By No Bananas Staff Journalist
Dr. Slick Company makes some of the finest fly fishing & tying tools in the world. They are so good that they are referred to as instruments due to their surgical background. Dr. Slick joined the Kayak Fishing ClassicS as a sponsor and provider of fine surgical pliers for the 2011 series year. The ClassicS needed to get a grip on some good pliers for the series contestants that were noticed fumbling with their own pliers while fly fishing.
Most of the anglers had the standard larger pliers that were just too big to easily do some of the tasks that need to be done in fly fishing. For example try pinching down just the point of the hook barb on a small fly. Pinching just the barb point forms a bump instead of a sharp and damaging barb. The 'Bump' has an impressive 80% holding capabilities of the hurtful barb and it makes it much easier to remove the hook in the photo release series.
Capt. Pat Horrigan of the ClassicS had been using these nifty little pliers for over a decade and loved them. The pliers have a post on the side that the captain uses to secure the hook while pulling knots tight. The post also acts as a stop so your hand won't slip down the handles, which is unlikely due to the foam grips on them. Capt. Pat thought the same pliers would be perfect for the series and he and Dr. Slick got together.
There have been a number of pliers awarded so far in the series and we spoke with several of the anglers that have won a pair of the doctor's handy work. Most of the anglers have now switched to using the Dr. Slick Bullet Head pliers all of the time. There are a few anglers that use their larger pliers for heavier work and use the Dr. Slick's for finer operations. Many of the anglers have found that it is much easier to remove a hook with the little pliers. It is also a much faster operation which equates to less stress on the fish.
Getting a grip on your mono fishing line can be a challenge for larger tools as the jaws are not designed for this task when lines are smaller than 60 pound test. Dr. Slick gives you a great grip no matter how small the line diameter and does so without damage. If you like to hold the hook at the bend to set your knots, you will find that the Bullet Head makes this much easier and won't distort the hook bend.
Dr. Slick addressed the onset of braided lines by including a special pair of scissors that fit nicely into the durable plier's holster that is included with them to keep everything at the ready. Captain Pat first learned of the advantages of small pliers while watching Flip Pallot remove a large fly from a tarpons mouth with them. "It was like a quick surgical procedure that was over almost before it began. I had to get a pair of them and have been using them since."
The contestants are catching on to the advantages of getting a grip with Dr. Slick Bullet Head pliers and they have quickly become a much sought after prize in the ClassicS events. Good news for the fish and the anglers alike. Perhaps you should try a pair. Take a look at all of the great products that Dr. Slick provides at www.KayakFishingClassicS.com
(ArticlesBase SC #4761771)
