Oh, it’s that time of year! The hustling, bustling, and anticipation of gathering with family and making memories around the Christmas tree, or however you may celebrate the season. Maybe you’re like me and leave all of the shopping until the last absolute minute?! Or maybe you’re taking advantage of good deals and picking up a few items for yourself along the way? In any event, I decided to put together a list for anyone looking for inspiration for the angler in their life! 🙂

If you don’t spend a lot of time on the water, it can be tricky to know where to begin when it comes to purchasing fishing equipment for your loved one(s). The GOOD news is that you’d be pretty hard up to find an angler who wouldn’t be thankful for more fishing gear! As an angler myself, I can tell you that there’s no end to adding more gear to the arsenal! There’s endless options when it comes to tackle and other fishing equipment so I’ve decided to list ten items (of various price points) from my adventures on the water this year! I’ll start from the beginning of the year (winter on the ice) and work my way around to fall! Please feel free to contact me if you need additional gift ideas, I’d be happy to help! I’m also giving away a $50 Bass Pro Shops gift card on my Facebook page!

#1  – Rapala Ice Combo Locker Bag. Making the journey out on to the ice whether on foot or by ATV/snowmobile can rattle and move your equipment around creating a mess when you land. This combo locker has been great to keep my rods organized and safe from the elements so they’re ready to go when I am. There’s also three different sizes to accommodate for longer rods and there’s a storage pocket inside for additional items.

#2 – Rapala Snap Rap + Rippin’ Rap. I’ve been asked to recommend my favourite ice fishing lure for walleye but I can’t pick just one! These two are like a team to me out on the ice while targeting Bay of Quinte walleye. I use the Rippin’ Rap to call them in and most times they will be more interested in the Snap Rap once they get closer. The Rippin’ Rap is also an open water favourite of mine.

#3 – Thill Stealth Float + Trigger X Wax Tail. I love spring and targeting panfish so here’s a couple items that were very helpful this year! These floats allow easy adjustments without retying, are easy to cast and very visible once they’re in the water. The Wax Tails (in white) were effective in convincing some of the biggest panfish of my life to bite this past spring! These items could also be great for youngsters too!

#4 – Rapala Concept Ti Rods + Concept Reel. Drop shot fishing is one of my most used presentations, especially for bass. This year I tried a new combo, the Concept 6’9″ medium x fast rod and Concept 1500 spinning reel. It has been my favourite Rapala combo yet! Very light, well balanced, ultra smooth casting and retrieving. There were lots of great memories made with this combo in hand 🙂

#5 – Ego S2 Slider Net. Nets don’t get a lot of love but most good fishing memories take place with a net in hand, fish in net and screaming from happy anglers! I like the extendable handle on the Ego and the fact that it floats. (I did drop it in the water this year and thankfully got it back!)

#6 – Mustang Elite Inflatable PFD. Mustang has a great line-up of Inflatable PFDs and I own several different models. When the Elite came out, it quickly became my favourite. It’s so comfortable, especially the thin, breathable material on the back. I’ve forgotten to take it off while loading the boat on the trailer at the end of the day more than a few times. I usually notice that it’s still on when I’m putting my seat belt on in the truck on the way home 🙂

#7 – Bass Pro Shops Rolling Rod Cart. I’m lucky to share my life with someone who has way too much fishing gear, just like I do. The fact that a ‘fishing room’ is factored in to our living arrangements is wonderful, but it wasn’t the prettiest sight at first when we merged everything together. Actually it looked more like a tackle shop threw up! We recently picked up a couple of the Rolling Rod Cards at Bass Pro Shops and they’re fantastic! They are sturdy and well designed for even the larger rod/reel combos. Taking care of equipment is so important, especially during the off season. It’s no good to have a rod bent and leaning against a wall for several months. Our fishing room is starting to look a lot more organized now… but I think I will wait until it’s completely organized before sharing a photo 😉 In the meantime, here’s a shot of the rod cart I took in the store.

#8 – Suick Weighted Muskie Thriller Jerkbait. I spent some time on the water with a local musky legend this year and he showed me the ropes of using a weighted Suick. They’re a lot of fun to fish and certainly a hot musky lure! Don’t forget about the pause 😉

#9 – Muck Boots + moisture wicking socks. I can’t say enough how much of a difference moisture wicking socks make (whether it’s merino wool or polypropylene). Paired with an awesome pair of boots, your feet will be singing instead of screaming in the harsh conditions. I have always had issues with cold feet but it’s been awhile since I’ve had to worry about that since switching it up to Mucks! (I went with the Women’s Wetlands.)

#10 – Bass Pro Shops Pro-Qualifier Gore-Tex Rain Suit. It has been pretty tough for me to find a decent rain suit over the years! I usually ended up finding a random jacket in one store and random pants in another but couldn’t find bibs to fit. I’m usually swimming in even the small sizes, but thankfully the Pro-Qualifier is a decent fit and is designed with the angler in mind! There’s also a few colour options too, which is nice 🙂

If you have any questions about gift ideas, or even some questions of your own regarding fishing equipment, contact me anytime! Please connect with me on my social media pages below! Merry Christmas to you and yours! I hope your holiday season is wonderful!

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