25 Fishing Gifts for the Angler in Your Life

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Buying gifts and gear for friends and family who fish can be intimidating if you’re not an angler yourself, so we’ve assembled a diverse compilation of the perfect presents—for both on the water and off—that don’t require any special knowledge about fishing to be a great fit for the angler in your life.

Best Fishing Gifts

Being surrounded by anglers even more hardcore than I am has also given me decades of experience giving and receiving fishing gifts. I know which gifts are well-intentioned but likely to miss the mark and which ones have a higher spot on wish lists than they do on priority lists. While it’s best to steer clear of core gear such as rods and reels, as well as size-dependent stuff like waders and boots, it’s never a bad idea to give that totally unique but slightly unnecessary gift that someone would never buy for themselves. That said, if your angler hints at makes and models and doesn’t care about being surprised, go ahead and buy them that high-end reel they’ve always wanted.

How We Selected These Fishing Gifts

As an outdoors writer and editor, I get to test a lot of the latest fishing products. I also read lots of fishing gear reviews and talk to the authors and experts in these spaces. For this article, I polled my peers in the industry including other writers and brand representatives to find a wide range of interesting products in the fishing space in a range of price points from stocking stuffers to “big” gifts that only make sense for the closest friends and family.

Magniplier

A good pair of pliers is essential equipment when fishing—whether offshore, fly fishing, or bass fishing from shore. A $5 pair from the hardware store will do the trick, but won’t last long around harsh saltwater environments. Gerber’s Magniplier is made with an anodized aluminum body with a Salt Rx treatment for additional corrosion resistance. The high-use jaw tips and carbide cutters are exchangeable, so even if your Magnipliers start to wear, you can exchange parts to make them like new again.

XP3 Phone Case

Since smartphones took over for GPS and as helpful fishing apps have proliferated, almost everyone takes their phone with them while fishing. Unfortunately, not everyone’s phone is ready to go fishing. Enter the Phoozy Case, a pouch designed for the outdoors that is leagues ahead of the ubiquitous clear-plastic bag-style cases. The XP3 addresses a common problem for the phones of anglers, hikers, and bikers alike, which is keeping your phone from overheating when you can’t keep it out of direct sun. It also has a stash pocket for ID and cards, and multiple attachment points to tether it to something (like yourself or a pack). Bonus: it floats so you don’t have to fear taking your phone with you on the water.

Multi-Flex Interchangeable Knife Set

Cleaning fish isn’t fun for most folks who don’t do it every day, but the best way I’ve found to make it enjoyable and fast is having the right set of knives. Sharp knives designed for the task are the difference between mangled, wasted fish and clean fillets that come off the bone quickly and easily. Interchangeable blade systems are popular with pocket knives, but this is the first time I’ve seen it applied to fishing. Bubba’s Multi-Flex system gives you one ergonomic handle and four blades of different lengths and flexes and includes one serrated blade. The titanium nitride-coated high-carbon steel blades are not throwaway replaceable blades; they’re full-tang blades that magnetically lock in place. Using the same handle for all three blades means the kit takes up less space and everything fits in the relatively compact case. Grab a pair of Yakoda tweezers for yanking out those pesky pin bones.

Sea Doo Fishing Adventure from Uncharted Society

Want to really wow the angler in your life? Consider one of the Sea Doo-powered guided fishing expeditions that you can book through Uncharted Society. Trips range from $299 to nearly $5,000, and there are options on every coast and inland as well, making it a reasonable option for anyone in the U.S. There’s even a self-guided Canadian excursion for salmon, halibut, lingcod, and trout in Vancouver, BC. The priciest trip is a multi-day guided outing on Lake Powell, where you can fish for bass and striper among other species. I can speak from experience that one of the most fun ways to enjoy Lake Powell’s otherworldly canyons and sandstone is aboard the fishing-focused Sea Doo FishPro personal watercraft. It keeps you up close and personal with the water and doubles as a trolling boat to catch dinner for your nights at camp.

Suunto 9 Peak GPS Adventure Watch

Suunto’s flagship GPS multisport watch is definitely geared towards runners, cyclists, and people training for a variety of athletic pursuits, but pair it with your smartphone and the Suunto app, and the 9 Peak is a powerful way to track your movements when fishing on foot along river and stream banks.

