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Rising releases a tool for Bass anglers, the "Work" pliers
(continued)
 "Design"
continued: Moving
further down the Work we come to the crimp ridge. This feature is great for
crimping sleeves, split shot, or bull shot. The ridge is a complete half circle
(positive and negative) and is great at holding small objects that require
crimping. I found it easy to position even somewhat odd sized objects like bull
shot between the semi-circle slot.
Performing "surgery" to free a
hula grub near the gill array
Directly below the crimp
ridge is the much used cutter. We used the cutter to slice through mono, braid,
and even light wire. The cutter was very sharp when new and did take on some
damage over time (our stress testing in saltwater applications didn’t help).
Overall the cutters held up as well as could be expected.
The grips could do with slightly
thicker padding
With most pliers that would
pretty much sum up all the elements, but the Work has two more notable features.
The Work has a nifty 3-click locking end which makes it possible to clamp the
tool over items, making it easy to keep the pliers on the hookpoint as fish
thrash about during the dehooking process.
The locking back open
Finally the Work does have a
hole near the locking end that can be used to put a split ring and lanyard
through if you want to tether the pliers to your holster or vest. Sounds simple,
but many pliers on the market do not have the ability to attach a cord.
Three notches apply varying
pressure when clamped closed
Operation: The Work
pliers feel halfway between traditional bass pliers from manufacturers like
Rapala and hemostats. When dehooking fish I found the Work pliers to be more
precise than most pliers, it actually felt as if I was performing surgery on
largemouth. The extra long 8.5” model made it easy to remove treble hooks from
fish that consumed jerkbaits. This certainly helped keep fish alive, especially
those that hook themselves dangerously close to their gills.
A closeup of the rubber
grip
Ergonomics: While
the pliers felt extremely precise and easy to use the grips leave a little to be
desired when really squeezing down hard. There isn’t much insulation on these
grips, and because the pliers are so small in diameter they are not as
comfortable as some pliers when twisting hooks away in sharp motions. The grips
did however prove to be non slip and still good even when wet.
A hole at the base of the grip
allows you to attach a split ring and tether the tool
Durability:
Like any good pair of pliers the Work tool is simple, reliable, and durable. You
can run over these pliers with a truck and chances are they will be no worse for
wear. Over the last year and half the Work’s spring continues to function
perfectly, and the only area where there has been any damage are the cutters.
Premium pliers now come with the ability to change out the cutters after they
have been damaged, but keep in mind pliers like the Ross Pescador cost six times
as much as the Work does.
These pliers make saving fish easy
for those quick catch and release shots
Price & Applications:
The Work pliers are very reasonably priced for a tool that isn’t just another
me-too pair of pliers. The 6” model retails for 20 dollars, and the 8.5” model
costs only 4 dollars more. Who should be interested in these pliers? While they
were primarily designed for bass fishermen I think that Rising has created a
crossover tool that will appeal to fly fishermen, or bass anglers that dabble in
fly. Because these pliers are so good for precision work they will excel for
trout applications and smallmouth where it sometimes is harder to get in there
and remove the lure safely. The Work pliers are available on a number of e-tail
sites on the web. The easiest place to find them is at the Fly Shop. Both sizes
are currently available online.
Ratings:
|
Rising Work Plier
Ratings (?/10) |
| Construction/Quality |
The
Work pliers are simple and well built. Rising uses quality materials and
there is no area that is prone to failure |
9 |
| Performance |
These pliers are not the ultimate bass pliers, but are a nice crossover
product for bass anglers that want a tool that will also perform well for
other species...especially trout. The longer model is really good at getting
into the fish's mouth and safely removing deep hooked lures |
8 |
| Price |
Overall a reasonable price for a quality pair of pliers |
8 |
| Features |
This pair of pliers showcases quite a few features for a tool in this price
range. A feature not normally found on other pliers is the useful locking
mechanism |
8.5 |
| Design
(Ergonomics) |
Ergonomically the Work pliers are good for fly fishermen but could use some
adjustment for bass anglers. The grips need a little more padding for more
comfort when applying torque. This feels like a precision tool more than a
heavy pair of pliers |
7 |
| Application |
Not
recommended for any salt applications but this pair of pliers will suit
freshwater anglers well, especially those that enjoy targeting multiple
species |
8.5 |
|
Total Score |
8.16 |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus |
| J
Not another re-skinned "me too" pair of
pliers |
L
Grips could be thicker padded for more
comfort when rotating |
| J
Feels very precise, like a cross between
pliers and a hemostat |
|
| J
Good for bass anglers that also fish for
trout |
|
| J
Reasonable price |
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Conclusion: At first
when I started using the Work pliers I found them a bit light for removing
jerkbaits from fish like Striped Bass but after time I found applications that
the Work actually was superior to traditional pliers. This included tuning
baits, and carefully removing hooks from fish…especially those that were deep
hooked. The long thin nose makes getting into tight spots easy, and I am
positive I have saved many fish a lot of undue stress over the last year by
carefully removing hooks and getting them back into the water quickly. The
Rising Work isn’t the perfect set of pliers for every bass angler, but it can be
a very appealing alternative to those anglers that enjoy pursuing both bass and
trout.
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