The 5 Best Fly Fishing Nippers in 2024 – Buyers Guide

best fly fishing nippers

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One key piece of fly fishing gear no fly fisherman can live without is a good pair of nippers. Fly fishing nippers always need to be ready and accessible to help you rerig your leader and flies as fast as possible so you can get your line back on the water.

But, not all fly fishing nippers are created equal and the last thing you need is for this essential tool to start failing while you fly fish which is why we have created this buyers guide.

Image Product Details  
flyfisherpro-table__imageBest Nippers For ComfortOrvis Comfy Grip Nippers
  • Comfortable grip and easy to use
  • Eye cleaning needle
  • Corrosion-resistant material
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest Fly fishing Nippers On A BudgetLoon Outdoors Rogue Nipper with Knot Tool
  • Eye cleaning pin
  • Nail knot tyer
  • Very affordable
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest Of The Best Fly Fishing NippersABEL Nippers
  • Made from aerospace-grade aluminum
  • Super sharp cutting edge
  • Best quality nippers around
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest All-RounderLoon Outdoors NIP N’ SIP V2
  • Eye cleaning pin
  • Sharp cutting edge
  • Durable and long-lasting
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest For FreshwaterUmpqua River Grip Nippers
  • Ergonomic and easy to use
  • Rubberized grip for comfort
  • Long-lasting
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Join me as we take a look at the best fly fishing nippers on the market so you can ensure you have the best fly fishing nippers with you on the water to keep you fishing and not scrambling for a pen knife to trim your tag ends.

Detailed Best Fly Fishing Nippers Review

Orvis Comfy Grip Nippers

orvis comy grip nippers

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Best Nippers For Comfort

Specs

Material: Surgical stainless steel

Weight: 2 grams

Lanyard: No

Replaceable teeth: No

Pros

  • Comfortable grip and easy to use
  • Sharp jaws cut lines easily
  • Affordable
  • Eye cleaning needle
  • Corrosion-resistant material
  • Rust-resistant finish
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to attach to a retractable lanyard
  • Durable and long-lasting
  • Super affordable

Cons

  • Doesn’t attach to small rings/swivels
  • Not so great on thick lines
  • No extra features

Some of the best fly fishing nippers on the market have to be the Orvis Comfy Grip Nippers. These Orvis nippers feature a durable design with an excellent build quality that ensures you will be saving time on the water instead of struggling with nail clippers.

Built from surgical grade stainless steel, you can use these Orvis nippers in both fresh and saltwater, and they will not corrode. The cutters are super sharp on these Orvis nippers too which makes trimming your leader and tippet a breeze.

These Orvis nippers also come with a soft grip that makes them easier to use than standard nippers and more comfortable too. You will also find an eye cleaner at one end to take any dried resin out of the hooks to make tying flies on much faster.

To top it all off, these fly fishing nippers are incredibly affordable for their quality. But, they are great as thick line nippers, nor do they come with features like a hook sharpener or a tool for tying nail knots, but these would come at an extra cost.

Loon Outdoors Rogue Nipper with Knot Tool

Loon Outdoors Rogue Nipper with Knot Tool

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Best Fly fishing Nippers On A Budget

Specs

Material: Stainless steel w/ rust-resistant coasting

Weight: 8 grams

Lanyard: No

Replaceable teeth: No

Pros

  • Eye cleaning pin
  • Nail knot tyer
  • The cutting edge stays sharp and cuts well
  • Very affordable
  • Corrosion-resistant and long-lasting
  • Clip anywhere for easy access
  • Very affordable

Cons

  • Might not handle saltwater very well

The Loon Outdoors Rogue Nipper with Knot Tool is an awesome fly fishing nipper as it comes with everything you need to fish efficiently on the water.

This essential tool is designed to last as it is made with stainless steel with durable rust-resistant coasting, which means it can be used in the fresh and the salt. Be careful in the slat though as the coating can come off these fly fishing nippers so be sure to rinse them.

The blades on these nipper tools are sharp and work well for thin and thick fishing lines, the nippers also come with a nail knot tool and an eye cleaning pin too. This means you can do everything quickly from tying your leader onto your fly line to cleaning the hook eyes and adding a fly with ease.

Now, these are not high-end nippers, but they are incredibly affordable compared to all the other nippers so if you are a fly fisherman on a budget, these might just be the right nippers for you.

But, with regards to quality and despite being super handy, these line nippers might not last as long as more expensive fishing nippers and you might find yourself buying a new pair of fishing nippers before the season is out.

ABEL Nippers

ABEL Nippers

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Best Of The Best Fly Fishing Nippers

Specs

Material: Anodized 6061-T6 aluminum body

Weight: 3 grams

Lanyard: No

Replaceable cutter: Yes

Pros

  • Made from aerospace-grade aluminum
  • Recessed needle for cleaning hook eyes
  • Knife-grade steel cutting blades
  • Super sharp cutting edge
  • Replaceable jaws
  • Jaws cut everything from 7x to 100lb mono lines
  • You can even cut backing with it
  • Will never die, even in saltwater
  • Two Year limited warranty on the jaws
  • Best quality nippers around

Cons

  • A very expensive pair of nippers

At first glance, these ABEL Nippers will send you running for cover as they are extremely expensive but if you want some high-end nippers that you will have for life, no matter where you fish, then these are the fly fishing nippers for you.

This pair of fly fishing nippers are made from aerospace-grade aluminum which makes them the highest quality around. Nothing is going to affect this tool from being dropped to being submerged in salty water for days at a time.

This tool is designed to cut every kind of line thickness from thick lines of 100 lb mono to braid and even thin 8x line too.

