It’s always a challenge to buy something for a hobbyist and fishing is no different. You need to find a fishing gift idea they’ll actually appreciate and find useful. If you yourself know nothing of the hobby, this can be extremely challenging. Luckily for you, I can help you out.
In this post, I’ll explain the why behind why certain items make a great gift in some detail. We’ll talk about practical fishing gifts (the fishing equivalent of “socks”), what to buy if you really want to “wow” someone, and also some cool gift ideas (think, the kind of stuff he/she probably wants to try, but doesn’t want to spend their own money on). My goal is to let you know the sort of gifts every fisherman wants so you can get them something they’ll actually use and in some cases treasure.
Practical Fishing Gifts
There are certain fishing gifts that are basically the equivalent of “socks and underwear.” While they aren’t exactly “cool” fishing gifts, there is something to be said for practical items that are guaranteed to be used. These are the sort of items that every angler needs, and that most anglers have to stock up on year over year. While you aren’t going to take their breath away with any of these, you might just get some brownie points for actually knowing what these items are, and why they’re important.
O-Rings
If you have a bass fisherman in the family, they can never have enough o-rings. These are little rubber circles that are meant to keep artificial worms on the hook longer during the wacky-rig technique. O-rings prevent the worm from falling off the hook easily. This means that one gets much more use out of the lure. Given that the better plastic worms are fairly expensive, o-rings are a great item for any tackle box.
If you need further proof of how much people love these, I earn more frequent commissions on the sale of o-rings than other item I talk about on this blog. This is a guaranteed win. You can purchase a large set of o-rings plus an extremely handy tool to put them on with at Amazon. This is also an obscure enough gift that the recipient is going to know that you put some time into thinking about. There’s simply no way you’d come up with this without research. So, it’s practical, but it’s also extremely thoughtful. That’s a great fishing gift if you ask me.
Sinkers
Sinkers are weighted objects that are used to “sink” a lure or presentation down to the bottom where fish are lurking. They are extremely useful, found in darn near every tackle box, and are lost exceptionally frequently. Very often, your favorite angler is going to go through 6 or 7 of these in a bad hour. While not an “exciting” fishing gift, they are the epitome of practical, and make a great stocking stuffer.
While sinkers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, you’ll find that most freshwater anglers want to use the smallest sinker possible the conditions allow. 1/8 ounce or even less is a very common size, especially if the recipient spends most of their time on lakes or ponds.
Sinkers are made from various materials with the two most common being lead and tungsten. Tungsten is more expensive, but also the better gift for a few reasons. The most important of these is that some states, such as Massachusetts, actually ban lead sinkers. Keep it legal and buy your favorite angler the good stuff. You can purchase some tungsten sinkers at this link on Amazon to get you started.
Pliers
OK, so the first two items mentioned are somewhat circumstantial. Pliers aren’t. Literally every fisherman on earth needs several pairs of these, and they often are accidentally lost overboard. A good, high-quality set of pliers is also one of those things that are just great to hold. It’s like anything else, really. Think about your hobby and the common tools required in it. Have you ever had a higher quality version? Hasn’t it made a difference? Well, pliers do too. One of the more annoying things in life is trying to take a hook out of a struggling fish with pliers that aren’t well suited to the task.
When searching for a pair of pliers, look for ones that are needle nosed, have a good grip, and are long enough that they can go into a fish’s mouth with endangering the angler. An added plus is if the pliers have a little “tooth” at the top that is used for opening split rings. This allows you to easily change out hooks on lures. I personally love these pliers from Rapala. They’re the perfect size, have a good grip, can be used with split rings, and are easy to open. They’re quite comfortable and while you do pay a premium, it’s totally worth it.
Special Fishing Gifts
A “special” fishing gift is basically a premium upgrade of items the recipient ever has. Think of it like this – they always had a car with a cloth interior and now you’ve bought them a vehicle with heated leather seats. That’s kind of the idea here. You want to buy them a nicer version of what they already have. this ensures that they use it more often than what they already own. The two obvious choices are fishing rods and fishing reels.
Buying a Fishing Rod or Reel as a Gift
Let me just start by saying if you’re not careful you can really mess this up. There are several types of fishing rods out there and not everyone uses them all. The two most common are spinning rods/reels and baitcasting or casting rods/reels. They are extremely different and you need to pick the right one, or else you’re buying something that may never be used.
The photo below is of a baitcaster (left) and spinning reel (right). If possible, check out the recipient’s current gear and get them whatever they’re already using. If they have both, the world is your oyster, I suppose.
How to Choose the Right Rod or Reel as a Present
My best advice for how you should pick out a rod or reel as a fishing gift is to go look at what the recipient already has. Note the brand and model they’re using. Is it consistent?. Many anglers are very devoted to certain brands. For example, I’m a St. Croix guy. I know and trust the brand and tend to use it more or less exclusively, with few exceptions.
