Photos: Fox Rage · supplied retailer imagery
Predator tools · Unhooking pliers · Our take
Fox Rage Pistol Pliers
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.
- Heavy-duty, angled pliers with carbon-steel construction.
- Pistol-grip handles designed to help apply pressure and leverage to hooks.
- Ergonomically shaped hard-plastic handles in bright red and black.
- Two options: 8-inch NTL041 and 12-inch NTL042.
Make sure it’s the right one. This covers both sizes of the Fox Rage Pistol Pliers. Published centimetre measurements differ, so use the inch size and product code to identify the version you want.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A purposeful predator tool with useful grip geometry and a sensible size choice; its contribution is to unhooking preparation, not generating extra bites.
- Product Quality8.8/10
- Performance8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching5.5/10
- Ease of Use8.6/10
- Value for Money8.3/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Pike anglers organising a dedicated unhooking kit. The angled grip and longer option suit jobs where hook access and controlled leverage matter.
- Lure anglers dealing with substantial hooks and trebles. A heavy-duty pair of pliers gives you a purposeful hook-handling tool rather than relying on tiny general-purpose forceps.
Maybe skip if
- Coarse anglers mainly removing tiny single hooks. A suitable disgorger or finer forceps will generally be less cumbersome for delicate work.
- Anglers wanting one tool to cover every unhooking job. These belong alongside suitable hook cutters and other unhooking essentials, not in place of them.
The lowdown
Introducing the Fox Rage Pistol Pliers
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.
- Heavy-duty, angled pliers with carbon-steel construction.
- Pistol-grip handles designed to help apply pressure and leverage to hooks.
- Ergonomically shaped hard-plastic handles in bright red and black.
- Two options: 8-inch NTL041 and 12-inch NTL042.
Quick verdict
A sensible addition to your predator kit
The Fox Rage Pistol Pliers have a clear job: getting a firm hold on hooks and giving you useful leverage through an angled handle. Carbon-steel construction and a choice of two sizes make them a sensible fit for a properly organised predator unhooking kit.
Go shorter for easier packing, longer when reach matters more. Neither replaces suitable hook cutters or careful fish handling, and the carbon steel deserves a clean and dry before you put it away.
A purposeful predator tool with useful grip geometry and a sensible size choice; its contribution is to unhooking preparation, not generating extra bites.
- Product Quality
- 8.8/10
- Performance
- 8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 5.5/10
- Ease of Use
- 8.6/10
- Value for Money
- 8.3/10
Carbon-steel construction and shaped handles fit the heavy-duty brief, though the steel needs routine care.
The angled grip and choice of lengths offer useful leverage and reach for hook removal.
They don’t improve attraction or hooking chances, but they serve an important practical role once a fish is landed.
Shaped handles and the pistol-grip layout support controlled use, while the longer option is less compact to carry.
The focused design offers useful everyday utility for predator anglers rather than unnecessary gadgetry.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Top scorer
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the Fox Rage Pistol Pliers
Unhooking pliers aren’t the exciting bit of a predator setup. Nobody’s daydreaming about handle shapes while choosing a new lure. But once a pike is safely supported on the mat and there’s a treble to deal with, the right tool suddenly matters a lot more than the paint job on your crankbait. The Fox Rage Pistol Pliers are built around that practical job: gripping hooks with a heavy-duty tool whose angled handle helps you apply pressure and leverage. Straightforward kit, with a proper purpose.
The main talking point is the pistol-grip layout. Rather than putting the handle and working end in the same straight line, it gives you an angled hold. That changes your wrist position and the direction from which you can work on a hook. Depending on where the hook sits, that can make the approach less awkward than it would be with straight pliers. It’s not a magic answer to every tricky treble, mate, but having that different working angle is a useful option when access is tight.
Fox Rage uses carbon steel here, with a gunmetal-grey finish. That fits the heavy-duty brief, though don’t mistake the finish for a promise that you can leave them wet in a zipped pouch all winter. Carbon steel needs looking after. Wipe off muck, clean them appropriately after use and let them dry before storage. If they’ve been near salt water, be especially thorough. It’s a small bit of end-of-session faff, but far better than opening your bag next weekend to find an increasingly crusty tool.
The handles are hard plastic, ergonomically shaped and finished in bright red and black. That colour choice is dead handy when you’re picking them out from a dark tackle pouch or checking that everything’s back in the bag. Hard plastic also means you shouldn’t expect the cushioned feel of a soft-grip handle. The shape is intended to give your hand a purposeful hold, but keep your hands and the tool as clean as practical. Slime and wet kit are part of predator fishing, not a reason to rush.
You’ve got two options: the 8-inch NTL041 and the 12-inch NTL042. The shorter pair makes more sense if compact storage is high on your list, while the longer pair gives you extra reach. For a dedicated pike kit, that reach deserves serious thought. For a mobile lure bag, the shorter option is easier to accommodate. There’s a wrinkle with the published centimetre measurements, which don’t agree across the descriptions and option labels. Stick to the inch size and product code when ordering; that keeps things nice and clear.
Where these fit best is alongside the rest of a sensible predator unhooking setup. Have your mat, suitable net, pliers and proper hook cutters ready before you cast, rather than rummaging for them with a fish waiting. With multi-treble lures, keep track of the free hooks as well as the one you’re removing. A loose treble can catch you or the mesh while your attention is elsewhere. The point of a dedicated tool is to support calm, controlled work—not to encourage a quick tug and hope for the best.
