10 Best Fishing Nippers.
While only a small tool, fishing line nippers are an indispensable part of fishing and fly fishing gear.
As an important tool in our kit, we expect them to work well. But sometimes the nippers don’t cut the line as they should, as the materials and workmanship are poor quality on some nippers. So we studied entry-level, mid-range and high-end nippers to help you make an informed buying decision.
We have compiled the best fishing nippers in a top 10 list.
The Best Fly Fishing and Fishing Line Nippers.
In a hurry? Here is our top 3 picks, based on quality, value and price.
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| Brand / Model | Loon Outdoors Rogue Nippers | Orvis Nippers | Umpqua River Grip Big Nipper |
| Award | Best Value | Best Quality | Best Price |
| Check Price |  |
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| Pros | Comfy grip | Easily cuts thick line | Easy to use |
| Cons | Cutting size | Price | Bulky |
- Loon Outdoors Rogue Nippers
These high-quality steel clippers are a combination of comfort and performance. The rust-resistant finish and comfy non-slip grip offer you extra control while cutting fishing line leaders and tippets. Plus, they’re easy to grip with wet hands.
As most anglers love lightweight gear and easy to use nippers, LOON Rogue offers exactly that! These nippers are lightweight and small, so they’ll easily fit into your pocket or hang of a fly vest. Further, it’s easier to cut light lines with this tool.
Loon is known for producing high quality fishing equipment and fly gear is also an environmentally conscious manufacturers. Combine these cutters with a Zinger retractable for a great bit of fishing kit.
What we like:
- Sharp, rust-resistant finish for quality cutting
- Non-slip grip for convenient nipping
- High-quality, robust design
- Easy to cut light lines and tippets
- Eye cleaning needle
What we don’t like:
- The blades are placed closer, so it is harder to cut thicker diameter fishing line. However, they aren’t meant for thick big game tackle.
- Orvis Nippers
If you want a super sharp product, Orvis is among the best fishing nippers you’ll find. Manufactured in the USA with military-spec anodized aluminum, these Orvis Nippers are going to last for years. The durable structure consisting of stainless steel doesn’t rust easily and stays sharp.
Coming with a comfortable lever handle, this nipper can cut from a big 80 lb. to fine 8X tippets easily. Plus, these have a hook eye cleaner and lanyard for added convenience. They also come with a hinge to cut thick lines and tippets easily.
These fly fishing pliers are a great piece of kit and excellent value for money. Granted they are not the cheapest of the pliers that I have seen, but you can definitely feel the difference in performance compared to the budget models.
Overall I am a fan of the Orvis brand of fishing gear, and these nippers deliver the goods.
What we like:
- Military-spec anodized aluminum for durability
- Can cut 80 lb. to 8X tippets conveniently
- Cuts thicker tippets
- Very sharp
What we don’t like:
- More expensive.
- Umpqua River Grip Big Nipper
The Umpqua Nippers, are a high-quality product. They offer an ergonomic shape and an excellent rubberized grip, you get more control while cutting. Moreover, it’s convenient to use in cold or wet climates.
Experienced anglers have appreciated the design, which makes cutting lines quickly. It is also very durable, which offers great value for money.
What we like:
- Ideal for pro fishers or newbie fishing enthusiasts
- Hook-eye cleaner for better versatility
- Rubberized structure for comfortable grip
- Durable construction at an affordable price
What we don’t like:
- It’s a bit bulky
- Dr. Slick Nippers
The next entry on our list of best fishing nippers is Dr. Slick nippers, a fantastic product. Like its name, these nippers look slick and are made of Japanese stainless steel. As they don’t rust easily, they’re designed to make your fishing trips hassle-free.
These high-quality nippers are very sharp and convenient for cutting all types of tippets. Plus, the blades are spaced properly to ease the process.
What we like:
- Hook-eye cleaning pin for picking knots quickly
- Affordable price
- Sharp blades made of Japanese stainless steel
- Comes with a nail knot tool
What we don’t like:
- Difficult to cut bigger fishing line.
- Dr. Slick Offset Nippers
Similar to the previous product, these Dr Slick fishing nippers are also of top-notch quality. Crafted with Japanese stainless steel, these nippers won’t rust for long. It makes the product more durable.
You’ll find it very convenient to use. However, unlike the previous product, these offset nippers don’t come with a nail knot tool. But the design allows you to use it in tight corners for trimming a tag end properly.
Judging by the price, you can give it a shot!
What we like:
- Made with Japanese stainless steel for smooth cuts
- Hook-eye cleaning pin for added convenience
- Cost-effective
- Lightweight design
What we don’t like:
- No nail knot tool for removing knots.
- Milepetus Fishing Line Nipper
It is one of the most affordable and best fishing nippers available in the market. It has a simple design and stainless steel line cutter. So, it is corrosion-resistant and extremely durable, making it a favorite among many fishing enthusiasts.
You can use the compact clipper for cutting braid lines and unhitching the fishing lines. Moreover, it’s simple to use and store in your fishing toolbox.
These are the cheapest pliers in the range of fly fishing pliers.
What we like:
- Tough blades crafted with stainless steel
- Corrosion-resistant blades
- Affordable pricing
- Nail knot tool for removing line knots
What we don’t like:
- Blades aren’t as precisely sharp as others.