The mapping included in the watch isn’t much for wayfinding— I’d still default to my digital maps on a phone when navigating—but if you employ the dedicated Fishing mode in the exercise tracking, you’re given a Find Back option which can be helpful to locate your starting point if fish fever has taken you further afield than you realized. Tracking and pairing with third-party apps such as Strava or MapMyRun let’s you review where you’ve been while out fishing. Given the price point, the 9 Peak is a bit expensive to consider for just the fishing benefits, but it's a great gift for an angler who also likes to track their hikes, bikes, runs, and other fitness goals.

Tactical Tweezers

Fly fishermen know and love Yakoda Tweezers for handling tiny flies in the field. If you're looking for a cheap stocking stuffer for any angler go with these. I carry a pair in my first aid kit anytime I’m headed outdoors, not just fishing, as the tweezers are great for any detail tasks as well as removing cactus spines or splinters. The surgical-grade stainless steel won’t rust, and the simple design means you can throw them in a pack or step on them and they’ll likely keep on working despite abuse. For fishing, they’re great in the field but equally at home on the fly-tying bench, where even the smallest fingers often aren’t delicate enough for some tasks. At about $5 a pair, you can even splurge and get the angler in your life two pairs.

Panga 75L Dry Duffel

There’s nothing like a big duffel to keep all your gear and outerwear in one place. Whether hunting or fishing, I like being able to grab one bag to throw into the truck, knowing everything I might need for the day is in there. If the angler in your life doesn’t already have one of the Panga Duffels from cooler-maker Yeti, they probably want one. Unlike regular duffels, the Yeti Panga is fully waterproof and ridiculously durable, with an EVA-molded bottom for stability, a waterproof zipper, and a laminated nylon hide that keeps water out, and suffers insults with a smile.

Master Unbreakable Thermal Bottle

Good fishing often means early mornings—and for me that requires hot coffee. If you’re headed somewhere decent, there’s probably not a Starbucks nearby, so you’ll want something to keep drinks hot. Nothing does that quite like the time-tested vacuum insulation technology of a Stanley Thermal Bottle. The Classic Legendary Bottle has stood the test of time and has unmistakable style, but the Master Unbreakable Thermal Bottle takes the original and improves upon it without overhauling it. This bottle provides an absurd 40 hours of heat retention and 35 hours of cold retention. If you’re fishing at sunset instead of early morning, consider picking up Stanley’s very cool Classic Sportsman Hip Flask in the classic Hammertone Green, Blaze Orange, or Camo for a nip after a long day on the water.

HeadLamp 750

If you’re getting out at dawn, you’ll need to light your way with your hands full. Enter the headlamp that conveniently illuminates wherever you’re looking. Even if you’re just getting ready in the parking lot in low light, a headlamp is a great tool for the angler who wants to keep their hands free. Biolite’s 750 cranks out the lumens thanks to a rear lithium-ion battery pack that delivers 7 to 150 hours of light depending on which of the several dimmable light levels you use. There’s a rear red light option which helps cars see you and allows friends to follow you through the brush.

Swash Sunglasses

Every angler needs sunglasses thanks to the constant battle with reflections and glare, but it’s amazing how much the right pair can improve your ability to spot fish and features in the water. Fishing shades newcomer Bajio offers several models built especially for fishing, and its lenses are the self-proclaimed “clearest lenses on the planet” thanks to 95 percent blue light–blocking technology.

I tested these on the Arkansas River, 7,000 feet closer to the sun than sea level, and I can’t argue with the company’s claims. There’s a range of frame colors and styles available, from sport to casual. All feature polarized lenses (lots of options here, too, to get the right colors for your home waters) that are set inside plant-based nylon frames that feel substantial and durable. Choose polycarbonate lenses for lighter weight; glass for durability and clarity.

Heron Ocean Glacier Glasses

The vintage style of Vallon’s Heron Ocean glacier glasses will make you look and feel like a polar explorer from another century, but their heavily tinted and mirrored lenses combined with leather side shields will protect your vision in highly reflective environments such as ocean fishing or winter fly fishing along snowy riverbanks.

