Gary Dollahon, longtime PR and Promotions guru and the head of Dollahon PR has a few suggestions for anglers to get their stockings stuffed. Making Christmas a fishing Christmas helps both the receiving angler and the industry prosper. Below is Gary's tips for great gifts just in time for Christmas:
Last minute Christmas gift shopping is always a challenge, but some people really struggle with what to get the active outdoor enthusiasts on their lists. Here are a few suggested items that run little risk of being duplicated under the tree this year or already owned. Also noteworthy, nothing here tops the $100 mark.
For any angler, consider the Bobby Garland Mo' Glo crappie baits and jigheads. The super-charged glow-in-the-dark colors are bright in daylight and glow in darkness. There are five glow colors in Garland's popular Baby Shad series, ranging from Pink Phantom to Ghastly Minnow. Mo' Glo jigheads are available in 1/24, 1/16, 1/8 and 3/16 ounce sizes. Cost per packs will range somewhere between $2.99 - $4.99, depending on models. Visit BobbyGarlandCustomBait.com.
Show your understanding of the bass fishing craze by giving the just-introduced Jewel Squirrel Head made for the shaky head fishing technique. Finesse fishing expert Jeff Kriet designed it to have a football-shaped noggin and a longer-than-normal hook shank with a unique bait holder. The three available sizes are 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 ounce, and a package sells for around $6.99. Visit JewelBait.com.
The bass anglers in the household will also be thrilled to find a SEBILE Magic Swimmer fast-sinking model among their gifts. This version of the popular swimbait literally "swims on its own," thanks to a unique internal weighting system. Also, the Magic Swimmer Soft series is now available, too, providing a hand-painted soft plastic version that can be rigged weedless. The hardbait models sell for around $15.99 - $38.99 each, depending on size; the Soft models retail for about $15 per pack. Visit SebileUSA.com.
Then there's the Hound Dog Lure Retriever. It's not new to the marketplace, but it is something that any angler who likes to fish with crankbaits should have in the boat. The wire loop design hooks easily to a snagged fishing line and the hound dog-shaped lead body slides down quickly to the lure and becomes an effective "knocker" to free it from the obstacle. The Hound Dog sells for around $10. Visit KGEnterprise.com.
Make an even bigger impact on Christmas morn by mixing and matching the above fishing items and putting them in a Plano StowAway or tacklebox for wrapping. An appropriate StowAway model to hold several items runs about $6, and a good-sized tacklebox can be purchased for around $20 and up. Visit PlanoMolding.com.
Looking for something practical and different? Check out the Flip-Flop Grill. The portable charcoaler features a unique grill design that "sandwiches" the morsels in place and then can be "flipped" for perfect cooking throughout. It's ideal for fish, chicken, steak, brats and more. The Flip-Flop retails for around $90. Visit FlipFlopGrill.com.
And for the Christmas stockings ... there are a couple of must-haves. One is the Gene Larew Biffle Bug, a versatile soft plastic creature bait designed by pro angler Tommy Biffle. It's a stride bait, a glide bait and a jig trailer all in one. It can be fished right now and on through the peak seasons. A pack sells for about $6. Visit GeneLarewLures.com.
The other stocking stuffer, an item necessary because so many fish will be caught on all of the new lures, is FishHands. FishHands Wipes feature the fragrance-free Odor No More technology that neutralizes fish, shellfish and many other hard to remove and lingering organic odors from the skin. A compact container of 30 wipes retails for around $6. Visit DutchCreekBrands.com.
For many anglers, new and old, a new fishing license is also a good gift option. Fishing license years often begin in January for many states, so timing might be perfect for yours. Many states also offer "lifetime" fishing licenses, so check into that as well.
As a final thought, a hand-made gift certificate for a "Free Fishing Trip" can be a nice touch, too. Get as creative as you wish regarding the "when, where and who," so all can look forward to the memory-building outing.
For those who love the outdoors, there is no gift like the gift of fishing. Wrap it up today.
Merry Christmas!
