Holiday Gift Guide on a Budget!

 

You don't have to spend big money to get a gift your angler needs this season. If you're unsure what to get, keep it basic.

You don’t have to spend big money to get a gift your angler needs this season. If you’re unsure what to get, keep it basic.

Have an avid bass angler in your life? It’s almost a guarantee that they are difficult to buy for unless they provide a very specific list. Let me help you early gift buyers with a few suggestions. Here are 5 suggestions. I listed them beginning with things every angler uses to things more serious anglers might want.

1. Jerkbaits and Senkos–  It’s a safe bet your angler uses some sort of jerkbait or Senko throughout the year. These are both lures you can pick up at any store that sells tackle and for the most part spend under $8. If you’re going in without a clue, look for jerkbaits like the Rapala X-rap, Luck-E-Strike RC STX, or Strike King KVD Jerkbait. Stick to the 5 inch sizes and natural colors (chrome, gold, ghost). As for The Yamamoto Senko, again look for 5 inch and go with black or green pumpkin to be safe!

2. Plastic ware!?– That’s right! If your angler has lots of soft plastic baits the best way to organize them is in the plastic containers you use to store your leftovers. The best ones are deeper and have the clickable lids with gaskets. These containers are waterproof and can hold large amounts of our small baits, tools, papers etc. Trust me when I tell you we can find uses for just about any shape and size containers.

3. Snips– Most anglers are guilty of biting through their line on occasion instead of searching for scissors when changing lures.  I fished with a dentist the other day and after hearing some horror stories about broken teeth and fishing line, I’ll be trying to kick that habit. The best way to help your angler do the same, is getting a quality pair of line snips. For about $13 you can get an awesome pair from boomerangtool.com. These snips are extremely sharp and easily attach via a key ring. You can also upgrade to tools with lights or bigger blades for a little more money. Save those teeth and throw one of these in the stocking this year!

4. Digital Scales– You’d be surprised at how many anglers don’t own a good scale. Even tournament fishermen often overlook what a great tool this is. Maybe not owning one lets you embellish the size of your fish, but whether you’re using it in a tournament or keeping track of your personal best; a scale is something every angler should have. Many scales are available at places like Walmart and will last you a season or two in the price range of $15-30.00. I have tried most every scale on the market and by far the best I’ve found is the Gambler Digital Culling Scale. It’s a bit more expensive at $59.99, but it will out last the other ones and with it’s gripper style it is much faster and safer for the fish. (gambler-lures.com)

5. Gift Cards– Lets face it, a gift card is the safest possible route for you to take to be sure your angler gets the right products. There a numerous places to get them. Bass Pro Shop and Cabelas come to mind almost immediately, but I think to get the most bang for your buck, tacklewarehouse.com is the way to go.  They have just about any item a bass angler can use and often offer slightly cheaper prices and substantially cheaper shipping.

Those are just a few ideas for all of you buying for a bass angler this year, but remember most of the time anglers have specific things they want, so it’s often wise to ask. Anglers all have different styles and preferences making them tough to buy for, so at the very least consult his or her fishing buddy!

Jonathan Carter

About Jonathan Carter

I have been Bass fishing in Maine my entire life. I compete in numerous tournaments across the state as well as national competitions. In 2013 I blessed when I qualified for bass fishing's premier event, the Bassmaster Classic. My ultimate goal is to make bass fishing my full time career.