Glacier glasses are enjoying a resurgence with backcountry skiers, but the Heron Ocean features polarized lenses, making them better than ski-focused models for spotting fish. The arms wrap around your ears and are fully adjustable, so it’s hard to imagine them falling off, even without retainer straps that most sunglasses need on the water. You might think that sunglasses like these—they're practically goggles—would struggle with fogging, but I’ve hiked and skied in mine and have yet to be able to fog them even when I’m sweating through my shirt.

37.5 Hoodie Shirt

Whether worn as sun protection in mid-summer or as a base layer in colder months, a performance sun hoodie (or five) is a staple of any angler’s wardrobe. Boulder, Colo.-based Eclipse partnered with third-party tech company 37.5 (also from Boulder) on this silky soft hoodie that purports to maintain ideal humidity at the skin level by pulling moisture vapor away with embedded mineral particles. Unlike some sun hoodies that are fully focused on cooling you down (even when the sun’s setting are temps are dropping), the Eclipse layer aims to keep you at the ideal body temperature (37.5 Celsius, if you ask them) regardless of the ambient temperature.

Men’s Sun Hoodie

If you’re fishing cooler waters or cooler seasons but still need sun protection, the merino wool Sun Hoodie from Ibex is one of the most comfortable things I’ve ever worn. It manages to pull away moisture to keep you cool thanks to the natural wicking of merino wool. It comes with built-in, natural odor-control properties (owing to the 83 percent wool content) but fits well thanks to blended-in nylon and elastane for stretch and durability. Like the sheep the wool came from, you’ll stay comfortable through a range of different temperatures on the water, all while enjoying full upper-body sun protection.

First Aid Essentials with LED Light

I always carry a first aid kit when fishing, whether it’s in my car, my hip pack, backpack, or on my boat. In fact, I like to have dedicated kits that live in each place so I don’t have to remember to move kits around. In this way, I can be sure I’m always prepared.

The nearly indestructible metal tube structure of the VSSL First Aid Kit is designed to throw in a pack or boat and forget about it until you need it. Making it even more useful is the LED light at the end of the tube that can help you navigate out after dark. This is a great backup for when you inevitably stay out longer than planned and realize you forgot your headlamp. The kit comes with VSSL’s signature first aid roll (including medical face mask, emergency whistle, and disposable thermometers), but you can use individual canisters inside to customize your own kit with the items you know you want.

MR300 Portable Mosquito Repeller

My worst experiences with mosquitoes and flies have all been when fishing. Mosquitoes love water, and if you spend enough time fishing, you’ll develop a healthy dislike for these short-lived insects. I hate covering myself in bug spray (even the natural stuff). Besides, mosquitoes still somehow find a way to feast on me. Even if bug zappers worked, they wouldn’t be practical to take fishing, but Thermacell’s unique and portable MR300 uses an EPA-approved technology to emit a mosquito-repelling “zone of protection” of 15 feet around the device. It won’t work as well on windy days, but mosquitoes aren’t usually around if it’s windy, anyway. The unit uses a battery and replaceable fuel cell, is light and small enough to toss into a pack, and, best of all, is scent-free.

Performance Bucket

Whether you’re ice fishing a frozen lake, on a charter boat, or casting off a local bridge, almost every angler uses the classic 5-gallon bucket for something. The only issue is that your standard home improvement store buckets don’t last, get beat up easily, and fail when you least want them to. Enter the Huck Bucket, which surprises you everywhere standard buckets disappoint. The material is a proprietary polymer built to withstand drops up to 20 feet high and a handle rated to carry up to 600 pounds. (If you figure out how to get 600 pounds of something in a 5-gallon bucket, please email me images.) Probably my favorite feature is the rubberized handles on the side which give you a carrying option besides the top handle. There are also rubberized feet on the bottom that keep it from sliding on surfaces like wet boat decks. For a little extra, you can get the bucket customized direct from Huck with custom artwork or a company logo.

Outdoorsman Bluetooth Speaker

At the marina or in the parking lot after a long day of fishing, it’s always nice to debrief the day with cold beverages, grilling, and music. Waterproof Bluetooth speakers are great because everyone can take turns as DJ, and they’re easier to move around as you do. Bushnell’s Outdoorsman Bluetooth Speaker is waterproof and drop-proof and has a magnetized end for easy mounting to tailgates or boat hulls, plus D-ring loops, and a mounting strap. To get stereo sound, buy two—the Outdoorsman permits simultaneous play from the same device. It also doubles as a USB phone charger.

