Fishing Pliers

[In The Surf]

I think the Orvis titaniums are a steal for the $, I have been very pleased with them so far. The cutters work great on braid, fluoro and mono. I wouldn't use them to cut hooks I have a pair of heavy electrical pliers for that.

[Pete_G]

If the Orvis pliers hold up like VS pliers then they are without a doubt the best priced corrosion resistant (proof?) pliers on the market.

As for VS pliers, very few things on the market can truly be billed as saltwater proof. By proof I mean if you start using them in spring, submerge them on every trip, never wash them, and use them late into the fall you will still not have any corrosion on them. I simply haven't found anything else quite like that, be it a pair of pliers or otherwise.

I don't have as much experience with the other pliers listed. I do have a couple sets of Abel pliers; OK plier but useless in the surf. Get a good belt and always keep whatever pliers you get on a lanyard. The reason I mention a good belt is because a friend of mine's pliers are SOMEWHERE in the depths off PJ...

Donmars are a good set too; I have seen the center bushing on them fade though resulting in the jaws not meeting perfectly which means they stop cutting braid as well as they used to. Whether that is what has happened with Spence's pliers it's tough to say. I had a set of Abel's tied to the line winder at work and we got a year out of them before they stopped cutting braid well. Once they started fading they quickly reached a point where they wouldn't cut at all. That was commercial service though.

[In The Surf]

Another good thing about the Orvis pliers is that when I purchased them I inquired about the warranty and was told lifetime replacement or refund on them. Can't beat that!

[JoeP]

I just sold a pair of the big VS pliers only because I wanted a pair with more needlenose-type jaws for easier access to hooks deep in a fish's mouth. The big VS jaws are very wide & blunt, but powerful. Other than that those pliers were very good except that after 2 years in the surf the cutters lost their edge in cutting braid cleanly.

I bought a pair of the Orvis because they are titanium like the VS, have carbide cutters like the VS, have nice long jaws & a better angle on the jaws for leverage & de-hooking, and like ITS said above have a lifetime unconditional Orvis warranty.

Spence, I researched the Donnmars & I think the problem you are having is that the 950 Donnmars have the scissor-type jaws not really made to cut braid cleanly while the other models (800, 850, & 880) have the anvil-type jaws made to cut braid.

[Nebe]

I'm on my 3rd season with a $6 pair of cheapo plyers i bought from captian don..

still cut braid like butter

Hooks?? havent crossed that road yet

[basswipe]

I've been using the $15 Shimano 9" pliers all season.Can't beat'em for the price.
Bought them at Pete's shop upon his suggestion.

[Water Treater]

I own two pairs of the spring-loaded smaller Donmar 850's.

Donmar 850's offers good value (about $80.00 with Cordura case) and the anvil style blades are replaceable. I've done that and my old Donmar 850's cut like new. These pliers are not strong enough to cut through a heavy duty hook but they cut everything else.

These are the pliers I carry on my surf belt. They are not too big or too heavy and if I lose them I'm not out two hundred bucks.