Need to find a present for the man who means everything - and who has everything?
That’s a tough order, but we’ve got you covered with a list of fishing gifts for dad that are sure to put a smile on your father's face.
Table of Contents (clickable)
Fishing Gifts For Dad Under $10
5-Inch Straight and Curved Fishing Hemostats
When a hungry fish hits a hook, it’ll often swallow the whole thing, burying it deep in its throat. When that happens, the hook will be too deep for him to reach with his fingers. And with species that sport a mouth full of teeth, putting his hand in harm’s way is a bad idea.
That’s why pretty much any dad will appreciate a tool that can give him a firm, safe grip.
Hemostats are ideal for this. Long, slender, and corrosion-resistant, their handles lock for a reliable grip on even the slimiest hooks.
With straight and curved options in one package, your dad is going to love this gift.
De-Fishing Soap
A successful day on the water means that Dad will be handling a ton of fish. But all that slime will leave him smelling like a last-week’s catch, and no one likes that!
Normal soap won’t always cut the smell--trust me!--but fortunately, there’s an answer: de-fishing soap that’s specially formulated for just this application.
Guaranteed to eliminate fish odors, it’s one gift everyone is sure to enjoy.
Fishing Gifts For Dad From $25 to $50
Accu-Cull Digital Fishing Scale with Mini Grip
An accurate scale is a fishing essential, allowing your dad to check the weight of each fish, tally a total for tournaments, and know exactly what he’s keeping or culling.
The Accu-Cull is one of my favorites. Featuring an easy-to-read backlit screen, it saves batteries by shutting down automatically after 50 seconds. Dad won’t need to worry about losing his weights, though: until he clears it (using the reset button after powering down), the last measurement is still there.
Weighing up to a maximum of 55 pounds, in either one ounce or 100th of a pound increments, it’s proven itself accurate in the real-world.
And unlike some alternatives, it comes with a Mini-Grip, one of the best grippers to use in conjunction with a digital scale. The Mini-Grip is strong, secure, and rugged–everything your Dad is looking for.
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If your dad spends his weekends fishing, you already know that he leaves early in the morning, sometimes comes home after dark, and may even spend some time on the water after full dark. He needs a hands-free light source that’s bright enough to tie lines, wrangle hooks loose, and look out for dangers on the water.
Any angler will find the Zoomable 5 headlamp from Bestsun an irreplaceable tool.
Constructed from lightweight aluminum, the Zoomable 5 features an adjustable elastic headband to keep it in place. Featherweight but strong, it’s comfortable to wear all night and rugged enough to use season after season.
Offering five lighting modes and 2,000 lumens of night-piercing power, it’s clear why this headlamp really shines! And whatever your dad’s doing, he’ll find the right intensity for the task, as well as an SOS feature if he gets in trouble.
He won’t want to dunk this headlamp, but it’ll shrug off storms and splashes.
Buck 112 Slim Select Fishing Knife
A good knife makes the perfect gift for an outdoorsy dad.
Buck’s 112 Slim Select is a modernized version of a time-tested design that’s just as perfect for every day carry as it is for once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
The Slim Select 112 features a clip point, hollow ground blade of 420HC. Through expert heat-treating by Buck, this average cutlery steel is transformed, leaving it easy to sharpen and tough as nails.
The blade shape and length are ideal for nearly any task. Cleaning fish? Check. Skinning game? That, too. Carving a tent peg? Yep. Opening tough plastic packaging, cutting steak, or working in the yard? It’s got your father covered.
The blade is deployed via an ambidextrous thumb-stud, making this a great choice for lefties, too. Locking with an audible pop, you can trust the mechanism on this knife to keep your dad’s fingers safe.
The Slim Select 112’s scales are composed of a nicely checkered fiberglass reinforced nylon, and as a result, they’re strong, light, and grippy.
The pocket clip will keep this knife where it belongs, and though it comes from the factory set for right-handed use, it can be switched for south-paws by moving just a few screws.
KastKing Cutthroat 7” Fishing Pliers
KastKing’s Cutthroat Fishing Pliers are our favorites, and I’m sure your dad will appreciate the grip and function they provide. Made from tough, durable materials, they offer fantastic performance at a reasonable price.
These fishing pliers are made from Teflon-coated stainless steel, and that means that they can really take a beating. That Teflon-stainless combination resists corrosion and is easy to clean, and for hard work, the Cutthroats are much better than aluminum alternatives.
Two tungsten carbide blades on the outside of the mouth allow your dad to cut heavy braided line easily, and if he uses tieable wire for fish like pike, they do a good job on that, too.
The teeth on the jaws of these pliers have grip to spare, and your dad will also find crimping tools and a split ring tip there. These are important tools for anglers, and these pliers make quick work of otherwise difficult tasks.
The handle is coated in a grippy rubber, and the spring-loaded hinge makes working with one hand a snap.
Plano Tackle 4 Pack of Size 3600 Stowaways
Does your dad need a place to store his ever-growing collection of lures?
