By Weston BarrettA handful of simple tools, pliers, a line cutter, a good net and a ruler, does most of the work of landing, unhooking and releasing fish well. This guide draws on Florida FWC’s fish handling and measurement guidance, Keep Fish Wet’s principles and tips, and Minnesota DNR’s tackle box lesson.
Why the right fishing tools matter for the fish and the angler
Every time an angler hooks a fish, the fish experiences some level of injury and physiological stress, according to the Keep Fish Wet principles. Even a fish that swims away vigorously can suffer negative consequences later, including a reduced ability to avoid predators or fight off disease. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) notes that roughly 272 million marine fish were released by Florida recreational anglers in a single year, making safe release practices a real conservation tool. The gear you carry, from pliers and cutters to nets and measuring devices, directly affects how long you handle a fish, how much slime and scale damage it suffers, and whether it can recover after the release.
Anglers do not need a boatload of specialized equipment to make a difference. The Minnesota DNR’s MinnAqua lesson on tackle boxes emphasizes that beginners should start with simple essentials: a few extra hooks, sinkers, bobbers, a fingernail clipper, needlenosed pliers and a small first aid kit. The lesson adds that a tackle box overstocked with unused gear becomes heavy and difficult to use. The goal is to carry tools that help you land fish quickly, handle them gently and release them safely, while also keeping your own fingers away from sharp teeth and hooks.
Pliers and hook removal tools
Needlenosed pliers or long-handled forceps let an angler reach into a fish’s mouth while keeping fingers away from sharp teeth, the Minnesota DNR explains. The FWC describes dehooking tools as devices designed to remove a hook without letting it re-engage, which reduces handling time and injury. Even a standard pair of needle nose pliers counts as a dehooking tool. The FWC advises matching the tool to the angler, the target fish and the vessel: a boat with a high gunwale may call for a longer shaft, while a kayak angler is better served by a shorter tool. If you target fish with large teeth, spines or sharp barbs, a long dehooking tool helps keep hands out of harm’s way.
Keep Fish Wet’s tips recommend carrying easily accessible pliers or another hook removal device so you can work quickly. If you fish with barbless hooks, which the FWC says are not significantly different in catch rate from barbed hooks, there is a good chance you can remove the hook without even taking the fish out of the water. The FWC also states that if a fish is gut-hooked, cutting the line as close to the hook as possible is often better than prolonged attempts to pull the hook out, which can cause more internal damage. For a deeper look at hook removal options, see our hook removal tools guide and the fishing pliers guide.
Line cutters: nippers, clippers and why teeth are a bad idea
The Minnesota DNR’s tackle box lesson is direct on this point: many people have seen someone cut fishing line by biting it, but that is a safety concern because it can chip teeth or cause someone to swallow a loose piece of line. A simple fingernail clipper kept in the tackle box serves as a dedicated line cutter for trimming knots, cutting a hook free or adding new line to a reel. Fishing stores also sell purpose-made nippers that do the same job. The FWC similarly urges anglers fishing from piers or bridges to always be ready with a dehooking tool and line cutters, so they can cut the line close to the fish when a release is necessary and lifting the fish is not possible or safe.
Carrying a cutter also supports good catch-and-release habits. Keep Fish Wet’s principle of reducing handling time means you want to make quick decisions at the rail or in the net. If a hook is deep or the fish is large and agitated, the FWC says to cut the leader as close to the hook as you can while the fish is still in the water. For more on line types and their cutting behavior, read our mono vs fluorocarbon vs braided line comparison.
Lip grips: when they help and when they hurt
A gripping tool can support the front of a toothy fish while the other hand cradles the belly to evenly support the fish’s weight, the FWC advises. Keep Fish Wet’s tips are more cautious: lip gripping devices should only be used on fish that you have no other way to control or handle, including toothy species. The organization also states clearly that fish should never be held vertically by a lip gripping device. The FWC reinforces this by warning anglers never to hold a fish by its jaw, gills or eyes, and to remember that fish swim horizontally.
Taken together, the guidance puts the lip grip last: Keep Fish Wet limits it to fish you cannot otherwise control, such as toothy fish, and the FWC pairs it with a hand under the belly.
Landing nets: knotless rubber mesh vs knotted nylon
The FWC calls a knotless, rubber-coated landing net ideal because it supports the fish’s body weight without scraping off the protective slime layer. Keep Fish Wet’s tips agree: rubber nets are less abrasive and do less damage to fish slime, scales, fins and gills than knotted nylon mesh nets. Keep Fish Wet adds that hooks don’t snag as much on rubber nets.
The FWC also reminds anglers that large fish, such as tarpon, should not be boated or dragged over the gunwale. For help choosing the right size and style, see our landing net guide.
Measuring devices: why a ruler or tape belongs in your kit
Size limits are a cornerstone of fishery management, and the FWC’s measurement guide explains that most finfish regulations use either total length or fork length. Total length is measured from the most forward point of the head, mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed. Fork length goes from the tip of the snout with the mouth closed to the center of the fork in the tail. The FWC stresses that flexible measuring tapes must be laid flat on a hard surface and the measurement taken in a straight line, not following the contour of the fish, which would give an inaccurate, oversized reading.