- SAMSFX Fishing 4 in 1 Line Nippers 3.5″ x 1.1″
These are yet another good pair of fishing nippers to make your fishing trips more comfortable. Manufactured with stainless steel blades, these are excellent for clipping fluro and mono lines. Moreover, the design is attractive and has a jumbo size.
It’s great for wet hands due to the thumb bar and comfy grip on it. So, the chances of slipping off from your hands are less.
What we like:
- Zinger retractors easily attach nipper to your vest
- Works as a hook sharpener, eye-cleaning tool, and lure tuning
- Bigger size ideal for adult hands
- Great value for money
What we don’t like:
- Blades on some models, might be blunter than some other models
- SAMSFX Fly Fishing Knot Tying Tools
This SAMSFX product is an all-rounder every angler must-have. It works as a line cutter, knot tightener, hook eye cleaner, and hook sharpener. Having an attractive red river grip crafted with rubber, it will be easier to grip it even your hands are wet.
SAMSFX is a reputed brand and offers a quality trimming blade for better line cutting. The thumb pad is also extra wide for larger hands. Plus, you get zinger retractors for tagging it on your vest.
What we like:
- Comfortable rubber grip with less slippage
- Long-lasting stainless steel construction
- Excellent for mono line cutting and honing hooks
- Lightweight
What we don’t like:
- Too many tools on the one item can get in the way of basic cutting fishing line
- RMISODO 2 Pieces Stainless Steel Fishing Line Nipper
If you’re looking for a durable and attractive nipper, this is the one. The RMISODO nipper is made of stainless steel blades having excellent precision, longevity, no distortion or corrosion. So, you can use these regularly without any issues.
These nippers are ideal for clipping mono and fly fishing lines easily. They are small, lightweight, and sturdy. You get 2 line clippers with the pack, which is a bang for your buck.
What we like:
- Portable and lightweight
- Retractable zinger conveniently attaches it to vest or belt
- Stainless steel blades for efficient cutting
- Durable structure
What we don’t like:
- Cutting small braid can be tricky
- Orvis Comfy Grip Nippers
The final contender for the best fishing line nippers is the Orvis Comfy grip. As the name suggests, it comes with a rubberized gripper for efficient nipping. Plus, they don’t slip away even if your hands are wet.
Moreover, the stainless steel blades make the product suitable for all weather conditions. You also get a large eyelet to attach the nippers to your vest or lanyard easily.
The Orvis Comfy Grip nippers are an excellent pair.
What we like:
- Durable blades suit harsh weather conditions
- Rubberized extra comfort grip
- Pocket-friendly option
- Recessed needle enables easy removal of varnish
What we don’t like:
- Difficult to use with zingers with small ring attachment
Fishing Line Nippers FAQs
What is the difference between clippers and fishing nippers?
Clippers are the ones you have in the bathroom with a lever to trim fingernails. Clippers have a curved edge. Fishing line nippers have a straight blade and will allow you to cut the tag end line closer to the fly or hook.
The other advantage of good fishing nippers is that they are designed to cut lines, not fingernails. When working with small trout, flies or dry flies, it is difficult to prevent the large curved heads of generic fingernail clippers from cutting the hackles of the fly or connected fishing line.
What is the eye cleaning needle for on the nippers?
The eye cleaning needle has two purposes, the first one is the needle spike can be used to separate a knot. As an example if you are fly fishing and you get a wind knot, you can use the needle to help separate and pry the knot apart gently.
The second use, is to clean out the eye of the hook. As an example if you tie flies, sometimes the whip finish and varnish can cover the eye of the hook. So the spike is used to insert into the hook eye and clean it out, so you can insert the tippet through it.
Fishing in water with mud or algae the eye of the hook can get filled up with muck, especially if it dries. You can use the spike to poke into the fish hook eye, so it is easier to insert fishing line leader into the hook eye.
What is a fishing Zinger retractor for?
This is a great bit of kit that attaches to your fly vest or fishing bag at one end and the other to the nipper. This allows you to easily locate the nippers quickly and extend it to use it. When you are finished with it, the zinger retracts back out of the way.
A zinger also stops the line nippers from getting lost or falling out of your fishing bag, as it is attached on a lanyard. (Great for attaching to a fly fishing vest, otherwise if you are wading in the water and bend over, your nipper can fall out of the pocket and into the water.)
You can also get a few different types of zingers, ones with a retractable spool, the other type is more like a coil lanyard.
Some cheaper zingers cannot retract after some use. I have had plenty cheap ones that get jammed and don’t re-tract properly.
Zingers and lanyards can also be used to attach dry fly floatant, leather leader straightener, forceps and other fishing tools to it.
Conclusion. Best Fishing Nippers
As you can see from our overview above, not all fishing line nippers are the same.
While you can get cheaper fishing nippers, a quality set will last a long time. High quality nippers are more resistant to corrosion and can offer sharper durable blades.
I spend a lot of time on the water, so the upfront costs for high quality fishing nippers are worthwhile in the long run. I used to go through a few cheap tools every season, but when you think about how much you depend on these little things, it’s worth the investment.