Plano’s 3600 series is the size anglers prefer for tackle bags and boxes. Offering adjustable compartments and plenty of customizable space, these are always a great gift, especially in a 4-pack.
Your dad will love these--we promise!
YETI Rambler 14 oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug
Cold mornings demand hot coffee, and nothing starts a good day’s fishing like a big cup of joe.
Yeti’s insulated coffee mug is big enough for even the most dedicated coffee drinkers, and it keeps it piping hot for hours. Equipped with a no-spill lid, it’s a great gift for any dad.
It’s also available in pretty much any color you think he’d like!
Fishing Gifts For Dad From $50 to $100
Cadence CS8 1000 Ultralight Spinning Reel
If the dad on your list chases crappie, perch, bluegill, sunfish, or any of the species commonly called “panfish,” he’ll appreciate a quality ultralight spinning reel.
Cadence’s CS-8 is an exceptional choice, offering top-end performance at a very reasonable price.
The CS-8 is incredibly smooth, and its build quality is impressive. Any angler will find the crank and bail work flawlessly, and casting with this little gem is outstanding with light lines.
If there’s a stand-out on the CS-8, though, it’s the drag. Cadence uses a carbon fiber disc system that creates ample tension without fight-ending starts and stops.
Plenty of anglers find the CS-8 to outperform reels costing twice this much, and it’s hard to argue they’re wrong.
If your dad is an ultralight angler, he’s sure to love this reel.
KastKing “Hoss” Tackle Bag
KastKing’s “Hoss” Tackle Bag is the go-to choice for anglers who need a place to store their gear as they move from house to truck to boat and back again.
The “Hoss” is constructed from 420 denier rip-stop nylon that’s as tough and durable as it gets. Expect season after season of hard-wearing use from this bag.
And KastKing’s attention to detail is obvious everywhere you turn on the “Hoss.”
To prevent rusty hooks and corroded tools, a tackle bag needs to keep its contents dry, and KastKing’s hydrophobic coating and PVC inner layer pretty much guarantee that splashes and spray won’t wet its interior. This tackle bag also features a waterproof non-slip coating on the bottom, a tackle saver when the “Hoss” finds itself on the edge of a wet pier.
Holding as many as seven Plano 3600s, he won’t find himself under-equipped for any trip, either, and we really like the way this bag is laid out. The main compartment fits six 3600s, either vertically or horizontally, and on the top flap, there’s a nice see-through zippered pocket for worms.
Seven large zippered and slip pockets line the exterior, providing plenty of space for gear, and the zippered front pocket can take yet another Plano 3600.
That’s enough space for pretty much anyone, and your dad will be delighted to unwrap this awesome tackle bag.
KastKing Speed Demon Pro Baitcasting Reel
Is your dad a big bass fisherman? Or does he chase specks and reds inshore?
Either way, he’ll really appreciate a fast, powerful, no-nonsense baitcasting reel like KastKing’s Speed Demon Pro.
Powered by solid manganese brass gears that create a 9.3:1 ratio, and coupled with a nicely-sized spool, the Speed Demon Pro retrieves at a rate that competes with the very top name brands. That’s important: when a big fish runs straight for you, keeping a tight line is critical--and your reel needs to pick up enough line to outrun the fish.
We guarantee this one will!
And the good stuff doesn’t stop there. One of the most important features on a reel is its drag, and the Speed Demon Pro uses a carbon fiber system offering 13.2 pounds of maximum grip. These high-end drag components are excellent, and they’ll create the tension needed without slipping or binding.
The spool on this reel is plenty big, holding 140 yards of 14-pound mono. If your dad prefers braid, he can load up massive amounts of thin-diameter superline, too.
The Speed Demon Pro uses a very high-quality magnetic brake that’s easy to adjust and dial in for your dad’s skill level. He’ll like that a lot, especially if he’s having trouble mastering baitcasting reels.
Once he gets the hang of it, casting with this reel is outstanding, as is weight and size for all-day comfort, too.
Just be sure your dad has a nice baitcasting rod to wear this reel!
Ugly Stik Elite Casting Rod
Shakespeare’s UglyStik has built a reputation for bomb-proof toughness. If your dad is tough on his gear or has broken a nice rod, this might be the perfect gift for him!
While not expensive, the Ugly Stik Elite is among the most durable rods on the market.
Shakespeare uses a graphite fiberglass composite as the basic material of this rod, combining strength and durability with sensitivity and feel. The result is an excellent all-around rod that’s as much at home chasing largemouth as it is fighting bull reds.
The guides that protect the line and distribute force over the length of the rod are strong and corrosion-resistant. I’ve tested them, and I came away impressed!
And the cork handle on this rod is as attractive as it is comfortable.
Overall, this is a very nice rod, and your dad is sure to love it.
Costa Del Mar Fantail
A pair of polarized fishing sunglasses is a great gift! Costa Del Mar has an avid following of anglers who swear by their sunglasses, and while these shades won’t break the bank, they’re at the high-end of what we’d be willing to pay for a fishing tool as opposed to a fashion statement.
