Sabiki Hook Extractor

[WestFork]

"Anything else faster/easier/gentler than needle nose pliers?"

My favorite on delicate fish is a kind of forceps, aka "roach clip," durable stainless steel, no-slip jaws, clamps shut. I keep one on a lanyard on my fly-fishing vest. Sometimes even barbless hooks are hard to remove and as long as you can see the hook, the forceps make its removal simple.

The plastic tool you show works even if the hook is swallowed so far you can't see it, but it needs to fit the size hooks you're using. My experience is some hooks are too small for even the small side. No, it's not especially gentle.

A link to one source of the forceps:
https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-Fo...h+hook+remover

[ful-rac]

One of the main reasons for the de-hooker is it allows you to keep the bait in the best possible condition. The main thing that damages bait is believe it or not...not the hook, (unless you hook it deep) it's just handling it. This tool allows you to keep the handling down to a minimum, thus keeping your bait in as pristine condition as possible, thus catching you more fish. Forceps do work but it's more difficult to unhook bait on a sabiki without having to handle it. The other tool also known as a disgorger is just not good at all for unhooking a bait and keeping it alive.

[sanomick]

I've been using this for 40 years - easy to make.

[TheBentRod]

Originally Posted by sanomick

I've been using this for 40 years - easy to make.

Every day I forget to make one of these. Going in the garage in the morning and doing it!!

[T-Rex]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

One of the main reasons for the de-hooker is it allows you to keep the bait in the best possible condition. The main thing that damages bait is believe it or not...not the hook, (unless you hook it deep) it's just handling it. This tool allows you to keep the handling down to a minimum, thus keeping your bait in as pristine condition as possible, thus catching you more fish. Forceps do work but it's more difficult to unhook bait on a sabiki without having to handle it. The other tool also known as a disgorger is just not good at all for unhooking a bait and keeping it alive.

X2. Using a dehooker is very easy and efficient once you get the technique down. Just put the bend of the dehooker on the bend of the hook, keep tension on the line, flip it upside down and the bait will fall off into your tank. No more than a shake or two will be needed to get really hooked bait off and there's no loss of slime or scales.

[alanw]

I use my dehooker for releasing bass and everything else without touching them.