Have an angler in your life for whom you need a gift? Unsure what to get them?
If you're looking for ideas for fishing Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, or just something creative for any occasion, we’d be delighted to help!
Below, you’ll find a list of the best fishing gifts that run from inexpensive to WOW!
And since we know you may not be an angler yourself, we’ll explain each of these ideas in layman’s terms, helping you make an educated choice without wading through jargony descriptions.
Categorized by price, there’s sure to be at least one thing the fisherman on your list would love to have.
Table of Contents (clickable)
Best Gifts for Fishermen
Gifts for Fishermen Under $10
5-Inch Straight and Curved Fishing Hemostats
Whether the angler in your life prefers flies or lures, one thing’s certain--a quality hemostat is always welcome!
When fish take a hook aggressively, they’ll often swallow it, burying the barb in the rear of their mouth. And whether the fish that does is a trout, bass, pike, or anything else, a tool that can reach in, get a firm grip, and allow the angler to remove that stubborn hook is essential.
Hemostats are ideal for this. Long, slender, and corrosion-resistant, their handles lock for a reliable grip on even the slipperiest hooks.
This pair delivers both straight and curved options, and it’s sure to be a hit!
De-Fishing Soap
Love fish but hate the smell?
De-fishing soap relies on a time-tested formula to eliminate stubborn odors. An ideal gift for avid anglers (and the people they live with), this stuff really works!
Gifts for Fishermen From $25 to $50
Accu-Cull Digital Fishing Scale with Mini Grip
Any angler appreciates a reliable scale, and the Accu-Cull is a great option.
It features a bright, easy-to-read, backlit screen, and it shuts down automatically after 50 seconds. No worries, though: until you clear it (using the reset button after powering down), the last weight stays put! Anglers have found it plenty accurate, and it weighs up to a maximum of 55 pounds, in either one ounce or 100th of a pound increments.
Better yet, it comes with a Mini-Grip, one of our favorite grippers to use in conjunction with a digital scale. The Mini-Grip is strong, secure, and rugged–everything you want in a gripper. For the price, that’s a bargain in itself, helping to explain why this combination will put a smile on the face of the fisherman on your list.
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The Zoomable 5 headlamp from Bestsun absolutely won us over. It has all the features you could ever want for angling, and we’re pretty sure that any fisherman will appreciate what it offers.
Bestsun paired a rugged aluminum construction with an adjustable elastic headband to create a perfect balance between comfort and function. Combine that with five modes and a respectable 2,000 lumens brightness, and it’s clear why this headlamp really shines!
This headlamp can throw a beam 500 meters, providing plenty of visibility, and its 2,000-lumen brightness is plenty of power for any need. Equipped with variable intensity modes as well as an SOS feature, this headlamp provides just what’s needed for any low-light situation.
It’s durable, too. And while you won’t want to submerge it, neither rain nor splashes of water will do it any harm.
Buck 112 Slim Select Fishing Knife
Buck’s blades are legendary, and for much of the 20th century, they set the standard for locking knives. Deciding it was time to modernize these time-tested designs, Buck’s first step in that direction was the Slim Select.
The Slim Select 112 features a clip point, hollow ground blade that’s made from 420HC. Normally a low-end cutlery steel, in the hands of Buck’s truly phenomenal heat-treating, it becomes something any knife user will appreciate. Easy to sharpen and tough-as-nails, it takes a wicked edge and holds it well.
The blade shape and length are excellent for cleaning fish, opening tough plastic packaging, and cutting rope. I’ve used this knife to do everything from butcher game to cut tent pegs, and I’ve been impressed.
The blade is deployed with an ambidextrous thumb-stud. It opens easily and snaps into place with a satisfying pop. The locking mechanism is solid, and Buck has employed generations of engineers to make sure it works!
With the lock detent toward the rear of the handle, it’s very unlikely that you’ll accidentally depress it during use. But the trade-off for this safety feature is that this knife is hard to close one-handed.
The scales are composed of a coarsely checkered FRN, making them light, strong, and grippy. It is closed at the spine, as you’d expect, which can make it tough to get every bit of fish goo unless you use a Q-tip or folded paper towel.
