you have confidence. A solid spreader is better for your safety and it speeds the process which is good for the fish. A spreader is cheap, about $5 or so, or double that to make a super-spreader. A jaw-spreader is mandatory.

Hook-out
This is rarely used but it’s nice to have on hand once in awhile. The one pictured is a Baker Hook-Out that is probably 20 years old. I consider this tool optional.


That’s it. Make sure you have good tools this season. - you owe it to yourself and the fish. As you progress as a musky angler and your inventory of gear increases, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll have all this stuff anyway. So don’t put it off another season. Skip the purchase of a few baits this year and get these tools instead. You’ll be glad you did.


Attachments L-R:
Crescent compound-action pliers
Knipex cutter
Hookpick
Shimano needle-nose pliers; Cabelas long needle-nose
Super spreader
Super spreader close-up
Super spreader close-up

Wow, that's a great post. It looks like you finally figured out how to post photos! Geez that's like a magazine article.

Question: Do you think your "super spreader" hurts a muskies jaw?

I've got the Knipex and you're right - nothing else even compares. I thought I was being stupid for spending $45 on a cutter. I'm glad i did. I don't have a hook pick but should get one. Your recommendation on the Crescent pliers is interesting. I'll check that one out for shure.

Hey Paul,
Great post on release tools I'll have to go through my stuff and see if
I need anything and I'll also say that the Knipex is worth the money. I'll
be looking forward too more of these post throughout the winter. Also one more note this is a good idea I wish more guides who have there own websights would post stuff like this.

Jim -

I've heard that question from folks that have fished with me. The answer is no, it doesn't seem to hurt the fish. I wouldn't use it on a small juvenile fish, but adult fish, certainly those 40" or bigger, arent' harmed in the least. Heck, on the big fish 50" and bigger, even the super spreader doesn't open their mouth that well. I would argue vigorously that this thing is acutually GOOD for the health of the fish by minimizing the time spent unhooking. Thanks, good question.

BBushy,
Thanks man for the feedback. I'll try to keep 'em coming. Hopefully it'll be a help to some of the musky anglers out there and hopefully it will help alleviate the boredom of a long winter without musky fishing. Future posts probably won't be as long or have as many photos. I think loading photos is still a pain in the butt. Thanks again.

I thought the Hook Pick was pretty stupid but I bought one last year anyway because there pretty cheap and hey what the heck I spend a lot of money on musky stuff I don't need. Anyway I only used it once and it was pretty slick. I'll check out that pliers and that jaw spreader is a good idea

Since winter is the best time for tinkering with gear I wasted no time making a super spreader. i'm really surprised that it isn't as strong as I thought it would be. It's stronger than a regular jaw spreader, no doubt, yet it isn't so strong that it'll hurt the fish. That idea is a winner.

Is the Hook Pick still sold? I tried the website www.hookpick.com and it looks like the website is gone.

OK, I checked around a bit more and the Hook Pick seems available all over, but they either ended their website or let it expire. Musky Tackle Online, Thorne Bros. and others still have them for sale. Hopefully they didn't quit making them.

I made a Super Spreader I made after I saw the idea on this post. I just used it for the first time and it worked great. I've only used it once but already I can't image using a regular wimpy single spreader.

I just wanted to bump this post back up to the top. I started this one last winter. Looking back on it a year later, nothing has changed. My choice of tools is still exactly the same. If you still don't have a Knipex, make this the year you get one. Before you buy a bunch of baits and crap you don't need, get a Knipex

Nice talking to you the other day Paul, and great thread. I am definitely going to implement the super spreader and the crescent pliers thats a great idea. I made the mistake early on of not having a knipex and getting a cheap bolt cutter. Dont do it!! There is no substitute for Knipex they cut hooks like butter and are worth every penny.

One thing i can add that i also thought was pretty handy i learned from another guide, is that since the spreaders and whatnot tend to fall prey to thrashing fish and end up at the bottom of the lake, its good to rope them off.

What i did was take some small diameter nylon cord and cut it a couple of feet long then tie that to the tool . Then the other end of the cord gets a dog leash clip tied to it. (one of those spring loaded ones) THis allows you to quickly clip one end of the tool rope to the top of the net bag and the other is attached to the tool so if they get shaken loose or fall over no lost tools!! It takes about two seconds to clip on and off and saves your tools. Instead of worrying about tools flying overboard you can concentrate on getting the fish unhooked quickly. If you have a knipex like i do without the ring on the end of the handle ,you can tightly wrap electrical tape around the nylon cord running along one of the handles about 3 or four inches long. You cant pull the cord out so no worries.

Dan B.

I've had many recent conversations about release tools and thought I'd bump this to the top again.

Thanks Paul, this looks like a great article, unfortunately I can't open any of the images. I can see this is a very old post. But this a very important, and confusing, subject to someone like me who is new to muskie fishing. Would it be possible to get the pics for this article? There just really is that much I can find about muskie release tools.

Thanks