Big Buys for Modest Money
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Fishing-centric gift ideas that put matter over money, range around the $25 mark
What do you buy for the angler that has everything? First off, there’s no such thing as “the angler who has everything.” There’s always space to cram a new, must-have lure in the StowAway®. Or maybe add a fully inventoried box altogether. Better yet, get an entirely new tackle bag and stuff it to the gills. Point being, if there’s an angler on your Christmas list, trust that they don’t own everything, and will always appreciate a fishing-gear-gift.
Now Uncle Joe and Cousin Cletus mightn’t be deserving of a new boat, motor and trailer this season. But seeing that they’re blood, and put you on a pile of crappies this fall, they have some value, so to speak. Maybe keep it around 25 bones? Sounds fair.
Gifts for $25-ish-ish
Custom Jigs & Spins has kitted-up 8 of their quaking B3 Blade Baits. Available in ¼ and ½ ounce sizes, and 9 choice patterns – including the popular Glow Pink and Red Tiger – the B3 can be put to immediate use on the ice, jigging deep reservoir bass or ripping crappies off brush. Classic fish triggering devices, blade baits evoke instinctive strikes when intuition says to fish slow and sleepy. The B3 Blade Bait kit can be snagged online, manufacturer direct for $22.99.
Build your own custom Fin-Wing spoon gift set. Mix and match colors and sizes, easily bobbing and weaving around the $25 mark. The Fin-Wing’s distinctive stamped shape—time tested since 1948, with “wings” that flare out at just the right angle as well a hole placed perfectly in the bait’s main body— gives this gift-able spoon its realistic swimming moves. Nothing more complex than a large, sweeping jigging motion brings the Fin-Wing to life through the ice. Simply lift the rod tip a foot or so and let the lure freefall on a limp line. Simple as that. Fin-Wings are wicked on the troll and cast, too, enticing freshwater and saltwater fishes. DEFINITELY include some of the new glow patterns. Individuals range from $5.49 to $9.99 and can be purchased factory direct.
The swimbait craze is alive and well, and rightly so. These ridiculously realistic lookers and swimmers are certified fish slayers. And nobody is better qualified than LIVETARGET to sculpt clone-quality swimbaits, either. Beyond their realistic profiles and patterns, each member of LIVETARGET’s Swimbait Series is fraught with highly engineered features, including internal weighting for true-running, integrated low-profile, extra wide-gap hook, dorsal fin shield to thwart snags, accessory pin to add hooks or blades and customized oscillating tail that generates species-specific swimming actions. Freshwater LIVETARGET Swimbaits are available in Threadfin Shad, Gizzard Shad, Blueback Herring, Trout Parr, Adult Trout, Golden Shiner and Yellow Perch; saltwater species include Mullet, Pinfish and Sardine. MSRPs range between $9.99 and $18.49.
Frabill—the legendary bait care company—solved the perennial conundrum of how to transport both minnows and creepy-crawlies at once. The Frabill 4823 Dual Bait Bucket is part awesome aerated baitwell, part worm, leech, cricket, larvae or goodness-knows-what-else container. Say bye-bye to crushed Styrofoam tubs, lost lids and most importantly, dead bait. Frabill’s Dual Bait Bucket keeps minnows cool and frisky inside 1.3 gallons of insulated, optimally aerated water. Clipped snuggly astride, a portable Frabill aerator reliably feeds continuous oxygenation through a connected tube and micro diffuser. Separately, to safely and smartly stow nightcrawlers or other bait, a specialized built-in lid compartment keeps the critters equally chilled and cheerful. The two compartments are totally isolated because, seriously, no one wants worm poop mixing with their minnows. Think of it as a livebait duplex—both tenants mostly unaware of either’s existence but living in perfect harmony under one roof. Retail prices range around $29.
Did anyone ask the truckers if they were okay with the millennials stealing their style? You know, the hats; those tall suckers? And now the flat brims and structured crowns are totally dope with the young (and young-at-heart) angler. Well, St. Croix might be 68-years old, but think of us like that unbelievably cool grandpa, the one that listens to rap and thinks your dad is a fuddy-duddy. St. Croix’s new Offset Logo Trucker Cap comes in 5 rad color schemes and are available in St. Croix’s online store.
A spool of fresh fishing line – especially a slick new formula – makes for a primo stocking stuffer. Seaguar’s new Finesse Fluorocarbon is a solid buy for the angler in your universe. The techy new line is created using an exclusive double-structure process that combines two custom Seaguar fluorocarbon resins to create a line with smaller diameters and exceptional knot and tensile strength. It’s soft and supple with low memory, making it a great choice for finesse applications. Seaguar Finesse Fluorocarbon is available on 150 yd. spools and formulated in four sizes for finesse presentations including 5.2 lb., 6.2 lb. 7.3 lb. and 8.4 lb. Beautifully boxed spools are stickered for around $25.
In this era of specialization, Plano has concocted a tackle storage solution aimed squarely at the boat angler. Load the Lund. Rack the Ranger. Store it in the Skeeter. Trick-out the Tracker. Plano’s On-Board Series stows ideally in boats of all colors and creeds, freshwater and saltwater. A fistful of design features make the On-Board perfect for the boater. First, their low-profile silhouette ducks down and into storage lockers, under seats, even below the wheel. Next, the On-Board Series is outfitted with an ingenious mesh panel and fabric cover for drainage. The On-Board’s drainage feature eliminates the risk of soaking your tackle bags and ultimately rusting lures. The On-Board 3600 size (18”W x 9.75”L x 8”H) sells for around $25.
