By Andrew A. Cox
The holiday season is upon us once again. If you are like me, you are most likely racking your brain to identify and purchase gifts for those important people in your life. Finding gifts for people who enjoy angling and outdoor pursuits can be a dilemma; it can be easy yet difficult to locate such gifts. Some anglers have a multitude of angling items and gadgets, so finding something that they do not already have can be difficult. On the other hand, finding a fishing item that they may actually use over the course of a fishing season can be another dilemma.
This holiday season is particularly difficult with supply chain shortages making available gift selections slim at area stores and online shopping sites. I recently visited a big box outdoor supplier and was shocked at the limited stocks of available outdoor-oriented items.
As you search for holiday gift purchases, consider shopping at locally owned angling and sporting goods stores. These are many times small businesses that are the foundation of America’s economy and seem to be having a difficult time competing with the large, national, so called “big box” stores as well as online sales outlets. Over the years, many of these smaller family owned businesses have gone out of business. Browsing around these stores may provide some gifting ideas for those sportspersons in your life. Most of these smaller stores have knowledgeable sales staff with excellent customer service that can provide gift ideas to you geared towards the angler’s preferred type of fishing. Many times, these outlets carry tackle and product brands not found at big box tackle outlets or have specialty angling niches focused upon particular angling methods.
Another thing that I enjoy about local sporting goods outlets, though they may have a smaller inventory, sometimes classic leftover stocks of lures and similar products no longer available at the big box or online sales outlets can be found. Finding original balsa Bang-a-Lures, Big O’s, or other discontinued tackle lines has occurred to me more than one time over the course of my browsing.
As years go by, I seem to be doing more and more of my angling purchases through online outdoors and angling websites and vendors. These sites have a large inventory with a substantial array of items for selection. Multiple purchases can be made from your computer allowing completion of gift purchases for several persons at one time without leaving your office or home. This certainly saves time and the frustration dealing with crowds at various shopping areas. A disadvantage is that you can read about an item to be purchased, yet not able to view it until the item arrives. Sometimes the quality or nature of the purchased item does not meet your expectations, requiring time and expense to initiate an item return and exchange.
Like many anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts, I enjoy browsing around the big box outdoors stores. They have a large selection of items that can be picked up and viewed by the potential purchaser. Sometimes, though not always, sales and customer service staff are knowledgeable and can provide guidance relative to a particular product line or angling style. A disadvantage is that these outlets only carry selected product lines. Accordingly, you may not find the specialty or niche fishing items found at smaller, locally owned sporting goods stores.
Good gift ideas for the angler or other outdoor person in your life do not have to be expensive. Food items, outdoor clothing and accessories, specialty angling tools and accessories such as pliers, hook hones, fish handling items such as grippers, as well as quality tackle storage items are good gift ideas.
Don’t forget about homemade angling or angling oriented items. If you tie flies or jigs, making these in various color or size combinations are nice gifts. Flies and jigs can range from fly rod size micro flies and jigs to more standard size lures for use with spinning and casting equipment. Fishing also seems to stimulate one’s appetite. Prepared specialty and snack foods such as deer or beef jerky or similar foods that can be consumed while on the water are good gift items.
I certainly spend my share of hard-earned dollars at the big box stores and online angling websites. Their large inventories of fishing products in one location, allowing for the purchase of multiple items are certainly a draw. However, remember to spread some of your wealth around to your local sporting goods outlets or specialty stores. Don’t forget about those special angling gifts that you can make. You just might be able to find the perfect gift for that sportsperson in your life this holiday season; maybe even a gift that will be treasured for a lifetime. If all else fails, relative to gifts for that hard to please outdoors person, you cannot go wrong with a gift certificate. This allows the receiver to choose their own items for purchase.
Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique oriented topics. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.