Fishing gifts for Christmas

Written by

Michael Iaconelli

New Jersey

I love family gatherings during the holiday season and getting in touch with the meaning of Christmas. When I was young, I also longed to receive gifts tied to fishing.

When I was 12 or 13, the Color Selector had come out. I read how you could stick its probe in the water and it would tell you what color lure to use. I wanted a Color Selector badly, and I was ecstatic to find it under the Christmas tree.

If you have kids, relatives or friends who are into any kind of angling, you can make their day with a present that helps them enjoy their favorite pastime. I lump fishing gifts into four categories.

Tackle

Lures, rods, reels and electronics are always awesome gifts. Back in my day, you had to scan through thick paper catalogs from outlets like Bass Pro Shops to find suitable presents.

Today, finding gifts is much easier to do online. I lean on Tacklewarehouse.com. It’s easy to navigate, has the best selection and can have whatever you order on your doorstep the next day.

Memorabilia

As with other sports, bass fans appreciate memorabilia from their favorite pros, TV personalities and media influencers. Many pro anglers sell a variety of memorabilia to their fans. You might know someone who would appreciate something commemorating, say, Kevin VanDam or Skeet Reese.

I have similar merchandise on my website. I always sign a lot of stuff during the holiday rush. When I was a kid, I got a present from my uncle that I’ll never forget. It was a white Bassmaster ball cap that had a decorative yellow rope around its bill. It was signed by Roland Martin, one of my heroes.

Educational presents

As a kid, I was gifted books and VHS cassettes about bass and how to catch them. I remember tearing the wrapper off a Christmas present to find a book written by Doug Hannon, “The Bass Professor.” I was thrilled. I longed to have that book because I wanted to be a better fisherman.

These days, you can choose from a variety of educational fishing DVDs and books, including a few books I’ve written. There are also many great apps for a smartphone, including mapping programs.

Gift an experience

Think how awesome it would be to open a card or fetch something from a stocking and find a certificate for a guided fishing trip. I remember getting such a present, a day of fishing on the Upper Susquehanna River. I had the joyful experience of riding in a jet boat and catching smallmouth over the rocks.

Today’s age of social media makes it easy to find reputable fishing guides across the country. My buddy Mike Breeding (greatfulguides.com), who runs guide trips on central Pennsylvania rivers, prints gift certificates for his services.

Another amazing option would be to register someone to be an AmBASSador for a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament. This would give them an opportunity to get into a boat with three different Elite Series pros and experience what it’s like to compete against the world’s best anglers.

I’ve had excited AmBASSadors in my boat who told me their dad or a relative purchased the experience for them.

One of the Christmas presents I gave to my son Vegas last year was five days at a fishing camp on New York’s Oneida Lake. Vegas flipped out. The camp is run by Curt Dove.