Best-of guide
Right, here's the lot. Every bit of tools & sharpeners we've dug into, ranked by our on-paper score — that's our own desk research on specs, build and price across five things: product quality, performance, how much it helps you catch, ease of use and value for money. We haven't bank-tested these, so treat it as a smart shortlist, not gospel.
Top of the pile right now: Deeper CHIRP+ 2 Smart Sonar (9/10), Deeper CHIRP+ 2 (8.9/10) and Fox Rage Predator Unhooking Pliers (8.9/10). Tap into any review for the full lowdown, the comparison and a buying checklist.
Top tip: match the kit to how and where you actually fish before chasing the highest number. A cracking bit of gear for big open waters can be overkill on a snug club pond. How we score.
90%Deeper
Full review
A compact castable sonar with GPS mapping, three CHIRP frequencies and enough detail to make finding predator spots far less of a guessing game.
89%Deeper
Predator
A proper bit of kit for mapping depths, locating features and checking what’s going on beneath the surface — without lugging a boat around.
89%Fox Rage
NTL041 20cm/8in or NTL042 30cm/12in
A proper bit of pike kit: long, angled and built to give you a safer, more controlled way of dealing with nasty trebles.
88%Deeper
PRO+ 2
A clever castable sonar for anglers who want to map depth, find features and make smarter decisions without lugging a boat around.
87%Savage Gear
Small, Medium and Large
A proper predator-fishing multitasker for split rings, hooks and line work, available in three useful sizes.
86%NGT
6-inch / 150 mm and 10-inch / 25 cm
A stainless-steel pair of curved forceps for hook removal, bait handling and fiddly terminal tackle. Choose the shorter 6-inch model for compact predator work, or the 10-inch version when extra reach matters.
83%Fox Rage
NTL036
Making your own predator traces? These purpose-made pliers give you a more sensible starting point than flattening crimps with whatever’s knocking about in the shed.
81%Savage Gear
Magic Scissor · Item 43844
Braid scissors, wire-cutting blades and a titanium split-ring nose in one handy tool. Add the supplied pouch and zinger, and this is a tidy little helper for the roving lure angler.
80%Fox Rage
8-inch NTL041 and 12-inch NTL042
Heavy-duty predator pliers with an angled grip and two size options. A sensible tool for controlled unhooking, rather than another gadget rattling round your bag.
80%Fox
FAC062
Two syringes, three colour-coded needles and a handy way to tweak your deadbait presentation. A useful little extra for predator anglers who want buoyancy, added scent or both.
80%Fox Rage
NTL039 · 28cm / 11 inches
Big, easy-to-spot cutters for the moment a predator hook-up gets fiddly. The 28cm Fox Rage Side Cutters put fish care ahead of saving a treble.
78%Fox Rage
NTL037 · 24cm / 9.5-inch
The 24cm NTL037 gives predator anglers a long-reach hook-removal tool with carbon-steel construction and soft-touch handles. Just check the model code before you buy — there’s another 9.5-inch Fox Rage forceps listing with different details.
78%Fox Rage
22cm / 8.5in · NTL038
These 22cm carbon-steel pliers combine long-nose jaws, a wire-and-line cutter and a crimping notch. A useful predator-fishing tool, provided you don't mistake them for a complete unhooking kit.