| Selecting a fishing gift for anyone can be a | | | | assemble the best selection of products every |
| challenging task, but this information will make | | | | assembled. While you don't know a Hula-Popper |
| your decision a little easier this holiday. A great gift | | | | from Betty Crocker, you will come off looking like |
| will be one that hits close to home and is used, | | | | a fishing Martha Stewart when you deliver this |
| appreciated and enjoyed long it is given. Follow | | | | gift. No one has to know you had help from the |
| this article and you will have success this season | | | | local tackle geniuses. The best fishing gifts are |
| with your fishing gift, even if you no nothing | | | | found in the bait stores. |
| about the sport. The closer the store or | | | | 6. Tacky Fishing Joke Gifts |
| organization is to your house, the better the gift | | | | This headline has no pun - you're welcome, but it |
| will be. | | | | might be just the gift you were looking for - a |
| 1. Avoid National Stores | | | | funny one. Sure there are online shops with |
| To that point, local is everything. Big box fishing | | | | catchy sayings (pun intended) screened on their |
| stores and major retail stores lack local fishing | | | | shirts, mugs, hats. Nothing can match the tacky |
| gear and don't match local waters. Even if they | | | | gifts that can be found at the real mccoy - the |
| are close to your house, drive past these for a | | | | Bait Hut, and they know it. You will find some legit |
| greater gift. Local stores know local waters. Giant | | | | unsellable items hidden in the nooks and crannies |
| national stores have a central home office and | | | | of these gold mines. If humor is your goal, head |
| order based on national averages with only slight | | | | to the minnow trough and take a left. Look up on |
| regional differences. These stores are also | | | | the highest shelves and in the corners for the |
| influenced by national product manufacturers and | | | | good stuff. Out-of-date trucker hats with typos, |
| advertisers so they will stock anything they are | | | | girls & fishing sayings, plaques - pirates don't |
| getting great deals on or those products with the | | | | have as much treasure as is buried in tiny tackle |
| most financial support. A gift card to one of these | | | | stores. Keep it to yourself as when you are |
| is not the best choice. | | | | shopping you don't want to tick off the purveyor |
| 2. Fishing Lessons | | | | of said store, prior to unearthing your treasure. |
| This might play out in your house. Fishermen | | | | Some owners - like Joe- at Joke'n Joe's, for |
| leaves on Saturday morning before sun-up. | | | | example have no outward sense of humor. The |
| Wakes up the house while getting ready. Some | | | | perch might think they're funny but I've only seen |
| fishermen are back very quickly stating - "they're | | | | him grumpy. |
| not biting". Lessons will work for them too. In | | | | 7. Fishing Magazines |
| other cases, the fishermen is gone all day long. | | | | In a pinch, a subscription or two to a national |
| Fishermen returns at the end of day with no fish, | | | | magazine can make a nice 12-month gift at a |
| fishing was slow. You think to yourself, that | | | | reasonable price. When calling these to order, you |
| couldn't have been fun or we never have fish for | | | | might check if they are already a subscriber and |
| dinner. I interrupt this paragraph to bring you this | | | | either try another magazine or renew their |
| (Digression) I know. The running joke up in Door | | | | current membership. Great magazines to |
| County, Wisconsin is that I have never brought | | | | purchase include: Fishing Facts, In-Fisherman and |
| back a fish meal in 20 years fishing there. I keep | | | | American Angler. |
| the myth alive with some catch -and-release | | | | Fishing Facts has nice articles and tackle reviews |
| these days - shhh don't tell. It's a vacation for me | | | | and is a great choice if you are on a budget for |
| so I don't get up early there and I don't put that | | | | your gift! It sometimes comes with free tackle |
| much effort into it. I rather enjoy the ridicule now | | | | too. In-Fisherman will cost a little more but is |
| as tradition there. (Back to the Lessons) For | | | | packed with diagrams and graphic illustrations and |
| those of you who know anglers who have not | | | | is a great choice as well. American Angler is for |
| returned with fish in years, you can get them | | | | the fly fisher who wants to study recreating bugs |
| some lessons. Local clubs like the Midwest Anglers | | | | and fooling trout into biting. If the gift you are |
