You see some things walking around ICAST, like a creepy robotic dog and a bunch of fake human arms and legs. If you’re on social media at all, you’ve probably seen clips of both of them. The latter was used to demonstrate one of the most popular tools of the show, the DHUKR hook removal tool.
I first saw the tools at a small, tucked-away corner booth during the on-the-water day. I participated in a demonstration and walked away thinking it was a cool idea. It ended up being a highlight of the show.
In short: The DHUKR line of tools is the easiest, most effective way to remove a hook from a human. If you’ve ever used heavy line wrapped around a hook to pull a jig out of your buddy, you’ll be familiar with the basic premise of this tool. While you hope to never use it, the DHUKR could keep you on the water rather than heading to the local ER.
I spend a lot of time fishing and have been stabbed by countless hooks. Removal isn’t as big a deal as people make it out to be. All you have to do is pull the hook out the exact same way it went in. That means pulling backward in line with the hook shank, while applying pressure to the eye of the hook to eliminate twist. Easy.
But people are squeamish and mess it up. You have to go in confidently and do it right, or else you’ll end up really pissing off your friend.
DHUKR hook removal tools take all the guesswork out and ensure a quick, painless removal. To use the DHUKR, first place the rear hook of the tool around the embedded hook shank and slide it down to the bend of the hook.
After that, place the upper “fins” over the top of the hook and apply downward pressure. While still applying that pressure, pull rearward. The hook will quickly pop free.
What Hooks Does It Work On?
The DHUKR will pull almost every hook out of an angler, except for the smallest of flies. But anything size 14 and bigger is fair game. I saw it remove heavy jig heads, massive saltwater treble hooks with multiple points dug in, and flies.
There are different DHUKRs for different-sized lures. There are now three variations, with the new “Dink tool” designed for hooks sized 1-14. The other two are for the same-sized hooks, size one up to giant 9/0 hooks. Those two variations have different handles.
Final Thoughts
As the Boy Scout Motto Says, “Be prepared.” You don’t think about hook removal until it’s too late. Then it’s the only thing you can think about.
The DHUKR retails for approximately $50. They’re available for purchase on Amazon or the DHUKR website. While the price may seem steep, you’ll be glad you spent the money when disaster strikes. As DHUKR says, it’s cheaper than an ER visit.
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