The Minnesota DNR includes a measuring tape or ruler on its suggested tackle box checklist for good reason: special regulations on size can apply to specific lakes and streams, and when ice fishing, the same tape can measure ice thickness for safety. The FWC’s “Know Before You Go” advice is to be aware of current regulations and know how to measure the fish you target, so handling time stays short. For more on measuring and weighing tools, visit our fish measuring boards and scales article.
Quick-reference table: tool, use and handling tip
The table below summarizes the core tools covered by the FWC, Keep Fish Wet and Minnesota DNR sources, along with the primary job each tool performs and a key handling tip from each.
| Tool | Primary use | Key handling tip |
|---|---|---|
| Needlenose pliers or dehooking tool | Remove hooks quickly while keeping fingers away from teeth; flatten barbs on hooks | Match tool length to your vessel and target fish; cut the line close to the hook if a fish is gut-hooked (FWC) |
| Line cutters (nail clipper or nippers) | Cut line cleanly when releasing fish, trimming knots or changing line | Never bite line with teeth; keep cutters accessible on piers and boats (Minnesota DNR, FWC) |
| Lip gripping tool | Control toothy fish when no other safe hold is possible | Never hold a fish vertically by the lip grip; support the belly with the other hand (Keep Fish Wet, FWC) |
| Knotless rubber landing net | Support the fish’s body weight without scraping slime or scales | Rubber mesh is less abrasive than knotted nylon and resists hook snags; keep large fish in the water when possible (FWC, Keep Fish Wet) |
| Measuring tape or ruler | Check fish against size limits using total length or fork length | Lay flexible tape flat on a hard surface; measure in a straight line, not along the body contour (FWC) |
How to choose and care for your fishing tools
Start with the basics and build out based on the fishing you actually do. The Minnesota DNR suggests that beginners collect only the gear they really need for their typical style of fishing, and the FWC’s saltwater checklist reinforces the idea of having all the proper tools on the vessel before heading out. A small tackle box or utility box with pliers, a clipper, a measuring tape and a few spare hooks and sinkers covers a lot of situations. If you regularly target larger or toothy species, add a longer dehooking tool and a lip grip. If you fish from a pier or high gunwale, the FWC says specialized gear such as pier nets or slings may be needed to support a fish’s entire body, and if you cannot properly lift the fish, cut the line close to the fish before releasing it.
Rinse tools with fresh water after saltwater use to slow corrosion. The FWC notes that non-stainless-steel hooks rust and deteriorate sooner than stainless or plated hooks, which is a benefit for fish survival if a hook must be left in place. Store pliers and cutters where you can reach them with one hand; Keep Fish Wet emphasizes that easy access to hook removal tools enables quick release, sometimes without even removing the fish from the water.
Rules vary by state and water: check before you go
Fishing regulations, including gear requirements, size limits, bag limits and licensing, are set by individual state wildlife agencies and can change by water body or season. The FWC notes that circle hooks and dehooking tools are required in some areas, and Keep Fish Wet points out that in some places and for some species, it is illegal to remove fish from the water at all. Before you buy tools or head out, check your state fish and wildlife agency’s current rules for the water you plan to fish. A well-chosen set of essential fishing tools helps you follow those rules while giving the fish you release a better chance to swim away strong.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a special dehooking tool, or are pliers enough?
According to the Florida FWC, even a pair of needle nose pliers is considered a dehooking tool. The key is matching the tool to the situation. Standard pliers work well for many freshwater and inshore species. A longer dehooking tool becomes more useful when fishing from a boat with a high gunwale, when targeting fish with large teeth or spines, or when you want to remove a hook without bringing the fish aboard. Keep Fish Wet’s tips emphasize carrying an easily accessible hook removal device so you can work quickly, and barbless hooks make removal with pliers even faster.
Is a rubber net really that much better than a nylon net?
The FWC specifically recommends a knotless, rubber-coated landing net because it supports the fish’s body weight while protecting the slime layer. Keep Fish Wet explains that rubber nets are less abrasive and do less damage to slime, scales, fins and gills than knotted nylon mesh nets. It also notes that hooks don’t snag as much on rubber nets.
Can I hold a fish vertically by a lip grip for a quick photo?
No. Keep Fish Wet states that fish should never be held vertically by a lip gripping device. The FWC reinforces that fish swim horizontally and should be supported with one hand under the belly when using a gripping tool on the front of the fish. For photos, Keep Fish Wet says to keep the fish as close to the water as possible and keep air exposure to 10 seconds or less, and the FWC says to support its weight with both hands.
Ready to round out your on-the-water kit? Browse our full fishing tools collection for more guides on pliers, nets, measuring boards and other essentials.
Sources
- Florida FWC: Fish Handling and Gear
- Keep Fish Wet: Principles
- Keep Fish Wet: Tips
- Minnesota DNR MinnAqua: Tackling Your Tackle Box
- Florida FWC: Fish Measurement
About Weston Barrett
Weston researches and writes buying guides and how-to articles on beginner & family fishing. Picks are based on product specifications, brand reputation and patterns in owner feedback, and are updated as new models come out.
