If your gonna remove hooks gotta have the right stuff--
Have had good luck carrying two types of pliers most times on the river. First is on my belt and  are long and used to pull hooks from the body of a fish or hooks on the lip or just inside the mouth.
   Generally never completley take fish from the water and the long pliers just seem to work well.
  The second is a kinda surgical plier  that locks at the handle when squeezed. These are great for removing hooks from inside the mouth as they lock on the steel and usually dont slip when removing- one quick process and job over.
 If its hooked real deep in the throat I generally leave well enough alone and just clip the line as close to the hook as possible. Have had some tough experiences trying to get a throat hook out and believe the chances of more damage being done trying to remove  those is commonplace.
 Kinda like a fast release and the pliers of choice are usually clamped between by teeth even before the fish is brought to the waters edge.
 Also remember there is nothing wrong with holding your prey in the water for a while for revival. HATE those guys who pull the hook and kinda just shuffel the fish back in- sometimes only to see it belly up and float off.
 Can lead to some real COLD hands with winter Steel  lol.

retired guy

If your gonna remove hooks gotta have the right stuff--
Have had good luck carrying two types of pliers most times on the river. First is on my belt and  are long and used to pull hooks from the body of a fish or hooks on the lip or just inside the mouth.
  Generally never completley take fish from the water and the long pliers just seem to work well.
The second is a kinda surgical plier  that locks at the handle when squeezed. These are great for removing hooks from inside the mouth as they lock on the steel and usually dont slip when removing- one quick process and job over.
If its hooked real deep in the throat I generally leave well enough alone and just clip the line as close to the hook as possible. Have had some tough experiences trying to get a throat hook out and believe the chances of more damage being done trying to remove  those is commonplace.
Kinda like a fast release and the pliers of choice are usually clamped between by teeth even before the fish is brought to the waters edge.
Also remember there is nothing wrong with holding your prey in the water for a while for revival. HATE those guys who pull the hook and kinda just shuffel the fish back in- sometimes only to see it belly up and float off.
Can lead to some real COLD hands with winter Steel  lol.

 
I do the same thing. I have forceps on a retractable key chain attached to my vest, and needle nose pliers in my vest along with a small pair of wire cutters in my first aid pack (yeah i carry a first aid pack lol) for times when i have to cut a hook out, like the time i got a hook through my finger. Its always good to have a few tools in case something odd happens. 

I think Retired hit on what I feel is the most important point, properly reviving a fish.  Boga style grips are a great tool for aiding this process particularly if the water is cold.  Regardless of whether you use a tool or by hand take the time to properly revive the fish.  It sickens me to see guys drop kick fish back into the water after playing them to exhaustion.  Last Fall, during that prolific early run, some fish took ten minutes or more to properly revive.  Well worth the time and effort when the fish darts back to the pack.

Feel for ya on that 'hook in the finger' thing--lol.
 Grabbed a fish at the tail to revive it last season--thought all the grafitti was gone but  missed a black large hook in the tail-it didnt miss me-deep in the middle finger tip.
 Did the push it back ( to get the barb kinda outa the way) and pull quick thing-- after a few hours my shirt looked like somebody had cut my throat.
 Now I carry a small first aid kit too.
 

It's mostly all good. For salmon I do like using a leatherman . I generally beach salmon when I can or if fishing with newbies or such I will net them but prefer to beach salmon.
It's easy to hold them in the water until they are completely ready.
Steelhead I use and like a net. Mostly due to colder water temps and letting them rest in a net before giving them that hand release to send them swimming.
Hemos work best for me on steel.

Now don't think that every time you take a fish outta the water it's a gonner, have you ever seen the hatchery in operation ? They are pretty tough..
We all should know by now when a fish has been revived enough tho release as best we can .

Hey everyone thanks for all your input. Im glad everyone here is classy and has respect for the fish along with practicing catch and release.

Now the only question left is the DECs take on this.

I really don't consider the DEC take.. If you practice proper fishing etiquette then there should be no worries .. I'm sure everyone has seen most everything (wardens included) to know when a foul hooked fish is intent or not.. If not then you do your best for an unharmed release .. Thats all I can add..

 Shoulda started carrying the 1st aid kit earlier--
  Likely my worst piercing along the SR and its tribs came from walking a Beaver dam on a stream and tripping into a thorn apple tree.
 Several long barbs were impaled on my left arm deep. The skin quickly swelled and the ends were then below the skin level. They were a real problem to remove without breaking them on the inside.
 Could see them but not get to them.
  Took the hook sharpener and put a nice sharp bend on  a hook and managed to 'hook' them and pull. Hadda cut some skin with the knife to get down to the thorns.
  THAT will test your endurance levels  lol.