Gift Guides are often crafted to promote a particular company (very often an advertiser in the publication in which the guide appears) or product—not that there’s anything wrong with that. After all, in an earlier life, I worked at a PR firm…
With the exception of a shameless plug (at the very end) for my guiding/instruction business, I’d like to present a down-to-earth, no-agenda, non-sponsored, list of practical gift suggestions. Whatever your budget, there is something that your special someone will like, appreciate—and, perhaps more important--actually use.
Flies: news flash, EVERY fly fisher uses/wants/needs flies. Though an individual fly is not expensive, the total when buying multiple flies can add up very quickly. The beauty of giving flies as a present is that you can make it as generous a gift as you want—from a couple of dollars to hundreds. Now, the key here is to give your fly fisher flies that are appropriate for where they fish. Though salt water flies may be big and brightly-colored, they’re probably not going to get used by the angler who primarily fishes Western streams. Though a mouse pattern, or a big minnow may be cool-looking, they’re effective really only in certain circumstances. My advice would be to call a local fly shop in the area where your gift recipient likes to fish, and find out what the “workhorse” flies are for those waters. Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, Prince Nymphs and Wooly Buggers might not be the prettiest and flashiest of flies, but your angler will appreciate them if they get the job done. And for an extra-special treat, you can get the fly fisher in your life flies that are hand-tied right here in the good old USA. Check out Hatch Finders, in Livingston, MT—they tie all their own flies: http://hatchfinders.com/FlyShop.asp
A Floatant Holder: unlike flies, your fisher person really only needs one of these. They are affordable, and hold the bottle of floatant (a liquid that is applied to a dry fly to keep it floating on the surface) upside down, so that the floatant is in the nozzle end and comes out readily. There are different makes, but most are reasonably priced under $20. If you want to make it a bit more of a gift, you can include a bottle of floatant with it (usually around $5.) Here’s a selection that shows up on EBay when you Google “floatant holster for fly fishing:” https://www.ebay.com/b/Floatant-Fly-Fishing-Accessories/87098/bn_1981174?_pgn=4
A Mini “Trash Can” for Your Fishing Vest/Lanyard: we like to think all anglers (but especially FLY fishers) practice Personal Conservation—in how they handle the fish, where they do and do not wade, and how they leave the environment cleaner than they found it. When changing flies, tying on tippet, etc., we generate small clippings of line. We don’t want that plastic to get into the environment, either in the water or on the riverbank. We want to make sure that the end we just nipped off doesn’t fall to the ground. Once we’ve caught it, lots of us try to put it in a wader or vest pocket, but sometimes we lose track of those pieces. There are small containers (about the size of an old-style camera film canister) that can be clipped or pinned to a vest; the soft-rubber, slit top allows for one-way entry—and no accidental exit for the little bits of line. https://fishpondusa.com/piopod-microtrash-container
New Line: a next level in terms of your gift budget might be a new line, somewhere in the range of $50-$100. This can be greatly appreciated by the recipient. If your fisher person is anything like me, we tend to wait too long to buy a new line, and view a new line more as a luxury than a necessity. “Yes, my line is all cracked and discolored—but, hey, it still works” is not an uncommon mentality among anglers, especially those of us with limited funds. There are many kinds of lines, with different weights and casting/floating/sinking characteristics. They must match the reel and the rod, as well. The safest bet would be to give a gift certificate from your local fly shop for your angler to find the line that he or she needs.
Net: another useful item that we anglers tend to put off replacing. Prices for nets vary widely, so there is plenty of leeway in just how much largesse you want to put into the gift. The price difference is in the materials and workmanship in the frame. You can easily find inexpensive nets at outdoor stores, or order a custom-built work of art in bamboo or wood. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you choose, it’s the netting material that is of utmost importance to the safety of the fish. Silicone netting does the least harm, followed by mesh. Do not purchase a net made of knotted nylon (or cotton) for catch-and-release fly fishing.
Waders, Wading Boots: these, like rods and reels, are a considerable investment. But, unlike rods and reels, waders and wading shoes do wear out, just like any article of clothing (or shoes) that get used regularly. And, manufacturers are continually adding new performance features, so that the waders your angler purchased a decade ago—though they may have served him or her well—are not the same as today’s techno-wonders. There are also many more companies making waders actually sized (and shaped) for women—not just men’s patterns with smaller booties. As mentioned about the fly lines above, this is a gift that is best left up to the angler to make the final selection. A nice, handwritten certificate saying something like “This Entitles the Bearer to a New Pair of Waders” would make a big hit at present-opening time.
And, finally, a Fishing Experience: in my business, www.GuidedDiscoveryMT.com, I like to emphasize the EXPERIENCE that I provide my clients, whether it’s a beginner lesson (or a casting refresher,) a walk and wade session, or a float on the river. Too often, if the entire focus is on the outcome, the beauty and fun and learning found in the process is overlooked. My suggestion is: wherever you are looking for a guide, try to find one with whom you can custom tailor your experience to what you want. I can’t think of any experienced angler (myself included) who wouldn’t love a fishing experience as a gift. And one other thought: if, perhaps, you haven’t tried fishing or don’t feel confident enough based on the experience you’ve had so far—give your angler the gift of YOUR EFFORT in developing your own skills so that you can become a fly fishing companion: book an instructional session for yourself!