The blades, therefore, as you can imagine, are super sharp on this quality tool and there are replaceable too, so you can order a fresh pair if they go blunt, which shouldn’t happen before two years are up (as they are under warranty for 2 years).

The nipper also comes with an eye cleaning tool, a textured grip for use when wet, and the lanyard attachment loop is in the perfect place.

Yes, these nippers are mind-bogglingly expensive but if you want a pair you will be fly fishing with for the rest of your life, these are the ones for you.

Loon Outdoors NIP N’ SIP V2

Loon Outdoors NIP N' SIP V2

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Best All-Rounder

Specs

Material: Stainless steel

Weight: 2 grams

Lanyard: Yes

Replaceable teeth: Yes

Pros

  • Eye cleaning pin
  • Bottle opener
  • Sharp cutting edge
  • Replaceable jaws
  • Durable and long-lasting
  • Heavy duty
  • Easily attaches to a lanyard
  • Handles saltwater and corrosion with ease

Cons

  • You might need to sharpen the jaws
  • A little expensive for the quality

The Loon Outdoors NIP N’ SIP V2 nippers are a super useful fly fishing tool as they come with extras that others don’t. It is hard to find nippers with extra tools outside of the usual which makes fly fishing easier and more convenient.

The tool this nipper has which all the others don’t is a bottle opener, so when you want a cold beer at lunch or after fishing, this nipper has you covered. In addition to the opener, these nippers also come with an eye-cleaning pin plus super sharp blades.

The blades arrive a little blunt so you will have to sharpen them a bit but they are great quality and designed to cut every line size. You can also replace the blades on the nipper so you don’t have to buy another pair when they are done.

In addition, this line nipper is built from top-quality stainless steel so you can take it fly fishing in salty environments without any worry, drop the nippers and they won’t dent, and they are simply just going to last.

The one disappointing thing about these fly fishing nippers is that they are quite expensive considering you have to sharpen the nipper on arrival but they should last for years so that balances it out in my eyes.

Umpqua River Grip Nippers

Umpqua River Grip Nippers

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Best For Freshwater

Specs

Material: Tungsten Carbide & stainless steel

Weight: 2 grams

Lanyard: No

Replaceable teeth: No

Pros

  • Ergonomic and easy to use
  • Rubberized grip for comfort
  • Super sharp tungsten carbide cutters
  • Eye cleaner for hook eyes
  • Long-lasting
  • Will handle saltwater
  • Jaws stay sharp
  • Free-rotating ring attachment
  • Easy to use with wet hands

Cons

  • Could be sharper

The Umpqua River Grip Nippers come in at amazing value for the quality and are the perfect fly fishing nippers for anyone who goes fishing in freshwater the majority of the time.

These nippers are built from a stainless steel body, are tough and durable, and lightweight too. The body also comes with a soft grip that ensures the nipper is comfy to use when you are fly fishing and is dripping when wet too.

The blades on these nippers are made from tungsten carbide that is both pretty sharp, long-lasting, and doesn’t go blunt easily. You will be able to snip thin and thick lines with ease but it will max out at about 50 lb mono.

Overall, these nippers are of incredible value for their quality as they are super affordable while being tough and long-lasting too. You will be fishing with these nippers for at least a few years.

My one grip with these fly fishing nippers is that they don’t arrive very sharp and you will want to spend some time sharpening them when they arrive.

What material is best for nippers?

When it comes to buying nippers you have to ensure the ones you buy are made to handle the environment you want to be in. For you salty fly anglers reading this, this is of the utmost importance as the salt will have poor quality nippers disintegrating in no time.

All the nippers featured are made from stainless steel material or better which means they should handle any fishing environment but that is not a guarantee. Stainless with a corrosion-resistant coating is better but if you are in the salt often, aerospace aluminum is best.

nippers design

For any fly anglers who only go fly fishing in freshwater, good stainless nippers are a solid choice.

What tools should my nippers come with?

If you have read through the entire article, you will have noticed that some of them come with extra tools while others are just nippers.

All the nippers featured have an eye cleaning tool to clear any resin from the hook eye so you can tie knots easily but some come with a nail knot tool, and others even have a beer opener.

When choosing a pair, always pick the ones that come with the right tools to make your life on the water easier, as that is the whole point of owning them.

Does a higher price equal a higher quality nipper?

Yes, as with all fly fishing gear, a higher price does equate to better quality but not everyone has a huge budget, especially for a pair of snips.

I would recommend selecting some snippers that are at the top end of your budget as by doing so, you will stretch the time until you need a fresh pair as far as possible.

I always go for the expensive options as personally, I believe in having something that will last forever and is an investment. It is less wasteful, I will never have to buy them again, and I can take them anywhere without any worries. Yes, I own the Abel snippers just for this reason.

Is comfort a thing I need to think about?

Using a nipper isn’t uncomfortable in my eyes, especially when using them to snip a thin line. But when it comes to a thick line, you might have to apply a lot of pressure. This is when a comfy grip makes a difference, especially if you have sensitive hands.

fly fishing nippers conclusion

Snipping Up

Thank you very much for reading my article. I hope you enjoyed it and have found the best fly fishing nippers for you. Remember that price does equal quality with fishing gear and nippers are no different so you should think of higher-priced options as an investment instead of an extra cost.

Please share the artcile around with your fly fishing buddies, as they all need some good nippers, and why not check out some of our other articles. We cover everything from how. to catch GTs on the fly to the best fresh and saltwater fly fishing rods on the market.

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5 thoughts on “The 5 Best Fly Fishing Nippers in 2024 – Buyers Guide”

  1. Could you write another post on this going into a little bit more detail? I had some questions that weren’t answered here but I liked what you had to say on the subject. Love to hear more of your perspective.

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