DB2 Waterproof Outdoor Speaker

If you’re shopping for an audiophile who likes cranking things up, and you don’t mind spending a bit more, check out the DemerBox DB2 Speaker, which delivers 94 decibels of high fidelity over Bluetooth 5.0. The DemerBox looks like a small amp, but it’s fully waterproof, and despite weighing a little more than 5 pounds, its big battery lasts up to 40 hours depending on how loud you go. Like the Bushnell, the DemerBox supports stereo pairing if you buy two. It also has a headphone-jack auxiliary input if you want another means of connecting. A nice touch: dry internal storage for small items like a wallet, keys, and a headlamp.

Keeping It Reel Crew Socks

If want to fill some stockings without emptying your wallet, a suitable stuffer is a pair of fishing-themed socks that let your angler express their passion subtly below the calf. Hotsox makes these punny "Keeping It Reel" socks, and K. Bell offers a more office-ready black dress sock patterned with fishing lures.

Stern Long Sleeve

Despite looking good away from the water, this fashionable plaid long-sleeve serves as a performance fishing shirt. On the surface, it looks like your typical button-down, but it sports features like the vented back to let heat and moisture out without letting bugs in. And unlike your average plaid shirt, the Stern is blood and guts stain-resistant and water-resistant. The Salt Life branding is subtle, with a simple pocket tag that’ll communicate to those in the know that the wearer is into casting and catching. There’s also a secret ruler hidden inside the sleeve for measuring your catch when you wear it on the water.

Port Cask Finish Whiskey

Made from snowmelt high in the Colorado Rockies, Breckenridge Distillery’s award-winning whiskeys, vodkas, rum, and gin are produced in the Upper Blue River drainage. In late 2021, the distillery released a partnership with the Breckenridge Brewery called Buddy Pass, where the brewery used whiskey barrels to create a Whiskey Barrel Imperial Stout, then returned the barrels so the Distillery could age whiskey in them for an Imperial Stout Finished Whiskey. The fruits of this years-long collaboration are, for now, available only in Colorado, but you can buy Breckenridge Distillery mainstays such as its Bourbon Whiskey and Port Cask Finish Whiskey online from most states.

Trenches Icon Hydro Hat

If the angler in your life is anything like me, their favorite fishing hat looks like it’s been loved a little too much for too long. Performance haberdasher Melin adds features to fishing apparel you never knew you needed. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, the Trenches Icon Hydro floats. It’s also super-lightweight and breathable to keep your head from sweating on those blistering days on the water. And if you do sweat, it’s anti-microbial to prevent it from smelling like, well, a fishing hat.

Trailwaters Hip Pack

Minimalist fly fishing company, Tenkara Rod Company, teamed with fly fishing gear newcomer Trailwaters to create a spartan fishing hip pack that does just enough but not too much. There’s a main compartment that’s big enough for a light jacket and several side and front compartments to keep all the minor gear items you need for fly fishing separate and in their own place (think floatant, forceps, nippers, etc.) While it feels fishing-focused, the design is generic enough to double as a biking or hiking hip pack when needed.

Kryall Hoodie

Everyone needs a solid, everyday hoodie, and this offshore-worthy sweatshirt from Grundéns is tough enough to serve as an outerwear layer and comfortable enough for lounging on the couch. It’s also stylish enough to wear out and about when you’re back on land. It’s wind-resistant, and a DWR coating makes it water-resistant as well, giving you water protection without the stiffness and stuffiness of a rain jacket. The DWR does double-duty by preventing stains—an important feature when you’re wearing this and cleaning fish. More technical than your average hoodie, it sports a D-ring at the waist and a zippered pocket within the normal front kangaroo pouch.

Entourage Boxer Brief

I’ve been wearing the activewear boxers from BN3TH for about a year now for everything from hunting to running to fishing. The MyPakage junk pouch permits an athletic fit without constricting the sensitive bits and keeps them comfortable enough to wear every day, not just for sports. The synthetic fabric is thin, light, and breathable to help prevent overheating, but doesn't interfere with the fit of pants and shorts. The briefs make a great gift in any of the fun patterns or colorways, but the Go Fish pattern here is a great tie-in for any angler in your life.

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