With Father’s Day on the horizon, you may be looking for some unique gifts for your dad who loves fishing. But anglers are so particular with their rods, reels, lines, and lures, what could you buy them? If you’re asking that question, this article is for you!
Below are 5 gifts that you can get any fisherman in your life that they likely won’t think of buying themselves. But they’re all gifts they’ll be very thankful to have. If you want to increase your budget, read this article and you’ll find more gifts under $100 perfect for any fisherman.
Give them a nice pair of fishing gloves
If you’re buying for a serious fisherman, you’ve likely seen the calluses or blisters that can happen from a day full of fishing.
Or if it’s a little chilly in your area, your hands can also get quite cold holding on a rod and reel all day. Especially when touching line, lures, and fish that are in cold water.
If it’s extremely sunny, you can also get burnt or get sun damage easily too on your hands.
Fishing gloves are a great way to get around these many issues that can happen while fishing.
If you live in a warm area or are buying for a summertime fisherman, consider these gloves made by Columbia. They offer UV protection from the sun, grip control, and are a great breathable material that won’t make your hands sweat on the hottest of days.
Plus their wrist bands are elastic which helps them feel more form fitting. This option from Huk is another great option for a more trendy look.
But if you are in a colder climate or have a winter fisherman you’re buying for, go for these made by IceArmor. They offer a 5 year warranty and are made with a membrane that keeps your hands warm in the coldest of temperatures.
They’re also fully waterproof which is necessary for any cold weather fishing gloves. Reviews also mention high durability – a must for a fisherman hard on things.
Give them something they can show off and protect their gear
Another great gift idea under $50 for a fisherman is a set of reel covers and grip tape for their fishing reels.
If you take boating out of the picture, there are two expensive pieces of equipment that every fisherman has. A fishing rod and a fishing reel. So you want to keep them protected at all costs.
Fishing rods are pretty sturdy by themselves. But a fishing reel can use protection to keep the mechanics working well over many years of use. One of the things you can buy to help with this is a reel cover and grip tape.
A reel cover is simply a protective barrier that is placed over a fishing reel when not in use to keep anything from contaminating it, hitting it, or any outside damage. They’re generally decently cheap, these options from bass pro are about $5.
But if you buy them for every rod your fisherman has, it adds up to a great gift any angler will surely appreciate.
There are two types, so you will need to know if you’re purchasing for a spinning or casting reel. The image to the left above is a casting reel, the right is spinning to help you see the difference. The easiest way to tell is a casting reel is on top of the rod when holding it, the spinning reel is on the bottom.
But there are other more decorative options as well if you don’t want to go for covers. One of the places that often deteriorate most on a reel are the grips, where a fisherman actually handles the reel.
You can buy fishing grips that attach easily to stock reel handles that spice up your fishing pole a bit and provide longevity. It’s a great gift not many fisherman buy themselves. I wish I had them!
A digital scale is a great gift for the fisherman who lies
Have you heard a fishing story where every time it’s told, the fish just gets bigger and bigger?
Well then this gift will make sure that you have some verifiable proof the next time the fisherman you’re buying for is telling you just how big that fish they caught is.
A digital scale is something every angler should have but not many do. They very quickly can tell you the exact weight of the fish you caught without hurting the fish or keeping it out of the water too long.
It’s beneficial for the fish and will keep you from hearing those fish stories about how gigantic the catch was!
My favorite scale for the money is this Berkley Digital Scale. It comes with an attachment which easily grips all fish in their lips without causing severe damage like other scales can when holding by their gills.
It’s also 100% waterproof and creates a history with the last 8 catches if you’re buying for a tournament angler.
Just remember to buy extra batteries! The only thing worse than not having a scale to weigh a personal best fish is the scale being out of batteries.
An electric filet knife is a great gift for the fisherman who eats what he catches
If you are buying for an angler that keeps what he catches, then an electric filet knife is the perfect gift.
The electric filet knife comes with a motor that does all of the slicing for you. So instead of several minutes tirelessly cutting out filets you can have an entire fish cleaned in seconds once you get used to the feel.
And if you catch fish like crappie, where you’re cleaning 50 or so at a time, this can save hours of work.
This Rapala Electric Fillet Knife is great not only because it doesn’t break the bank, but comes with a filet fork which is helpful to hold down a slimy fish that can easily escape your grasp. When working with an electric knife, safety is key and the fork is really helpful to save fingers from gashes.
It also has a good long blade (7 inches) and doesn’t overheat – which can happen easily when cutting through a mess of fish. For the price, it’s a great option any fisherman will love.
A performance fishing tee for style and performance is a great gift
Fisherman are the worst for just wearing old shirts or whatever they have in the closet when going fishing. Giving them a purposeful fishing shirt is a great idea.
So if you’re buying for a fisherman that still fishes in cotton shirts, consider buying them a performance grade fishing shirt. It won’t help them catch more fish, but can make them a lot more comfortable while they’re out on the water.
A great fishing shirt will provide UV protection in the sun so you don’t get sun damage when out on the water, which can happen easily. They’re very breathable to keep you cool, dry quickly, and of course look great too.
If you’re looking for a great shirt I always recommend these Columbia PFG terminal long sleeves shirts. They come built in with UV protection and breathable fabric that every fisherman needs. They also offer quick dry should they get wet in the water or rain.
Just look at the thousands of reviews they have received and the positive rating. The proof is in the reviews.
If you want to give a little style with your purchase, then instead consider the Columbia PFG Super long sleeve which just has some more design options. Their American Digi Camo Fade is a great option for any patriotic fisherman.
