‘Tis that season again. Time to rack your brain in an attempt to remember if someone has left hints as to what they’d like to receive this holiday season.
Nothing coming to mind? We’ll help you out with this budget-friendly list of gear that any bassin’ fan would love to get — or give.
Gifts for less than $15
Sisson Design Dangle Berry
This weighted hook has a free-sliding weight that shifts as movement is imparted to the bait. Translation? When you put a Fluke/Senko/swimbait on the hook, the weight keeps the bait keeled when it’s being retrieved; and when it is stopped, the weight makes the bait flutter downward, rather than just sinking. When popped along, the bait darts from side to side.
$5.98 for a 3-pack
www.sissondesignsstore.com
Beyond Coastal Natural Sunscreen
OK, so you may not need this at the moment, but come spring, your sun-starved skin will need all the protection it can get. Beyond Coastal’s specially formulated Natural line of sunscreen is designed for skin exposed to extreme sunlight. It offers full UVA and UVB protection and is water-resistant.
Beyond Coastal’s Natural has ingredients designed to hydrate, repair and restore skin that has been overexposed.
$5.99 for 1-ounce tube; $15.99 for 4-ounce tube
www.beyondcoastal.com
Gifts from $15-$30
Princeton Tec Byte headlamp
Quit fumbling around in the dark before launch. Rigging lures, unhooking your boat and even putting that pesky drain plug in are all a lot easier when you can see what you’re doing. Princeton Tec’s Byte headlamp showers darkness with 35 lumens of light.
The Byte also has a red LED that lasts for 146 hours and a white LED that lasts for 96 hours, all on two AAA batteries. The Byte also has high and low modes for longer burn times.
$19.99
www.princetontec.com
Heddon Punkinseed Ornaments
Those of us who have been around the lake a few times will remember Heddon’s Punkinseed crankbait. This highly collectible lure can bring several hundred dollars for one in original packaging. However, you can get faithful reproductions to hang on your tree this year to remind you of the “good ol’ days.” Plus, if you order from www.lurenet.com, you get a free Heddon Rattlin’ Spook with each set. One set contains 12 different Punkinseeds.
$19.99
www.lurenet.com
Gifts from $30-$50
Bass Forever by Glen Lau with Ken Duke
With more than 15,000 hours underwater observing and filming bass, few have more insight into how bass live than legendary filmmaker Glen Lau. In Bass Forever, the man who made Bigmouth and Bigmouth Forever shares what he’s learned about our favorite gamefish. The hardcover book is 176 pages with 60 full-color photos.
$39.95
www.whitefishpress.com <!– BASS Insider Membership
As a BASS Insider, you’ll be privy to some of the most in-depth how-to information and videos on the web. What’s more, you can access the blogs of Bill Dance, Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli and our very own Bass Geek, Ken Duke. Perhaps the coolest part of an Insider membership is being able to ask questions in real time to Elite Series pros as they take on a Day on the Lake LIVE.
$35
www.bassinsider.com–>
Bass Fishing Vault: A Collector’s Edition
History buffs, anglers and especially angling history buffs will love Bass Fishing Vault: A Collector’s Edition. This book comes alive in your hands with mementos of bass fishing history tucked away into pockets throughout the volume.
Readers will relish mementos such as the rules pamphlet for Ray Scott’s 1967 All-American Invitational at Beaver Lake, the receipt for the first life member of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, a 1902 certificate of guarantee from tackle manufacturer William Shakespeare Jr., and a patent for one of Ole Evinrude’s earliest outboard motors, among other things. Bass Fishing Vault: A Collector’s Edition can be found in bookstores or online.
$49.95
www.WhitmanVaultBooks.com
Outdoor Research Sombriolet Sun Hat
Most every angler wears a hat while on the water, but most ball caps are more ornamental than practical. Outdoor Research’s Sombriolet Sun Hat covers more real estate than any ball cap could and is loaded with angler-friendly features. It’s made from UPF 50+ material, has vents for rapid cooling and has a sweat-wicking fabric in the crown. It’s available in three sizes.
$36
www.outdoorresearch.com
Gifts for $50 and up
Castalia Outdoors Sharkfin Reel
This spinning reel is more than a fancy-looking spool. The Sharkfin gets its name from the serrated spool design that is engineered to allow for less friction as the line comes off of the spool, resulting in longer casts. The fins also cut back on tangles that form during retrieve. The Sharkfin is available in two sizes and has a two-year warranty.
$119.99 (2000 series); $149.99 (4000 series)
www.castaliaoutdoors.com
Julbo Hike
Julbo’s newest frames are tailor-made for on-the-water activities. The Hike feature Falcon lenses, which are polarized, antireflective, smudge- and smear-resistant and photochromatic, meaning they change darkness as light levels fluctuate. The copper color is ideal for low-light activities and sight fishing. Three frame and lens combinations are available.
$90-$190
www.julbousa.com