That’s also why the leverage needs putting in context. More purchase on a hook doesn’t mean more force is automatically the answer. Work with the hook’s position, keep the fish supported and use cutters when that’s the safer way to resolve an awkward situation. If you’re new to pike fishing, get an experienced predator angler to show you safe handling and unhooking before heading out alone. A longer pair of pliers can help with access, but it doesn’t teach you how to manage a lively fish or an exposed treble.
So, who should be chuffed to find these in the kit bag? Mostly predator anglers who want a substantial, dedicated hook-gripping tool and like the idea of an angled hold. They’re a less convincing choice for tiny hooks and delicate general coarse work, where a suitable disgorger or finer forceps is usually the better shout. There’s no bite-generating wizardry here, and they won’t turn a blank into a brace. Their value is simpler: being ready to deal with hooks properly once the fish is landed.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Construction
- Carbon steel
- Finish
- Gunmetal grey
- Handle material
- Hard plastic
- Handle design
- Ergonomically shaped, angled pistol grip; red and black
- Shorter option
- 8-inch — NTL041
- Longer option
- 12-inch — NTL042
Specs checked with Fox Rage, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Control matters more than brute force
The pistol grip changes how you approach a hook and apply pressure. That’s useful around awkwardly positioned trebles, but extra leverage is there to help you work carefully—not to wrench a hook free.
Design and build
Closer look: an angled grip with a clear job
You’re buying heavy-duty carbon-steel pliers with a gunmetal-grey finish and shaped hard-plastic handles. The pistol-grip angle is the defining feature. It offers a different hand position from straight pliers and is designed to help you apply pressure and leverage to a hook.
The two sizes are a practical choice between packability and reach. The 8-inch version is NTL041; the 12-inch version is NTL042. Don’t choose the shorter pair purely because it slips neatly into a pocket if the job you’re preparing for calls for more reach.
Worth knowing. Published metric lengths conflict: the overview gives 20.25 cm and 28 cm, while the manufacturer’s option labels give 20 cm and 30 cm. Use the inch size and product code to pick your pair rather than treating either centimetre listing as definitive.
Your unhooking kit
Who it suits: predator anglers putting preparation first
Pike anglers and lure anglers using substantial hooks are the natural audience. Whether you’re settled in a deadbait swim or covering water with a lure rod, having a dedicated tool ready means less rummaging when a fish is landed. Keep it accessible, but secure any exposed hooks and tools before moving swims.
For small perch on tiny singles, or general float fishing with fine-wire hooks, these can be more tool than you need. Match the tool to the hook and fish. Likewise, an angler wanting maintenance-free kit should remember that carbon steel needs cleaning and drying, however smart the grey finish looks.
Think of them as one part of the kit, not the whole answer. Suitable hook cutters still earn their place, and safe handling knowledge matters more than handle length. Keep fish supported, minimise time out of water and avoid repeated pulling at a hook that isn’t coming free cleanly.
Before you choose
FAQs in full: size, care and cutting hooks
Which size should you buy? Choose the 8-inch NTL041 for a more compact tool, or the 12-inch NTL042 when extra reach takes priority. For pike fishing, build your tool selection around safe access rather than the smallest possible bag. Neither length makes careful handling optional.
Are they stainless? No, the construction is carbon steel. The gunmetal-grey appearance is a finish, not a stainless-steel claim. Clean away residue, dry the pliers thoroughly and avoid leaving them shut away wet. Salt-water exposure makes prompt cleaning particularly important.
Can you leave the hook cutters at home? No. These are hook-gripping pliers, and you shouldn’t assume they’ll cut heavy hook wire. Carry cutters suited to the hooks you’re using so that cutting remains an option when it’s safer than further manipulation. Proper preparation beats extra force.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Angled handle gives you a useful alternative working position to straight pliers.
- Carbon-steel construction suits a heavy-duty unhooking tool.
- Two lengths let you prioritise compact storage or extra reach.
- Bright handle colours make them easier to pick out among your kit.
Worth knowing
- Carbon steel needs proper drying and care, especially after salty or damp sessions.
- The longer version takes up more room in a roving bag.
- Hard-plastic handles won’t offer the cushioning of a soft-grip handle.
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01Which size should I choose?
Which size should I choose?
The 8-inch NTL041 is the more compact option. The 12-inch NTL042 gives you more reach, which is useful in a dedicated pike unhooking kit. Choose around the fish, hook arrangements and access you expect—not just the space left in your bag.
02Are they stainless steel?
Are they stainless steel?
No. They’re carbon steel with a gunmetal-grey finish. Clean them after use, dry them properly and pay particular attention after exposure to salt water.
03Do they replace hook cutters?
Do they replace hook cutters?
No. Keep suitable cutters in your predator kit for situations where cutting a hook is the safer route. Don’t assume that pliers designed to grip hooks can cut heavy hook wire.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a sensible addition to your predator kit. The strongest reasons to choose it are angled handle gives you a useful alternative working position to straight pliers. and carbon-steel construction suits a heavy-duty unhooking tool.; the main trade-off is carbon steel needs proper drying and care, especially after salty or damp sessions..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Angled handle gives you a useful alternative working position to straight pliers.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Pike anglers organising a dedicated unhooking kit: The angled grip and longer option suit jobs where hook access and controlled leverage matter.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “Carbon steel needs proper drying and care, especially after salty or damp sessions.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate Fox Rage Pistol Pliers
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Owner reports
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Quick multiple-choice reports from people who say they own the Fox Rage Pistol Pliers. Not verified purchases, and kept separate from our score.
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