What you want to do is look on the blank (the rod section right above the handle) and take note of the information you find there. It will tell you the brand and model. For example, in the photo above, the rod on the left is a St. Croix (brand) Avid (model). See what rods the recipient already has and then go to the manufacturer’s website and see where it lands “on the totem pole.” For example, while still an awesome choice, a St. Croix Avid is “lesser” than a St. Croix Legend Elite. If you want your rod to be a very memorable fishing gift, buy a line or two up.
You can do the same thing with reels as folks will again tend to buy the same brand. You can again go to the manufacturer’s website and find the line or two up. They’re often listed in order, but a general guide is more expensive = “better”. Yes, I know that will spark a debate, but it’s a fair starting point.
A Critical Consideration When Buying a Baitcaster
If you’ve determined that the recipient uses a baitcasting reel, you must identify if they use a right or left handed retrieve. Unlike spinning reels, which usually are interchangeable, baitcasters come in “righty” and “lefty” models. Trust me, there are few things more unpleasant than having to fish with the wrong one. The difference between the two is simple. Whichever side the reel handle (the part you turn) is on is the side of the retrieve. You determine this by looking down at the reel. Lay it flat so the top (where you can see the line) is, well, on top. If the reel handle is on the left of the reel (as it is in the photo below), the reel is a left hand retrieve. Don’t buy the wrong one!
Cool Fishing Gifts
I’d define “cool” fishing gifts as those items that most of us want but few of us actually want to spend our own money on. These would either be “splurges” or just items that would be nice to have, but not totally necessary. Sometimes that sort of thing makes the best gift.
Life Jacket
Everyone who fishes on a boat should use a life jacket. They’re the law in some circumstances, and a great idea in all others. The problem is the less expensive life jackets tend to be clunky, hot, and uncomfortable.
Mustang Survival is a life jacket brand that has solved all three of these problems. They sell high quality life jackets that have a very low profile normally, but automatically inflate when submerged in water. They are pricey but completely, 100% worth it. They’re lightweight enough that you really don’t even notice them except on the most scorching hot days, which means there’s a good chance you’ll keep them on.
Stuff happens out there. People trip, irresponsible boaters throw up errant wakes, stumps appear out of nowhere, as do rogue waves. Even if you’re the most responsible and grounded person on earth, one visit to a boat ramp on a holiday weekend should convince you that you can’t count on others to be so as well. Wearing a life jacket is a great piece of insurance for mishaps, and if you buy your spouse or child one that is comfortable, there’s a much greater chance they’ll keep it on.
While the particular model I’m raving about is intended for adults, it is also worth noting that Mustang Survival makes a separate (though non-inflatable) line of outstanding life jackets for children. I’ve written a lengthy review of why Mustang Survival makes the best children’s life jackets that you should check out as well.
Binoculars
You might not consider a pair of binoculars to be a “fishing gift,” per say, but let me explain why I’ve always wanted to buy them (and never have). I often fish from a boat on large bodies of water like Lake Champlain. When I’m fishing, I often have a specific spot in mind. The problem is, I frequently will drive towards my spot only to find someone on it once I get close enough to see them. This is usually after a few minutes of squinting asking myself, “is that another boat?” It’s rude just to pull up along side someone so I go and find another spot once this happens, but if I could just tell from further away that my spot was taken, I could save myself a lot of time and aggravation.
Binoculars are also useful for spotting activity, either from baitfish breaking the surface of birds on a feeding frenzy. You’ll find that most saltwater anglers have a pair for this reason, but I haven’t noticed as many freshwater fishermen taking the cue.
When buying a pair of binoculars for fishing, you don’t need to go all out for one of the more expensive hunting models. There’s really no need for the expensive range finding equipment these have. Instead, you should focus on magnification as well as size. Try to find one that is fairly powerful (so you can see further) without being gigantic (so it isn’t clunky). You wouldn’t want to hold a heavy piece of plastic and glass right next to your eyeball while bouncing across the waves. If I were going to buy myself a pair, I’d probably start with something like these ones that are lightweight and waterproof.
Power-Pole Micro Anchor
OK, so the Power-Pole Micro Anchor might just be the ultimate “I really want it but I’m never going to buy it for myself” type fishing gift. Granted, this is a highly situational fishing present because the only people who can use it are ones with small watercraft (canoes, row boats, kayaks, gheenoes), but every single person who has one of those would fall in love with this gift instantly.
A mini power pole is essentially a shallow water anchor. It is a stake that a small engine drives into the lake bottom at the push of a button. This is a much stealthier and easier way to anchor than dropping an actual one. It makes less noise, can be deployed much quicker, and actually holds you where you drop it as opposed to wherever the line lets out. Pretty much every professional bass fisherman has the “full size” models on their boat at this point in life, and every person who doesn’t have one, wants one. If my wife ever bought me one of these for my gheenoe, I think I’d probably die from joy. It would make my fishing experience that much more enjoyable.