The lenses are well-made and free from defects. While not scratch-proof, polycarbonate is tough, and it’ll take some doing to make a mark.
Costa’s nylon frames are top-notch, too, so no worries there.
And the Fantail line comes in a rainbow of color options. Anyone will find a pair they like.
Overall, these are a great gift and you father will definitely will be happy with it.
Fishing Gifts For Dad For $100+
Dobyns Rods FR 703C
Dobyns is a name known to pretty much every bass angler, and their rods are trusted tools that have proven their effectiveness season after season and tournament after tournament.
If your dad is a serious bass fisherman, I’ll bet he knows this company’s name!
The 703 is a great choice for him. 7’ long, it offers the sensitivity and strength of a high-quality graphite blank. That gives it a lot of strength for tough fights and hard hooksets, but it’s still sensitive enough to help your dad work worms, jigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and topwater lures like a pro.
Plenty of folks throw crankbaits with this rod, too, so whatever your dad tosses for bass, he’s bound to be impressed.
Casting is superb with the Dobyns 703.
And trust me, they don’t skimp on quality, and this rod is a huge step up from most of the rods he’s seen on the water. For instance, 11 Kigan guides with silicone carbide inserts will keep your dad’s line cool and fray-free--something he’ll notice the first time he catches a big one.
The 703C sports a split handle, with high-grade cork to the fore and Hypalon--a synthetic rubber--to the rear. That makes this rod look sharp while providing all-day comfort.
Your dad will be stoked when he sees this rod for the first time!
Shimano Curado K Baitcasting Reel
Baitcasting reels are ideal for so many applications and situations that few anglers don’t own one. And if your dad is an avid fisherman, we’ll bet he’s got one, too.
But not one as nice as this!
Shimano’s Curado series baitcasting reels are among the best available. Tough, smooth, reliable, and hassle-free, they’re the first choice of anglers everywhere.
Shimano Curado K sports a nicely-sized spool, holding 190, 120, and 80 yards with 30-, 50-, and 80-pound PowerPro braid. That’s nothing to sneeze at, and my experience with this reel confirms those numbers. For my money, that’s great capacity, especially on a reel that’s this palmable and low-profile.
The drag on this reel is simply outstanding, and with an 11-pound maximum, your dad won’t be outgunned in even the roughest fights. Shimano uses stacked carbon fiber discs in this excellent system, and I’ve tested this reel at a variety of measured weights using a fishing scale. From just over a pound to its maximum setting, the drag worked flawlessly.
Equipped with high-end solid brass micro-gears and a centrifugal braking system that cuts down on casting problems, the Curado K has the torque to fight and the tech to cast.
No dad is going to be disappointed to find this beneath the wrapping paper!
St. Croix Premier Ultralight Spinning Rod
As any angler can tell you, St. Croix’s rods are among the best in the world. High-end components, meticulous attention to detail, and heart-stopping performance--that’s what these rods are all about.
The Premier ultralight is ideal for panfish and trout. Offering a fast action to detect light strikes and drive a hook home, it’s still not too much for crappie. Strong, supple, well-balanced, and light, this rod is everything your dad is looking for.
This rod loads well, allowing long casts, and the premium guides it wears protect your dad’s line while distributing the fight over the entire length of the blank.
Quality cork furnishes this rod’s long handle, and there’s plenty of room for even the biggest hands to cast comfortably. It’s also pretty nice to look at, and your dad will be proud to show this to his fishing buddies, guaranteed!
Suunto Traverse Alpha Fishing Watch/GPS
If your dad lives the outdoor life, hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, he needs some basic navigation aids to find his way and stay safe. And as good as a GPS system and compass are, if you don’t have them with you when you get lost, they’re no good!
I’ve learned this lesson myself the hard way, and a high-tech smartwatch like this Suunto can be life-saving.
Some very smart tech drives its features. It comes equipped with a full-function GPS system, variable accuracy, weather updates and barometer readings, moon phase data, sunrise/sunset/moonrise/moonset info, a thermometer, a digital compass, and available tidal data.
Some of this info can make fishing trip planning a breeze; some of this info can be the difference between finding your way back to your truck or spending a cold night in the woods in the rain.
Those barometer readings are ticked off in 1 hPa/.03 inHg increments, and the storm warning is a handy feature to keep your dad out of real trouble. Moreover, the Traverse Alpha’s compass is accurate to 5 degrees with automatic declination adjustment. That’s more than good enough to get you back to their truck or launch.
I like the easy-to-use GPS features on this watch, and the Suunto Traverse Alpha offers “breadcrumb” trailing and a “find back” feature that keeps track of the way you came and offers you the same route back.
That’s a big deal when you’re miles from where you need to be, the sun’s going down, and a storm’s moving in.
In short, this is an awesome gift that any outdoorsy dad will cherish.
Looking for more? Check out our gifts for fishermen guide!
wpDiscuz
That fishing tackle bag looks great!
Cheers,
Curtis Martin
Tampa Boat Detailing Pros