Holiday gift ideas for the angler
If you ask most fishermen what their perfect holiday gift would be a common response might be a shiny new boat and motor, all tricked out with the latest toys of course. That’s out of reach for most of our budgets, but there are plenty of gadgets to improve the capabilities of the boat you have and tackle and equipment to add to your fishing arsenal.
Depending on your Christmas budget there are plenty of gifts in every price range. From sunglasses (polarized of course) to marine electronics, clothing to rods and reels there is something every angler want or needs. There are plenty of new products on the market also, The Old Pine Island Marina in St. James has lots of new, neat items including i-Kam Xtreme Video and Audio Eyewear, Penn Battle Reels, plus Men and Lady’s Red zone shirts just to name a few. Both Cape Tool and Tackle and Lehr’s Economy Tackle are also stocked up for Christmas with all sorts of new stuff, plus tackle and equipment that have withstood the test of time.
A couple products that have really changed inshore salt water fishing over the past 10 or so years are the bow mount salt water series trolling motor on the front and the Power Pole shallow water anchor on the stern of the boat. Both have revolutionized the way we fish the flats and once you use either it’s almost impossible to be without. They are not inexpensive gifts, but if the fishermen in your life fishes the flats and isn’t equipped with either it would make a great gift it they fit in your budget.
The Power Pole is designed to hold your boat in position with several models beginning at about nine hundred bucks. A newer gadget on the market that’s made a mark the fast few years and a lot easier on the pocket is a Stick IT. It accomplishes basically the same thing as the Power Pole; it just requires a little manual labor. They are priced well under one hundred bucks and there is no electronic or hydraulic parts to malfunction (always a plus in a harsh saltwater environment.) I have spoken to a lot of anglers who have a Power Pole on the back and use a Stick It to secure the bow for perfect boat positioning.
One thing I have learned after spending my life around the saltwater is you can’t sacrifice on quality. Cheap stuff not made for the harsh marine environment will just not hold up, period! It’s better to spend a little extra and get something that’s going to last. A couple good cases in point are items I bought a long time ago and are still used every day on my boat. Both cost over a hundred dollars and I thought were a rip-off at the time, but looking back they were some of the best investments I made. The first is a Boga-Grip fish gripper, it’s a handy device designed to safely hold your catch by the lips and weight it at the same time. I put one on my boat the first year they were on the market. It’s probably been around 15 years, has never been out of my boat and works the same as the day I bought it. The second is a high quality pair of fishing pliers. Before I spent the bucks and bought some high end pliers I used to replace the cheapies every few months it seemed. I’ve had the same pair sheathed to my belt for the past seven or eight years and they are still working great. There are several brands and models and usually the more expensive ones you will find secured in a display case in the stores.
For rods and reels and fishing tackle there are far too many choices to even begin going through. Depending on your budget you can get a rod and reel combo for as little as twenty bucks and of course the quality will increase with the price. Fishing lures make great stocking stuffers, but there is an enormous amount to choose from. Ranging from casting the flats for trout or deep trolling for grouper the selection is huge and the best bet is let the experts at the tackle shops help you make the right selection.
When on the water it’s great to capture your memories of the day and share with others. Digital cameras have come a long way in the last several years. They are compact, take great pictures and many are built for extreme outdoor conditions, plus most take great videos. I carry an Olympus Stylus, it’s totally waterproof, comes with a floating wrist band in case you drop it over the side, when I come home at the end of the day I just wash it down with the rest of the gear.
Probably the best gift idea that has come along in a long, long time is a Gift Certificate from your favorite store. I could not imagine going shopping for my wife and coming home with the perfect pair of shoes or dress that she really wanted. Well, it’s the same for the angler or boater, why even try to get the perfect present if you don’t know what it is. Odds are the angler you are buying for probably doesn’t know either, at least until they get in the store and shop around. I know when I get a gift card to a store I buy things for myself that I wouldn’t normally, we indulge a little I guess. No, receiving a gift card at Christmas isn’t as flashy as a big gift wrapped box, but it’s the best way to ensure they get what they want and not waste any money on stuff that won’t get used.
Still not sure on the perfect gift, how about a gift certificate for a fishing charter with a local professional guide. Many offer gift certificates and there are several great guides here on the Island. Whether you have a boat or not, it’s a great gift for someone who would like to learn the waters a little better, learn some new techniques, improve their fishing skills or just go out with friends or family for a carefree day and catch some fish. It’s kind of like spending the day at the spa for an angler, you get pampered all day, all the work is done for you and best of all when you get off the boat you grab your bag of fish already filleted and go home, nothing to clean!
Whether your shopping budget is $10 or unlimited I can’t stress enough to shop at a local store that offers that personal touch. You just can’t put a price on local knowledge when it comes to buying a gift and not wasting money on items that aren’t practical for local waters. There are just so many choices and we only mentioned a few, ask for help and let the experts help if you need it.
If you have a fishing story or for charter information, please contact us at 239-283-7960 or: www.fishpineisland.com. Have a safe week and good fishin’.