The pocket clip is excellent and secure; it comes from the factory set for right-handed use, but can be switched easily enough for south-paws.
Any angler would be proud to carry this knife!
KastKing Cutthroat 7” Fishing Pliers
KastKing’s Cutthroat Fishing Pliers are about as close to perfect as you can get. Made from tough, durable materials, they offer fantastic performance at a reasonable price.
KastKing has chosen to manufacture the Cutthroat from Teflon-coated stainless steel, making them quite durable and tough. The Teflon-stainless combination works very well to prevent corrosion from saltwater, and I really like this material choice because steel is so much more durable than aluminum when really pressed to work hard.
Like many fishing pliers, the Cutthroat features two tungsten carbide blades on the outside of the mouth, allowing you to cut heavy braid easily, and they will do a reasonable job on wire, too, for anglers who need strong leaders for pike, blues, and other toothy fish.
The jaws provide an excellent grip, and the angler on your list will find crimping tools and a split ring tip there, as well.
The handle is coated in a nice rubber grip, and the spring-loaded hinge ensures easy one-handed use.
Plano Tackle 4 Pack of Size 3600 Stowaways
In the world of tackle storage, no name is as famous as Plano.
Rugged, dependable, and easy to access, the 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!
YETI Rambler 14 oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug
The best fishing tends to happen early, and I’m pretty sure the angler in your life likes to take a big mug of coffee on the road to sip as the sun comes up.
Yeti’s insulated coffee mug is big enough for even the most dedicated coffee drinkers, and it keeps that joe piping hot for hours. Equipped with a no-spill lid, it’s a great gift for any outdoorsman.
It’s also available in pretty much any color you think they’d like!
This is a great fishing gift for dad!
Gifts for Fishermen From $50 to $100
Costa Del Mar Fantail
A pair of the best 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.
Cadence CS8 1000 Ultralight Spinning Reel
Cadence’s CS-8 is an exceptional ultralight reel, unseating more established--and expensive-- brands in terms of performance.
The CS-8 is incredibly smooth, and its build quality is impressive. That Cadence has packed this ultralight with high-quality components is obvious, and for the price, it’s a real contender with even the most expensive alternatives. Indeed, it fishes like a much, much pricier reel, easily offering the performance of high-dollar options.
The drag is awesome, employing a carbon fiber braking system that’s reliably smooth and effective. Cadence says that its reels compare with models costing twice as much. We think that’s true, and if you pick one up for the angler in your life, we think they’ll agree, too!
KastKing “Hoss” Tackle Bag
KastKing’s “Hoss” Tackle Bag really impressed us, and from its durable material to its capacious storage, it’s easy to see why anglers like this tackle bag.
The material quality is excellent, and to be sure, 420 denier rip-stop nylon is no joke. Expect season after season of hard-wearing durability from this bag. But KastKing’s attention to detail doesn’t stop there.
Keeping the inside of a tackle bag dry is important, and KastKing’s hydrophobic coating and PVC inner layer pretty much guarantee that splashes and spray won’t penetrate to your angler’s expensive gear. This tackle bag also features a waterproof non-slip coating on the bottom, a nice touch that we’re sure the fisherman on your list will appreciate.
Holding as many as seven Plano 3600s, there’s plenty of room for enough terminal tackle for almost any trip. The generous 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 an impressive amount of storage space, and it’s efficiently sized and distributed.
If you know an angler who has a lot of gear--they’ll appreciate this tackle bag!
KastKing Speed Demon Pro Baitcasting Reel
Powered by impressive manganese brass gears offering 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.
One of the first things to look for on any reel is the drag, and the Speed Demon Pro uses a carbon fiber system offering 13.2 pounds of maximum grip. KastKing’s high-end drag components are excellent, and the angler on your list can expect exceptional performance.
The spool on this reel is excellent, too, and it holds plenty of line for any fishing adventure. With 140 yards of 14-pound mono, you can load-up massive amounts of thin-diameter braid, and I wouldn’t feel undergunned with this spool in any situation.
The Speed Demon Pro uses a very high-quality magnetic brake that’s easy to adjust and dial in for your angler’s skill level and lure weight. It’s a nice feature, and probably simpler to use than the more complicated centrifugal systems Shimano prefers.
