How to Unhook a Pike Safely
By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026
The pike is on the mat, the trebles are behind a row of teeth, and the forceps in your bag were bought for trout. Now every second counts against the fish.
Here is how to unhook a pike safely: lay it on a wet mat, hold the lower jaw from inside the gill cover away from the gill rakers, and work the hooks out with forceps at least 10 inches long. If a hook will not come free quickly, cut it. That sequence follows the Pike Anglers’ Club code of conduct.
One PAC principle sits behind every step: minimum handling equals maximum conservation. The six steps below run in the order things happen on the bank. For the wider picture, see our pike fishing guide.
Step 1: Lay Out the Right Unhooking Kit Before You Cast
Swap short pliers for 10-inch forceps and most unhooking gets quicker. Piscor’s guide to releasing pike describes helping anglers who turned up with trout-sized pliers and could not get the hooks out in time.
Set everything out within arm’s reach of the mat before the first cast. These are the pike unhooking tools that matter, with PAC’s specs where it sets them.
| Tool | Spec | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Long forceps or long-nose pliers | 10 inches minimum (PAC) | Reach past the teeth and gill rakers |
| Long-reach cutters | Wire or side cutters (PAC) | Cut a hook that will not come out |
| Short pliers | Standard length (Angling Times) | Quick work on hooks at the lip |
| Unhooking mat or cradle | Large and padded, never bare hard ground (PAC); wet it first (Piscor); a sladle-type mat in a boat (PAC) | Keeps the fish off hard ground |
| Landing net | Large and knotless: 42-inch-plus triangle or 85cm x 70cm oval (PAC) | Room for the fish |
| Weigh sling | Large, or a combined mat and sling (PAC) | Cuts out an extra transfer |
| Gloves | Optional | See Step 4 |
Two things stay at home. PAC says never use a pike gag, because forceps and a hand hold do the job. It also says Boga-style grips should never be used to hold or unhook pike, and Piscor warns they can cause permanent jaw damage.
Buy by spec, not by brand. Our full pike fishing setup covers the rest of the kit.
If your forceps fit in a shirt pocket, they are too short.
Step 2: Strike Early and Land the Pike Quickly
PAC puts it bluntly: it is better to miss a pike than to hook it deeply. The easiest pike to unhook is hooked at the front of the jaw, and the strike decides that.
- Strike as soon as you have a run. Waiting lets the pike swallow the bait.
- Keep the rods close and bite indication sensitive. Angling Times describes anglers running to distant rods while the bait goes further down.
- Fish tackle that ends the fight quickly. PAC’s all-round minimum is 18lb mono or 65lb braid, with a wire trace of at least 30lb and 18 inches or more for bait fishing.
- Use semi-barbless or crushed-barb hooks in sizes 4 to 6. PAC adds that semi-barbless is no excuse for letting a pike swallow the bait.
- Hook legered deadbaits correctly: top hook in the tail root, the other no further forward than the dorsal fin.
- Avoid stainless steel hooks. A PAC fact sheet on safe pike rigs notes they never corrode if left in a fish.
When I’m deadbaiting for pike on Windermere, I keep the rods beside me so I can hit runs early. More in our guides to pike deadbaiting and pike lure fishing.
Step 3: Unhook in the Net if the Hooks Are at the Front
Plenty of pike never need to leave the water.
If you can see the trebles at the lip, leave the fish in the landing net in the margin and slip them out with long forceps. PAC’s warm-water piking guide notes that lure trebles are generally easier to remove than deep bait trebles.
Warm water raises the stakes. PAC explains that pike recover oxygen poorly after long exertion, and that time out of the water is the killer in warm weather. Its advice is to unhook in the net in the water wherever possible.
PAC also advises not fishing for pike once the water reaches 18°C or above. That is club guidance, not law. A water thermometer earns its place on late spring and early autumn sessions.
Milestone: the hooks are out in the net, or the pike goes onto a wet mat for Step 4. Use the mat only when the hooks are out of sight or out of reach.
Step 4: Get a Safe Hold on the Mat, Gill Cover Not Gill Rakers
Nervous anglers hesitate as their hand moves towards the mouth. Hesitation is time out of the water, so learn the hold before you need it.
- Lay the pike on the wet mat with its fins flat against its body.
