MidCurrent Tested and Trusted: Manley Super Pliers
They aren’t fancy, but the Super Pliers are useful and durable. Photos: Rick Mikesell
About eight years ago—somewhere between Cayo Largo, Cuba, and Denver—my beloved Abel pliers disappeared. It was tough to stomach. With Abel in the middle of a redesign and the considerable cost of replacing such a premium tool, I decided to follow the Internet recommendations of savvy angling legends like Flip Pallot and Oliver White: I ordered a pair of Manley 6.5-inch Super Pliers, and they’ve been my go-to, day-in and day-out pliers ever since.
No, the Manleys aren’t Abels—or Hatch or Van Staal, for that matter—but at less than $70, they’ve proven to be highly functional and incredibly reliable, especially in the situations where serious pliers are necessary. They are made in England, and I’ve used them for pike, musky, and lake trout close to home, and on every saltwater trip I’ve been lucky enough to take since.
Crimping barbs on even big hooks is a cinch.
Helpful Features
The big advantage of the Manleys lies in their unique design: the jaws are always pushed flat, which means pressure is applied evenly wherever you grab. The V-channel running the length of the jaw is perfect for crushing barbs cleanly, without risking a bent hook point. The spring assist makes applying serious pressure easy—a real benefit when working with giant hooks or crimping wire leaders. They also stay open and ready to use, with no fumbling to reopen them while handling a thrashing pike armed with teeth and attitude. The hole in the handle, where the springs attach, offers a great place to hook your fly when tightening complex bite tippets.
Best of all? The anvil-style cutter. Paired with the spring-assisted closure and hardened steel cutting surface, it’ll slice through anything—even bluewater hooks. I haven’t had to cut a hook out of a client yet, but I have no doubt these could handle it. They have excelled in cutting hooks out of nets and rod socks and they cut wire, heavy fluorocarbon, and braid without hesitation.
The author’s cool DIY sheath keeps the Super Pliers handy.
The Downside
That said, these pliers are made of steel—not aluminum or titanium—and they will rust if not properly maintained. I opted for the Teflon-coated version, which helps, but they still need to be rinsed with freshwater after salt use and oiled regularly. I learned that the hard way after a rushed drive to the airport in Texas, where I’d spent too long chasing after belly-crawling redfish in a roadside tidal pond. A few weeks later, I pulled the pliers from my bag to find heavy rust. Fifteen minutes with a wire wheel and a fresh coat of oil brought them back to perfect working order—now sporting an appealing deep patina (and probably no Teflon coating left).
If you enjoy hands-on maintenance, tinkering, and a bit of DIY pride, that upkeep is part of the appeal. The pliers don’t come with a sheath, and the basic nylon add-on sheath isn’t great. I saw it as another opportunity. A few hours in the garage with my leatherworking kit, and I had a functional custom sheath—I’ve even made a few for friends. If that’s not your thing, check out Ruthless Handmade on Instagram. Cory makes beautiful, durable leather sheaths for Manleys and all sorts of other tools.
To remove the hook from an angry, toothy predator, you need good pliers.
Do I still miss my sleek, low-maintenance Abels? Absolutely. But my workhorse Manleys show up on every trip, do the job without fail, and bear the scars of all those great days on the water—when a dependable pair of pliers is indispensable.
