An “automatic and universal hook extractor”, it says here. The idea is you’ve hooked and landed a fish, you need to get the hook out. Slip the leaders into a slit on the plastic head, slide the head down the leader to the hook and pull the trigger, the head turns and the hook turns with it, freeing the hook. Ingenious!

On the face of it this is about catch-and-release where the essence is getting the hook out fast and clean without harm to fish. A Larchy may help but until I get more practice I remain unconvinced this is faster or better for fish. I had to hold my fish still while threading the head onto the leader. The fish wasn’t exactly pleased.

Where this is useful is extracting swallowed hooks. The trout had been knocked on the head, it had taken the hook deep – the Larchy threaded down the line to the hook and turned the hook out of the trout – quick and simple even compared to standard forceps.