BK,

There's an easier way than pliers. When I did Kodiak they keyed me onto a hook release tool. If you use barbless its very fast and easy and causes no damage to the fish. You put it on your line , follow it down to the hook than pull oposite of the way the hook is in with the tool and push the line away. then the hook just pops right out. Makes it easy to release fish right out in the main current. Some even have a floating handle so if it goes in it dosent sink. I know Jim Tenny sells them out of his catalog. But If you take a look at it you can make your own if you find the right kind of wire.