How to Choose The Best Fishing Gifts For Fishermen And Women

There is always a Birthday, a Holiday, or a Special day rushing ever faster towards us. Fishing gift ideas can be difficult to think of. However if you have some one who loves to go out fishing then half the work is done for you. There are some tips and tricks needed to avoid the thank you through a forced smiles though and we will cover those below.

The key factor with fishing gifts is to not buy equipment. Unless you are aware of what you are buying there is  potential your gift will remain unused. Novelty items, small ticket purchases and fun little gifts that say you may not understand the fishing obsession but you support it are always welcome.

This means that unless you have been handed a list or email with the exact model of reel, rod, or lure you are gambling that you will get it correct. Also a quick note these fishing gifts are for everyone, fisher men, fisher women, fisher people, fisher kids and dogs. We do actually have an article on Ideas for fishing gifts for women, and are in the process of updating that here.

If you don’t fish you will be amazed at how long anglers and fisher people can talk and discuss the merits of fishing with a bait caster on a trolling trip, or how they used a speckled piglet lure to land a steelhead on 4lb braid. They are very knowledgeable about their fishing gear.

All of these things in the above paragraph are real things, i assure you, well except the speckled piglet lure. I made that up. However you get my point. Keep it simple, keep it fun, most of us buy the exact gear we need and some of it we even tell you we have bought it.

So if you want to show your angler you care then the following fishing gifts suggestions hopefully will help 🙂

We have included novelty items here, but some are actually pretty functional. My personal favorite is the pen angling set. It is totally cheap and tacky, but one time I had it in my tackle bag on da with a friend and he pulled out a 2lb grouper here while I sat with my 500 dollar set up trying not to swear. You can check these out here, and read more about them further down this list.

1. A Pen Set Fishing Rod and Reel Combo

Although these items look like a children’s toy, they are surprisingly effective. The rod is pretty good, the reel isn’t but for the price it works, I actually got one of these as a gift once and it last a good 5 years and did catch fish! can just put it in a backpack and go. Can’t ask much else from a fishing gift for such a low price!

• Cheap as chips!
• Actually work
• Great as they will be used from time to time
• Come in different colors
• wont take up all the ro0m in the car like the rest of the fishing gear

You can check it out by clicking the picture or check the price on Amazon here. There are a few different ”brands” but most come from the same place so don’t get to caught up by those. As a function, fun and Novelty gift it ticks all three boxes for a good price.

The only downside is that you might get dragged along to try it out on those cold dark mornings!

2. An Enamel Fishing Cup

These could be used as a nice stocking filler at Christmas or as a surprise gift. They are useful and functional and could be used at work as well as on the water. You can of choose any design you wish for, but nice earthy colors are my preference. They are of easier to misplace on dark mornings by the lake as well! A great little fishing gift.

I always think these are a little pricey for what they are, but they do last for a lifetime. There is also a certain charm about having these for a long time and seeing them get battered and worn through out the years but still soldiering on and doing their job! There is a metaphor for life!! If you get a fishing themed one it is a nice gift for fishermen.

3. A Fishing Vacuum Flask

Not quite as personal as a fishing mug, but more functional. It is worth checking how many of these you have in your house though as they tend to accumulate and hide. There are all manner of options here, the picture will take you to them. However, they get battered up pretty quick so don’t break the bank with it!

A little bit boring as a fishing gift to be honest, but it does say I want you to be warm and comfortable which is nice. While researching I actually saw a nice one from Plan b, which comes with an added environmental message as well. If you want to check it out you can here.

4. A Bait Towel for Fishing

This is not actually a towel to wipe down bait. It is a fishing towel keep hands clean after handling bait or rebaiting hooks. It therefore means it helps keep the more expensive kit clean as well. This particular one is a pack of six as they obviously get well sued and smelly pretty quickly. a great fishing gift and not overly priced!

• Hugely Useful!
• inexpensive
• keeps that expensive equipment clean
• Likely to be thanked for these!
• have a carabiner to hook on to boats or clothes

These have a lot of uses and that the are designed for fishing adds that extra appeal. If they don’t have these then they will make an excellent fishing gift for fishermen and fisher women everywhere.

5. Fish Weighing Scales

Why just get a set of weighing scales! when you can get fish grippers, tape measures, hook removers, lanyards and scales! Although usually these all in one, or in this case 4 in 1 bundles can be a little cheap. However this is pretty good, four out of the five items are perfectly useable and the lanyard… well never mind!

• Scales are accurate
• comes with fish grippers
• a hook remover
• a lanyard…
• a tape measure built in.
• Actually pretty good kit.
• Under 10 dollars

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The scales are pretty accurate and although the hook remover could be longer it still does the job unless really gut hooked ( don’t ask) Although we said don’t buy equipment as a fishing gift, here at least you have four chances in one to please your other half! Just click the picture fro this item in Amazon, or click here for a selection of similar (both cheaper and more expensive) options.