Casting is excellent, as is weight and size for all-day comfort, too.
Just be sure your angler 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, and if the angler in your life has ever felt the heart-wrenching pain of a broken rod, you can understand just how important that can be.
They also price their rods for the rest of us!
The heart of any rod is its blank, and in this case, Shakespeare has chosen to upgrade their usual fiberglass with a graphite core. The idea is to combine the no-nonsense toughness fiberglass UglyStiks are rightly famous for with the improved sensitivity and stiffness of graphite.
The guides on this rod are massively strong and well-wrapped; they’ll take a beating and stay put, the reel seat is firm, and the long cork handle is as attractive as it is comfortable.
Overall, this is a very nice rod for anglers who chase larger fish like bass and reds, and when paired with a nice baitcasting reel, it will be sure to put a smile on someone special’s face!
Gifts for Fishermen 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.
7’ long, the 703C offers both sensitivity and strength from its graphite blank. In fact, this rod is so sufficiently powerful and sensitive at the tip that it’s fantastic with worms, jigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and topwater lures. Plenty of folks throw crankbaits with this rod, too, and I wouldn’t hesitate to use it for that application. With plenty of stiffness provided by its high-modulus blank, the angler on your list will get the power they need for good hooksets when fishing senkos, worms, and other soft plastics, too.
Casting is excellent, and this rod’s small guides really help in this respect.
11 Kigan guides with silicone carbide inserts will keep your angler’s line cool and fray-free. If this is their first high-end rod, they’ll soon realize that you’re getting fewer break-offs in hard fights.
The 703C sports a split handle, with high-grade cork to the fore and Hypalon–a synthetic rubber–to the rear. It’s a nice design, well-executed by Dobyns.
Any bass angler will be delighted to unwrap this rod!
Shimano Curado K Baitcasting Reel
Shimano’s Curado series’ baitcasting reels are among the best options for serious anglers, and their legendary performance has been putting smiles on faces for generations. But with new upgrades, the Curado line is even better than before.
Shimano advertises a capacity of 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.
Shimano advertises a maximum drag of 11 pounds, and stacked carbon fiber discs are at the heart of this excellent system. 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 was smooth and steady, with no sudden slippage whatsoever.
Equipped with high-end solid brass micro-gears, an outstanding spool, and a centrifugal braking system that cuts down on casting problems, the Curado K is a very, very good reel.
St. Croix Premier Ultralight Spinning Rod
St. Croix’s rods are quickly outstripping their premium competition, including the trusted Fenwick name. That’s not because Fenwick’s rods aren’t excellent–they are–but rather because St. Croix just keeps getting better and better.
The Premier ultralight features a fast action, and the sensitivity anglers demand while still providing a cushioned hookset for crappie. Strong, supple, well-balanced, and light, this rod is everything your angler’s looking for. Bass, panfish, crappie–this rod can handle them all with no worries!
The premium-quality aluminum oxide guides are simply awesome, and casting is outstanding, irrespective of lure size.
Quality cork furnishes this rod’s long handle, and there’s plenty of room for even the biggest hands to cast comfortably.
Overall, the St. Croix is very hard to match. Any panfish angler will be delighted to receive this rod as a gift.
Suunto Traverse Alpha Fishing Watch/GPS
Suunto is a trusted name for outdoorsmen, and their military-grade smartwatches have proven themselves to soldiers, hunters, and anglers in the worst conditions you can imagine. Normal smartwatch buyers often aren’t as interested in what Suunto offers, but it’s hard to find outdoorsy people who aren’t appreciative of its features.
Some very smart tech is at the heart of this watch. 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.
Any angler will be impressed!
Those barometer readings are ticked off in 1 hPa/.03 inHg increments, and the storm warning is a handy feature to keep your fisherman 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 them back to their truck or launch.
The GPS is easy to use and plenty good enough to lead them to where they need to be, even in the lower accuracy settings.
And the Suunto Traverse Alpha offers “breadcrumb” trailing and a “find back” feature that can lead them back to your starting point. No more worries about getting lost, no matter how far they stray!
Real-world users report that this watch is bomb-proof, and there’s not an angler in the world who won’t love it.
