My holiday gift ideas

It’s interesting how a Christmas gift can have a profound impact on a person. For example, when my grandfather gave me a subscription to Bassmaster Magazine for Christmas in 1970, that got me started reading about the sport at an early age and planted a seed of interest that I would pursue later in life.

Those articles and photos were my first exposure to anything resembling a bass tournament, and I guess you could say that got the wheels turning. I was always very competitive, but I began to dream at a young age about what it would be like to someday fish professionally.

I particularly remember the issue with Bobby Murray on the cover after his 1971 Bassmaster Classic win. He was my first fishing hero in the sport and then shortly thereafter came names like Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Denny Brauer and Rick Clunn.

When I became aware that there were guys out there winning money at fishing, I thought “How cool would that be?” That gift of a Bassmaster Magazine subscription inspired me to go on and find out for myself, and the path I’ve chosen has been a very rewarding one.

Of course not all Christmas gifts will lead to career choices, but it’s still important to make an appropriate selection. An angler’s experience level will tell you a lot about what they may need, but you can further research this by reviewing their social media posts and by asking their buddies for insightful tips.

For anglers of any expertise level, the gift of information is always a good choice — like it was for me. A Bassmaster Magazine subscription would be a welcome source of knowledge for beginners and seasoned anglers. A B.A.S.S. Times subscription will extend that learning with the sport’s next level of up-and-coming trends.

Beyond that, I have some suggestions for selecting fishing gear.

Rods – The lineup of Kistler Rods that I use has a model for every application imaginable and, while such options are certainly relevant on the competitive level, it’s not always necessary for everyone. In fact, if you’re gifting someone a bass rod for Christmas, they’ll get a lot of use out of a 6-foot-6, to 6-9 medium power baitcasting rod.

I call this the 7-iron of fishing because it’s so versatile. You can do a lot with a 7-iron and the same goes for that type of rod. It will have enough backbone to fish baits that require a hard hook set, like a worm or jig, but it also will have enough bend and flex to make long casts with light crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc. This is a great choice for shore fishing local ponds and streams.

Spinning outfits are a great option for novice anglers who aren’t comfortable with baitcasters, but even those who are still need spinning tackle for several finesse tactics such as drop shotting or throwing a shaky head. Again, a 6 1/2-foot, medium power model will handle a wide range of baits.

Reels – It’s not uncommon for someone to tell me that they bought their child a baitcaster, but they can’t seem to master it. When I take a look at the reel, I often find that it’s such low quality that even I can’t cast it very well.

Now, you don’t have to spend $400 on a reel, but you get what you pay for. That being said, you don’t have to buy a $400 reel. Realistically, something in the $100-$200 range will offer the right level of quality and performance.

Reels below that level usually are not made very well and are not user-friendly.

Baits – Vast selections can leave shoppers confused and frustrated, but don’t try to figure it all out by yourself — whatever outdoors store you patronize, the staff can tell you about the hottest baits for your area. If such direction is unavailable, check online for tips on locally-appropriate baits.

Tip: Consider that most anglers do the majority of their fishing in the springtime, so don’t buy baits for December. Get something relevant to spring fishing. That means a lot of soft plastics.

If you’re having trouble deciding, you can’t go wrong with a pack of YUM Dingers. These soft plastic stick baits are extremely versatile and they work with multiple rigs in several different scenarios. There’s not an avid bass fisherman in the country who wouldn’t know what to do with a pack of YUM Dingers if they found it under the tree, or in their stocking.

Another good one that almost every avid bass angler in America loves is a topwater frog like the Booyah Pad Crasher. Frogs are very user-friendly and they can deliver some of your most entertaining strikes.

Accessories – Every fisherman will appreciate a good pair of stainless steel needle nose pliers for hook removal, while high-quality, stainless steel pliers are essential for cutting braided line.

Clothing – Stylish technical clothing is always sure to please any angler. Not only will they fish in comfort, they’ll look good doing it. (I’m hoping my wife Jimmye Sue reads this, because last year, I got two really nice HUK shirts for Christmas.)

In closing, I’d like to address fishing gifts for children. I have nothing against kid-themed items, but make sure that you’re buying functional fishing gear. I think that encouraging kids starts with giving them something that will enable them to learn and develop their fishing skills.

If you give them toys, they’ll treat them as such, but once a child is 5 or 6 years old, they’re capable of handling a real fishing outfit.

With any of these gift areas, give your angler the best your budget allows because that will legitimize their interest in fishing and encourage them to continue.