Last Minute Father’s Day Gift Guide
What to get if your dad likes to fish
If you’re looking for inspiration for a Father’s Day gift then we’ve got you covered. Assuming dad likes to fish, any of the following would make a great gift.
Accessories
Rapala Tournament Model Touch Screen Scale
Retailing for about $50, the Rapala Tournament Model Touch Screen Scale is pretty much the premier culling scale in the game today. There is a bit of a learning curve to use it, but anyone can figure it out, and it accurately weighs and culls fish to maximize dad’s time on tournament day.
Texas Tackle SSplit-Ring Pryers
It might seem like a luxury, but $15 spent on dedicated split-ring pliers will actually turn into a good investment down the road whenever it comes time to swap out a treble hook on a crankbait, jerkbait or topwater. There are others on the market and a variety of sizes available, but the standard size Texas Tackle SSplit-Ring Pryers are hard to beat and will save a lot of time and fingertips.
O-Wacky Tool
For less than $6, an O-Wacky Tool (or any of its competitors) will save dad a whole lot of money on Yamamoto Senkos and the like. It’s simple and effective and essential for anyone who throws a wacky rig. While you’re at it, you might want to throw in some replacement rings too.
Tungsten slip-sinkers
Tungsten weights are the best weights going now, but they’re expensive and hard to get a good stock of if you don’t want to blow a lot of money up front. I’ve got tungsten weights ranging from 1/4 to 1 1/2 ounce as a standing item on my birthday/Christmas lists, and I figure it’s a great gift for a dad as well.
Costa Del Mar sunglasses
This is a big-ticket item, but dads are important and worth it. A pair of Costas in your dad’s frame of choice with 580G green mirror lenses (or any of the other popular and quality options) is a guarantee not to disappoint.
Simms SunGaiter
Though free sun-protective face coverings so common at tournament registrations can be more than sufficient, FLW Editor-in-Chief Curt Niedermier swears by the Simms Sun Gaiter, and for $30, it’s not a bad way to go for some sun protection during the summer months. If your dad doesn’t already cover up in the sun you ought to try and get him to, and this might be the gift to get him on board.
Baits
SPRO BBZ-1 Rat
Big wooden topwater rats are often a hefty investment. The SPRO BBZ-1 Rat ranges from about $20 to $30 and costs a lot less than most hand-carved versions. The topwater rat’s place in bass fishing has been growing, but it’s still a bait that a lot of guys won’t buy for themselves. Getting it as a gift is a great option. If the fish grow to any size where you live, the best bet is probably the large size.
Zoom Swimmer
There’s nothing too crazy about a hollow-belly swimbait, but the Zoom Swimmer is different enough from the pack that it’s worth checking out. It has a very violent kick in the water, and the plastic is a lot stiffer and more durable than some of the other popular models. Despite that, the action still seems to be pretty good. Hollow-belly swimbaits are a staple around the country, so this is a bait worth a try for sure.
Dirty Jigs Swim Jig
The Dirty Jigs Swim Jig is a fairly heavy-duty swim jig that comes in a million colors and is a fish catcher like every other swim jig. Especially up north, now is a great time for a swim jig. With this one, you can likely pick a color or two that dad hasn’t even thought about before, or just go with a staple shad or bluegill pattern that’ll work for sure.
Strike King Menace Grub
This little dude is proving to be an incredibly versatile bait. As a jig or ChatterBait trailer or fished solo on a jighead or Texas rig, the Strike King Menace Grub will catch a lot of fish almost anywhere. It features the ever-popular Rage Tail design, a compact body that is just the right length and enough thickness to stick well on a wide range of hooks.
River2Sea Whopper Plopper
There might not be a hotter lure in fishing than the Whopper Plopper right now. The price point isn’t bottom-of-the-barrel, but it’s a bait that is more than worth it and good in any color. That means it’s the nearly perfect gift. The medium 130 size is probably the best all-around, but don’t be afraid of the larger size or to give the little one a shot. If dad doesn’t already have a stock of Ploppers, he needs one. If he does, he surely needs more.
Rods and reels
Lew’s Custom Speed Stick Spinning Rod
The whole line of Lew’s Custom Speed Sticks is pretty sweet, but I’ve fished a fair amount with the 7-foot, medium-power, fast-action model, and I really like it. It’s easily handled shaky heads with 4-pound spotted bass and drop-shots with deep largemouths, and it feels like you’re holding a piece of air in your hand. There are a lot of great rods available for less than $150, so it’s not like this is the only option, but I don’t think it will disappoint.
No. 8 Tackle BlackOut Casting Rod
Back in the day I saved up like $50 to get dad a “sweet” new rod for his birthday, and I was so, so proud of it. Nowadays, for right around $80, the No. 8 Tackle BlackOut is about 1,000 times better than the old Bass Pro Shops cranking stick I bought for my dad. I’ve fished the midrange sizes of the BlackOut a bit, and they are darn good for the money. I don’t know about the punching rod from BlackOut, simply because for a stick that big, I think spending a little more can be a good call. But if you’re on a budget, any of the midrange rods will make dad wicked happy.
Lew’s SuperDuty Speed Spool
Lew’s makes a premier reel. I finally got my hands on a SuperDuty this spring, and I’m pretty amazed by the smoothness and power. The SuperDuty has an unimpeachable reputation for durability with an aluminum frame and brass gears, and it ought to last a very long time. It is a little heavier than some of today’s reels, but after a little fishing time with it you won’t notice the difference. Plus, knowing the guts are there to handle any heavy-duty situation is more than enough to compensate for it. Spending $180 on a reel isn’t pocket change, but this one is going to be great from the get-go and last a long time.
Also from Lew’s, a dynamite and cheaper option for just $100 is the Speed Spool LFS Series. Just about everything you get from Lew’s is good, and spending less money still buys a very high-quality reel.
Shimano Stradic CI4+ Spinning Reel
The Stradic CI4+ is basically the pinnacle of spinning reels. If dad is getting ready to battle smallmouths up north or drop-shot largemouths and spots down south, then you could hardly find him a better spinning reel. Shimano has been the leader in spinning reels for a while, and the Stradic is light, durable, good-looking and, at $220, hits the sweet spot between price and quality on Shimano’s spectrum.
Stick Jackets
If dad already has a big collection of rods and reels, some rod covers could be a dynamite option. Stick Jacket and plenty of other companies make rod sleeves that are perfect for co-anglers going from truck to boat or storing multiple rods in a rod locker and keeping them free of tangles and boat rash. A full complement of mesh rod sleeves will totally change the way dad stores his gear.