If you do purchase this, don’t forget you’ll also need to buy the spike to make it work. There is also an optional (and convenient) battery pack and charger you can purchase.
Personalized Fishing Gifts
If you’re the kind of person who thinks that Thing’s Remembered is the most thoughtful store in the mall, then you’re probably in the market to get some sort of personalized item. Given their unique nature, I won’t really have hyperlinks for you (Google will be your friend) but I thought I’d at least toss out a few ideas of personalized fishing gifts that I’d appreciate and I’m sure the recipient would as well.
Custom Fishing Rods
If you’re in the market for getting someone something truly special, it’s hard to beat a personalized fishing gift such as a custom-made rod. There are master craftsmen across the world who specialize in rod building and can create truly beautiful works of art that are personalized to the angler. Options include having their name etched on the rod, having a custom handle made (certain types of wood are much more sensitive, for example, and can detect bites easier than “off the shelf” rods), or even having the rod created in the recipient’s favorite colors.
Personalized fishing gifts such as custom rods can be heirlooms passed down for generations. For example, I bought Dad a custom rod one year to commemorate my brother who passed away. The rod, “Steven’s Special” was built on a St. Croix Avid blank, had a nice cherry wood handle, and was adorned in the colors of Steve’s favorite sports team, the New Jersey Devils. While it is Dad’s for now, one day I’ll take custody of it until my son is old enough to pass it on to him.
While I don’t have a particular custom rod builder I work with consistently (reach out if you’re a builder who’d like to help with this!), what I can say is that if you go on a popular fishing forum such as ultimatebass or walleyecentral and ask around, you’ll have no shortage of recommendations.
Personalized Embroidery
Earlier I discussed the Mustang Survival life jacket, noting that it was expensive (but totally worth it). Well, if you added a few more dollars to that puppy and brought it to a local seamstress, you could really make it pop and turn it from “just” a super cool gift into one they’ll love for the rest of their life with one simple step: Have their name sewn on.
These life jackets have an exterior fabric to them which could accept thread and needle (carefully, so the actual inflatable isn’t punctured of course). It’s a small little touch but also one most people on the lake don’t have. Further, it gives a small degree of protection from theft, or at least makes recovery that much more likely.
The Ultimate Fishing Gift
You want to know what the ultimate fishing gift would be? If you’re as special to this person as they are to them, then what I would recommend you do is buy them a chartered fishing excursion, and go with them. Even if you hate fishing or think it’s boring, go with them. Trust me, a fishing guide will make the trip more enjoyable for both of you. Here’s why:
- All the pressure is taken off of your angler. See, if you just went with them, they’d feel enormous pressure to ensure you had a good time and caught fish. Guess what? That’s the guides problem now – the two of you can just relax and have fun.
- No matter how good an angler your husband/wife/kid/whatever is, that guide is probably better at finding fish on any particular day because their livelihood depends on it. This means that it’s very unlikely the day is “boring.”
- You get to concentrate on each other. No one has to worry about boat control, what to do, tying lures, etc. All the two of you have to do is show up and have fun.
My wife got me a fishing charter for our honeymoon and it was one of the best memories I have of our relationship. You really can’t go wrong with this gift, assuming you get a good charter captain. Luckily for you, I have written a post describing how to choose a fishing charter so the trip goes well.
My Charter Recommendation
And, as I always mention when I talk about fishing charters – one of the best in the business is my good friend Mickey Maynard. He operates on Lake Champlain (www.lakechamplainangler.com) from about April to late October and spends the entire winter guiding in central Florida (www.largemouthcentral.com). Regardless of where you live in the country, either destination would be a fantastic gift for your favorite angler (Both Lake Champlain and Florida are renowned fishing spots that every fisherman wants to visit once before they die).
Need Other Ideas?
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’ve also written a few other articles with fishing gift ideas. Though specifically written to help parents buy their children fishing presents, you might find value with them. Please read my article on fishing gifts for kids or fishing gifts for babies and newborns for more ideas.
I Hope This Was Helpful!
I know it can be stressful to buy a “hobby” gift for someone else, especially if you don’t really know much about the hobby yourself. Please let me know if this article was helpful and pointed you in the right direction. I’m sure if you take my advice you’ll really impress the recipient as the gifts I’ve described are all ones that someone “in the know” would know to get. It will be obvious that you put the time in to get something practical, special, cool, or personalized for them, and they’ll truly appreciate the effort.
Best of luck to all of you. Should you need any more help don’t hesitate to send me an email. I’ll do my best to help you. Thanks!
John Paxton