- Kneel astride it with your knees along its flanks. Never sit on the fish.
- Slide a flat hand, fingers together, inside the gill cover and along its inner face to the point of the lower jaw.
- Grip the jaw and lift gently so the mouth opens.
- If you feel the body tense through your knees, ease off until it settles.
Advice on position conflicts. PAC’s code says lay the pike on its back and hold the lower jaw firmly through the gill cover. Angling Times shows the fish on its side. Both agree on the critical point: hold through the gill cover, well away from the gill rakers, so treat PAC’s on-its-back hold as the standard and use whichever position keeps the fish calmest.
Keep your fingers off the gill rakers. Angling Times describes them as delicate and sharp, and damaged rakers bleed heavily.
Pike gloves are optional:
| Glove | Good for | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Leather gardening-type | Confidence and some cut protection (Angling Times) | Will not stop every cut, and you lose feel |
| Wet neoprene | Quick work with wet hands (Piscor) | Backed by one non-UK source only |
Handling pike means the odd graze from the teeth, which Angling Times treats as inevitable. The bigger risk is a loose treble going into your hand if the fish kicks, so keep your free hand clear of the bait until the pike settles.
Step 5: Remove the Hooks, or Cut Them and Move On
The hardest call when you unhook a pike is knowing when to give up on a hook. Persisting costs the fish more than cutting does.
Start with the treble you can reach most easily. Grip the hook near the bend with the forceps and turn it back out along the line it went in. PAC asks for extra care when putting forceps behind the gill covers, and for a firm hold on the fish throughout.
For a hook further back, Angling Times describes passing the forceps closed through the gill rakers from behind the gill cover, opening them only once they are through. Go slowly here. This is the one place where speed causes damage.
If a hook will not come free quickly, cut it with long-reach cutters rather than persist. PAC’s warm-water guide tells anglers to carry cutters so hooks can be cut rather than struggled with. Piscor suggests finishing a deep-hooked fish in under a minute.
This is where your hook choice from Step 2 pays off. A cut hook left in the fish should be one that will corrode, which is why PAC advises against stainless steel.
A pike that needed cutting has had a harder time than most. Put it back in the landing net in the water to recover before you think about photos.
If you have tried twice and the hook has not moved, reach for the cutters.
Step 6: Photograph, Recover and Release Your Pike
Good unhooking counts for nothing if the pike rolls belly-up beside the net after a long photo session. The job ends when the fish swims off.
Keep photos quick and low over the mat. Support the fish with one hand under the jaw and the other arm under the vent. Avoid a vertical one-handed hold, any squeeze under the neck, and the carp-style hand under the head and belly, which Angling Times says stresses a pike’s spine.
PAC’s rules for the rest of the job:
- Weigh in a sling, never with a balance hook under the chin.
- No extended retention and no carp sacks. Use a flotation sling, a pike tube or the landing net for brief recovery.
- Make sure the pike has fully recovered before release, and support it until it swims off strongly.
To release, hold the pike upright in the water by the wrist of the tail and ease it gently to and fro until it kicks. Never let go while it rolls or lists.
A pike that swims away strongly under its own power is a properly unhooked pike. For where to find the next one, head back to our pike fishing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Should you use a gag to unhook a pike?
No. The Pike Anglers' Club says never use a pike gag. A hand hold through the gill cover opens the mouth, and forceps at least 10 inches long reach the hooks without the jaws being forced apart. See Step 4 above for the full hold.
What are the best pike unhooking tools?
Forceps or long-nose pliers at least 10 inches long, long-reach cutters, a large padded unhooking mat and a large knotless landing net. Add a pair of short pliers for hooks at the lip. PAC says never use Boga-style grips on pike. The table in Step 1 covers each spec.
Do you need gloves to unhook a pike?
No, gloves are optional. Angling Times suggests a leather gardening-type glove for confidence, but it will not stop every cut and costs some feel. The bare-hand hold through the gill cover remains the standard method. Piscor suggests practising first with the fish still in the net.
Can you fish for pike in summer?
PAC advises not fishing for pike once the water reaches 18°C or above, and unhooking in the net in the water during warm weather. This is club guidance rather than law, so check your venue's own rules before you fish, and carry a water thermometer.