6. Rub-a-Way Bar Stainless Steel Odor Absorber

If you are not the angler in the family then we send our sympathies, and maybe you can give yourself a fishing gift as well as them! two fish and one hook as we say ( we don’t say that). This bar removes the smell from those fishy fingers. Make sure they realize that’s why you got it though or it might cause offense!

• the gift that keeps on giving
• It looks pretty cool
• its really a gift for you!
• make sure they know its for the fish smell!
• made with science ( they say)
• costs only a few bucks, so why not!

Getting the fish smell of a fisherman’s hands, at least successful fishermen, is always a challenge. This is actually made for chefs, who, with all respect, are going to be handling a lot more fish than anglers can ever dream of.

7. Personalized Fishing Lure Engraved Fishing Hooks

How to catch the heart of your resident fisher folk? These lures can actually be used, how much fish they will catch is debatable of course, but its a lovely fishing gift for the fishermen and fisherwoman in your life.

• Cute – tick
• Romantic – tick
• Gimmick – big tick
• Useful – not really
• comes in a presentation box
• You can inscribe your own message on it.

Yeah it is a gimmick, but its a nice one, and if you are being bought this by some one who doesn’t fish it shows they put a lot of thought into what they are going to get you, and that is worth more than the $$ they paid!

8. CATCH OF THE DAY, Seafood Seasoning Gift Set

Following on from the Steel smelly soap gift for fishermen above. How about you encourage them to be a wizard in the kitchen as well as a wizard on the water. 3 jars of seasoning to season the fish they caught should be hint enough that they do the work and you all reap the rewards.

These are pricey, especially for herbs, however they are a nice touch, and are top quality as well. In our opinion this gift works one way though. If you are the angler I am not sure of the reaction if you give these to your significant other as a gift! You may potentially be wearing them. I guess that smelly steel soap above would help then as well.

9. Plano E-Series 3600 Tackle Backpack

I have lost count of the number of feature bags i have bought in my life. Its a lot. Ones with water bottle insulation, ones with camera bags, wheels, extendable handles, secret compartments, waterproof covers. The point? Anglers like gimmicks, this has sections for tackle boxes, hydration compatible and pockets all over the place.

• Hugely Useful!
• keeps that expensive equipment clean
• Likely to be thanked for these!
• have a carabiner to hook on to boats or clothes

This is actually on the pricier end of the gifts we are highlighting here, but its a good gift for a day pack for your fisherman. A pick up and go type set up. If you head north price wise you are entering the dangerous territory of choosing equipment, so this model or similar will be great. There are many, MANY designs to choose from.

10. Gentlemen’s Hardware Fishing Pocket Penknife

Well made and in a nice presentation box, but a little bit of a lazy fishing gift, add it on with something else as well is our advice. Not to say it is not nice it is, and its a good quality knife. Just on its own it seems to be missing something. How about the soap with it as well!!! ( we like that soap!)

• Nice Knife
• a little pricey
• Comes with a belt loop carabiner
• That’s a trout, in case you wondered
• Cute

We might be being a little unfair on this knife actually. It is a nice piece, and it does show thought. Couple it up with something and you will be fine. Gentlemen’s hardware actually has some nice adds ons you could put with it.

11. LED Flashlight Gloves

Because when would you not need little lights on your fingers! For a few dollars these are worth a risk. Fishing requires more than the two hands we have at the best of times, so putting a torch into a pair of gloves, well, why not!

• If you don’t wear them fishing your kids can use them as iron man gloves
• Under 10 dollars
• Neoprene
• Waterproof…. maybe
• Excellent Gimmick!

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These are actually well reviewed and pretty useful. The one drawback I can see if you are going to have to stand there looking like Iron Man to point the light in the direction you want to see.

12. Fishing Gardening Folding Umbrella Hat

I love this for three reasons. 1: its a really good idea. 2: its looks funny and 3: Those Photoshop skills in the image on Amazon!! The bike one especially. It’s an umbrella hat, I am not sure what else i can say. However the idea of keeping those hands free for fishing is a good one.

The idea is sound, fishermen need hands spare, and although there are mini tents and similar this is small, light weight, and funny. Lots of people by this fishing gift as a joke, but Perhaps the funniest thing is it actually works really well!!

Why buy a Themed Fishing Gift

The idea here is not to buy them a new rod or a new reel unless you know exactly which model they want. There is just so much choice and therefore risk of spending a lot and still not achieving your aim. You can get jewelry, although some fishing jewelry is actually quite nice, and watches but these are so personal a choice that why not have a little fun with it as well.

All that is needed is to show a little thought and attention and any of the gifts above (THE SOAP!) will do this really well. It is a nod to that passion you may not understand, but know that they love. To be honest, that thought has always been the best gift for me!

Hi I am Marc, when I am not in a classroom teaching you will find me, or more likely not find me, on a boat, trekking through the woods, sitting by a river or pier hoping for tight lines or a straight shot. I have been teaching Outdoor skills, fishing, archery, shooting, Kayaking, Climbing and more for over 30 years. It’s about time I shared some of that with you all.