10 Best Gifts for Anglers

If you know anyone who enjoys getting out to the water and catching fish, you may want to give them something special, especially as the holiday season looms over us. But what do you get anglers aside from the basic things you think they may already have? Are you going for practicality? Or do you want to give them something silly? Fun? Or maybe even cool? We’ll cover all those bases with a list of gifts you can get the avid angler in your life.

Practical and Useful Gifts

1. Bags and Storage

Anglers will always need extra places to place or store their equipment, gear, bait, tackle, catches, and other things. Consider gifting things that can help them with this, like a fishing rod bag, a dry bag, a tackle bag, a cooler, or a bait box. 

A fishing rod bag can give anglers an easier time lugging all their gear around when they travel and go fishing. Getting them a dry bag is also a great gift option because they can put all the things they want to protect from water things like their phones, keys, and fishing devices into it. A tackle box is another great present because sometimes the tackle that is used by fishermen are hard to keep track of, so giving them the option to be more organized with their tackle is a smart and thoughtful gesture. Coolers and bait boxes are very useful things for anglers, if the ones you know already have them, give them an even cooler or updated version! Some coolers and fishing boxes have improved greatly in their portability and the features they offer. There’s a folding chair backpack that also acts as a cooler that might impress anglers you may find hard to shop for.

2. Clothing and Gear

Clothes are arguably one of the most useful things you can give someone. That doesn’t exempt anglers as there are so many clothing options for them out there that serve different functions when they’re out fishing or are specialized for a specific use. 

You can’t go wrong with a long sleeve fishing shirt. It protects anglers from the sun but they can easily roll up the sleeves if they need to. Fishing clothes are also made out of material that quickly dries and is very breathable, offering further comfort. If you want to further protect your fish-loving loved one from the elements, splurge on a full-on rain suit. They come in a variety of sizes and colors that are made from materials that are wind and water-resistant.

For other wearable gear and accessories, you can opt to buy them a fishing hat that also gives them protection from both the sun and rain. A good pair of heavy-duty fishing gloves is another fantastic present. Constant handling of fish and water can be very rough on one’s hands so they’ll get plenty of use out of gloves. There are even ones that have a built-in flashlight in them!

3. Cosmetics and Hygiene

Fishing can be a dirty and messy activity, the smell of the fish themselves isn’t much help either, so consider gifting something that helps with that issue.

The best and simplest way to show you care is to give them sunscreen. Sun protection is extremely important for an activity that if not, almost exclusively, is done outdoors. You can get sun protection sets that also include lip balms and cooling lotions that have SPF protection.

Working with fish, it’s unavoidable that their smell might linger on one’s person. Instead of getting soap, get a lightweight stainless steel bar made for washing skin. The molecules in the steel cohere with the sulfur molecules in the skin; therefore the smell will transfer away from one’s skin and there’s no residue that will adversely affect natural waters.

4. Other Convenient and Handy Tools

If you don’t want to go the simple route and buy them an extra pole, rod or line, you can get anglers other useful tools they can add to their set. 

Anglers won’t say no to extra baits and lures, so getting them a variety pack will be very appreciated. 

A durable scaling and cutlery set is a wonderful gift for anglers who enjoy catching fish and look forward to eating them. You can find ones that are lightweight and anti-rust and come with all you need when one needs to scale and clean fish to prep them before they become a delicious meal.

If you want to get something simple but get a lot of use, get a pocket knife or fishing pliers. Both will surely be used often when the angler you know ventures out to do some fishing. Make it more special by personalizing it and putting their names on the tools.

Cool Gifts

5. Survival Stuff

Things that can save a life make excellent and cool presents. Instead of getting anglers a basic first aid kit, get them a paracord bracelet. This wearable tool possesses everything an angler needs during an emergency. Don’t be fooled by its size because the bracelet contains bandages, antibacterial gel, a signal whistle, a V-cutter tool, a fire starter, and more!

On the more techy side, if you can splurge on safety, now’s the time to consider getting a remote-controlled lifesaver. Its jet will be able to steer anyone in need back to safety, even when the waves are rough.

6. Smart Gadgets

As humanity advances in its development of technology, it’s only right that along with that, fishing has also been impacted by the growth, making one of our favorite pastimes easier and more inventive.

Both new and advanced anglers sometimes will need to streamline their fishing process and find tricky game more easily. This is where you consider getting a fish finder, especially a high-tech one, which is becoming more prevalent. Some devices can connect with a smartphone, where you can see where the fish and underwater structures are. You can also use the device to measure the water's depth and temperature. 

If you know a fisherman who suffers from back pain or is just tired of cranking and pulling their reel, get them an electric anchor winch. There are models for both freshwater and saltwater fishing and they come in with already wounded braided cords as well as have the capacity to anchor pounds and pounds of weight.

Fun and Silly Gifts

7. Personalized Items

Do you want to get a laugh out of your fisherman friend? Get them a funny shirt or an apron that contains a playful jab about their love for fishing. You can also go the sentimental route and get them personalized fishing lures that express a thoughtful or commemorating message. A lot of equipment anglers use are easily personalized, so whatever you decide to get them, consider taking the extra step and customize it.

8. Fishy Things

Going for novelty when buying gifts for anglers isn’t hard because you can easily find gift items that are themed around fish. From the famous singing Big Mouth Billy Bass to fish-shaped flip flops, you’ll encounter tons of funny items just by searching for ‘fish’ and then the name of a thing you have in mind.

9. For the Ones Who Love to Cook and Eat

It’s a given that some anglers do what they do because they want to be able to say that they harvest and cook their own food. For the foodie fisherman, it’s a great idea to buy them a cookbook that utilizes the fish they catch amazingly. You can also find spice mixes and sets that are made to pair beautifully with fish dishes. 

10. Leave It Up to the Experts

Mystery boxes and catered gift sets are becoming trendier. This option will save you time worrying about what to get the angler in your life because they’re specifically put together to satisfy fishers. Get a snack basket for the angler who gets snacky while they fish or get a mystery box set that features a variety of unique products that anglers would need. The great thing about this option is that you can get a diverse assortment of things at any price point you want.

Whatever you plan to get an angler, consider how it will help them with their fishing adventure or even how it will put a smile on their face. Any gift you give will be appreciated because the fact that you’re aware of the thing they love to do and want to give them something related to that is proof of how much you care.