I can still remember being a passionate high school angler without much money to spend on gear. I had a tiny used bass boat that seldom ran, and when it did manage to leave the dock I didn’t have any electronics to guide me. That’s why one of my most treasured Christmas gifts was a little Humminbird depthfinder. I was shocked my mom knew about it and immediately ran outside to spend the rest of the day installing it.
That depthfinder helped me become a better angler and helped me catch a lot more fish. I still run Humminbird products today in part because of that memory.
Nevertheless, buying gifts for the angler in your family or in your life is hard. The market is saturated with all sorts of products, many of which work but others which definitely don’t. Also, people have specific styles of fishing and brand preferences. We can be picky. That’s why I want to suggest a few items that just about any bass angler will cherish, at a variety of price points. I’ll try to stick to relatively new items so you can surprise them with something they don’t already have. These are all things that I’d like to see in my stocking or under my tree.
My reel sponsor is Lew’s, and they make what I consider to be the best and most durable products on the market. If you want their top-of-the-line option, the latest is the Custom Pro Gen 3. It features the new ParaMag braking system and is remarkably lightweight. At about $279, it’s not inexpensive, but I think you’ll find that it costs far less than the competition. For about $100 less, you can get the Lew’s Custom, which is also an incredible reel and the choice of a lot of tournament anglers. For the bargain price of about $79, there’s the American Hero, a distinctive camo-colored reel that lots of serious tournament anglers use to fill their rod lockers. It’s bulletproof and supports a great cause.
If you’re looking to get your loved one a few baits, I can make recommendations from Strike King’s newest offerings. The first is the Hardliner, a flat-sided crankbait with a circuit board lip that’ll last forever. The Hardliner casts longer distances than other lures in its category. It’s a perfect wintertime tool, so the recipient won’t have to wait at all to use it. Another great choice is the Wake Shad. It’s a lure that Strike King made previously and a lot of us agitated for them to bring it back. It’s a springtime killer.
Strike King has also introduced new colors in some of their staples. For example, if you want a squarebill, try Real Gill or Mirage Gizzard Shad. Another great one is Sunny, which I’ve already used to catch a pile of fish. If they prefer to deep crank with a 5XD or a 6XD, you can’t go wrong with Mirage Ayu for clear water or Slick for dirty water. That’ll cover your bases. These new patterns are brand new to the market so you’ll be getting them something the anglers they compete against don’t have.
Finally, every angler needs line. My sponsor Seaguar just introduced a premium PEX8 braid that’s better than anything I’ve ever used — super low-stretch, sensitive and long casting. If you’re more budget conscious, try the Basix fluorocarbon or TactX braid. They don’t share the price tag, but they’re still tournament-ready lines that lots of pros depend on.
I know that it can be hard to pick out the right gifts for anglers, but all of these are products I stake my career on. Check me out on Bassmaster LIVE or TV and you’ll see them in my hands. Give them to another angler and you’re putting them in a position to succeed.
Merry Christmas.
