It never fails. At this time every year, I get tons of inquiries from people wanting to know what they should buy their friend, husband, wife, son or other acquaintance who fly fishes, for Christmas. Some are looking for stocking stuffer type gifts, while others wonder what type of rod I would recommend.
I never recommend the purchase of a rod as a gift unless you know exactly what it is that the recipient wants. There is so much subjectivity in choosing a rod that it is probably best left up to the fly fisher to decide what he/she really wants. This is one place where its not a great idea to try to guess which make or model will be appreciated by the recipient, unless you can speak with a very knowledgable person such as a custom rod builder that has a wide selection of blanks to choose from and you can describe exactly what the recipient wants.
If you still are desirous of surprising that special someone with a rod under the tree, why not consider finding a shop that will allow you to purchase a gift certificate instead, or at least ensure that the vendor will accept the return of the rod in exchange for something else. Be sure to take a look at our Fly Rod Manufacturer section - you can see the wide range of fly rods that are available!
Here's a list of some other ideas and my recommendations:
Flies
I haven't met too many anglers that would turn down flies! Most of us would love to have a few extra flies in our boxes. It is always fun to try a pattern we have never used before on those slow days when the fish aren't hitting the ones we usually depend upon. There are a number of places where you can buy a selection of flies. One of my top recommendations is Yager's Discount Fly Shop. Don't let the word 'discount' scare you! Tim Yager runs a great operation and has a wide selection of flies available. His service is top notch, too.
Be sure to take a look at more Fly Shops on the 'net, too.
Tying Supplies
Know someone who is forever sitting at their bench, wrapping feather and fur onto hooks? There are lots of great gift ideas that will certainly please this person. Hooks are always a welcome addition to the cabinet, and if you hurry, Line's End has a great sale on Dai-Riki hooks right now. If you are unsure what size and type to buy, here's what you can do: Find out where your fly tying friend keeps his/her hooks, and have a wee peek. You will most likely find a bunch of little boxes that contain hooks. We all have our favorite flies that we tie, so those boxes that have less hooks in them are most likely the ones we will need more of. Take down the number, size, and make, and you're all set.
Fly tiers always need new spools of thread. Why not consider stuffing the stocking with a few different colors of thread, tinsel, or yarn? Sooner or later, your friend is sure to need a particular color, so don't worry to much about getting the exact right thing here.
Do you see lots of glass beads around the fly tying bench? Beads come in a variety of colors and sizes, but you can always pick up an assortment from The Bead Gallery. They even have a good little deal that comes with a book on tying flies with beads for those who haven't really tied many flies with beads.
Fly tyer's wax is also a perfect stocking stuffer. My favorite is that made by Gehrke's. Comes in a handy tube that will last for years and is called 'Fly-Maker's Wax'.
Gehrke's has a number of items that are great products that always good to have extras of. Gink, a dressing that keeps dry flies floating on top of the water is probably the best product of its kind.
Other Stuff
For the angler who has all the tackle and supplies they need, why not consider something from Richard's Rod & Reel, including magnets, brooches, pewter pins, and more? A lot of this is under ten bucks too! For the birdloving angler, I came across this cute 'Fishing Club Birdhouse on Stilts' for $29.95 Can (about US$20.00).
Of course, you can always consider the gift that will keep on giving throughout the year - a magazine subscription to any number of excellent fly fishing publications. Probably the most popular is Fly Fisherman. There are a number of magazines that are available. Take a look at our Magazine section for more ideas. If your fly angler is also a custom rod builder, the absolute best publication for this person is Rod Maker Magazine. I highly recommend it.
Hopefully this will give you an idea on what you can get that hard to buy for piscator and make their Christmas a little nicer!
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