When fishing in or on the shore of rivers there is a higher chance that the pliers will get wet. In my case I deliberately submerged the pliers on multiple occasions, even exposing the spring mechanism to debris. The center spring joint is well sealed and though I submerged it and dropped it in gritty areas the pliers continued to open and close smoothly. In addition to giving the pliers a distinct appearance the anodized surface also helps resist corrosion, a big plus if you plan on employing these pliers in brackish or saltwater environments.

The pliers have non slip handles which remained grippy even when wet

The ergonomics on these pliers is also quite good and on the outer edge of each handle anglers will find a rubber handle which provides a better tactile surface when working with this tool. Even when these pliers were wet I found I was able to maintain a secure grip. Of course if you do ever drop these pliers as long as you have the lanyard and sheath strapped in they won’t be going anywhere.

The lanyard works and keeps the pliers pinned to your belt

The lanyard provides plenty of room to work and I found that I could extend the pliers a good four feet away from the sheath with no problem. To test the durability of the lanyard we stretched the pliers out and even flung them, which was a bad idea since the lanyard did its job and the pliers came rocketing back like a boomerang. The sheath also has a rotational plastic buckle so it can pivot on your belt. While the rotation is a plus the sheer bulk that this mechanism adds is a downside.

 
These pliers are good for changing out split rings and hooks

Over the course of our tests the pliers performed well and the stainless steel jaws do a good job at everything from helping remove fish hooks to changing out split rings. The one thing we did notice was the cutters did become duller over time and after just a month of use I could tell that I had to squeeze harder to sever thicker braided lines. These cutters are replaceable but unfortunately we couldn’t find anywhere online to order a new pair of blades, which somewhat defeats the purpose of having them replaceable in the first place.

Even when submerged in gritty material the pliers remained smooth

Price & Applications: Now if you cannot replace the cutters it isn’t the end of the world as they still will cut through most traditional lines and you have to consider the fact that these pliers are very reasonably priced. Ranging from $39.99-49.99 on Bass Pro, depending on the promotional period these pliers are cheaper than many competing offerings that have many less features. Sure they are not as refined as a pair of Abel pliers but they don’t cost nearly as much either.

The steel jaws are able to handle small split shot

These pliers are a bit too big for most trout applications but are great for bass anglers that routinely need to switch out hooks or dislodge treble and worm hooks from fish. The cutters do a good job for most lines but are a bit light for heavier saltwater applications. For mid-sized species these pliers are a good option.

Conclusion: There are hunters and fishermen out there that love the “Buckmark” and have it proudly displayed on the back of their car, in their garage in the form of a gun safe or perhaps own Browning firearms or knives, perhaps they even have Browning branded bedsheets up at their cabin. I’ve even met outdoor enthusiasts that have tattooed the logo on their arm, which really demonstrates passion for a brand. Browning has become a worldwide recognized brand and Bass Pro’s Browning pliers do a good job providing not just fans of the brand, but all mainstream anglers with a quality option at a reasonable price point.

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