| & Chicago Fishing School offer educational | | | | purchasing is for a fly fishermen, you know them |
| seminars, on-water demos and individual lessons. | | | | to be a bit odd and into this - this is the way to |
| Hit Google in your area for local clubs and | | | | go. I love fly fishermen - they are all a bit weird in |
| purchase lessons for them. If you are near | | | | a good way. |
| Chicago, you can purchase fishing lessons at | | | | 8. Super-Emergency Last Minute |
| Midwest Angler If you have a club, I encourage | | | | Ok, this is where I save your bacon with the |
| you to set up a school and teach fishing! | | | | last-minute emergency gift. Even if you are a |
| 3. Fishing Club Membership | | | | vegan or your religion prohibits eating pork, this |
| Not the national fishing club you see on trucks | | | | will save more of your bacon. If you are a |
| -that is just a bunch of ads - find your local fishing | | | | last-minute shopper, I guess I should have put this |
| club and purchase your angler a membership or | | | | at the top of the article and not had these goofy |
| renew for them. In most cases, this is a $20 - | | | | intro sentences to slow you down. OK! Menard's, |
| $45 annual membership and a gift that will keep | | | | Lowe's, Home Depot. Find the nearest that is |
| on giving! They sometimes have shirts or hats | | | | open late on the way to your gift-giving and there |
| you can purchase along with the membership | | | | you will find the following: Tool/Tackle Storage, |
| certificate. Be warned though, these are putzy old | | | | Small Clippers, Warm Hats, Baseball Caps and |
| men, they might not have a very good "actual | | | | even fishing-related gifts. Last time I was in |
| certificate" you can hand over as a gift. You | | | | Menard's they had fishing bird-houses, a Christmas |
| might need to get out the computer or get a | | | | (or holiday) village with a bait store, light-up ice |
| very nice card and hand make a certificate for | | | | fishermen and more. In their paint section they |
| presentation's sake. | | | | have steel signs that are perfect for the shop, |
| 4. Local Wise Men Stock the Myrrh | | | | garage or fishing work bench. |
| By Wise Men, I am referring to the local bait shop | | | | FoodâEUR¨When we go fishing, we |
| owners. These tackle gurus scratch out a living | | | | usually have a favorite place to either pick up the |
| season to season for a reason. With much smaller | | | | sandwiches or to stop and get a hot meal on the |
| shops and no advertising budget, they must stock | | | | way home. A gift card to one of these places will |
| the good stuff, the items that catch fish. What | | | | be a very welcome gift. If you have the energy, |
| they lack in space, they make up for in years of | | | | skill and ingredients, you can make us cookies, |
| stocking their shelves with items requested from | | | | brownies or bars for fishing. Whether on the boat |
| their millions of angler-interactions. Your pond close | | | | or on shore, home-made treats are always |
| to home is their expertise and the gear on the | | | | welcome. Someone on a bass show once |
| walls of Roy's Bait Hut - well, they match those | | | | described fishing 8 hours in a padded bass boat as |
| waters perfectly. This can't be said for the miles | | | | a "marathon-like" effort. While I think the running |
| of shelves at G Mart or One Fish Pro Shops... | | | | might be more of a strain- battling the elements |
| Head to your local store and a gift certificate | | | | on shore or from boat in Spring & Fall can |
| from that place will be gold dust to the angler you | | | | sap your energy. Your home-made treats might |
| are gifting. You might have to Google-it, "tackle | | | | not keep long enough to get us outdoors, so you |
| shop" followed by your zip code will reward you | | | | might need to give a certificate for that which we |
| with the location of your local store. Give them a | | | | can redeem later. Then again, there's always |
| call regarding gift certificates. | | | | Arby's. |
| 5. No Myrrh? Try Frankincense | | | | I hope these gift suggestions help you out with |
| Ok, I am getting a little goofy with the headlines. | | | | your shopping on any holiday. Do have a very |
| If they don't sell gift certificates, you need to get | | | | Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Wonderful |
| creative at your local shop. Go there and ask | | | | Kwanza, or just celebrate and have a great New |
| them to put together a "local pond/river" kit. Tell | | | | Year! |
| them your budget and use the local expert to | | | | |