By BassFan Staff
With the holiday shopping season fast approaching – or has it started already? – the BassFan staff wanted to lend a helping hand and provide some gift suggestions for the angler in your life.
If they’re a weekend warrior tournament angler or someone just getting started with the sport, there’s a little bit of everything in this handy guide.
From affordable rod-and-reel combos to a portable fish finder that you can operate with your smartphone, we've got you covered this holiday season. To learn more about the products, check out the gallery below.
Hawg Tech has BassFans covered with all the aftermarket components anglers need to turn an average reel into a high-performance fish catcher. From oversized power handles to cork or Winn knobs and ceramic hybrid spool bearings that can increase casting distance by at least 15 percent, and even star drags and cast control caps in a variety of colors, anglers can trick out their reels with Hawg Tech’s premium-grade components.
Hawg Tech also offers premium tungsten weights complete with a nylon insert at affordable prices. Sized from 3/8-ounce up to 1 3/4 ounces, each Hawg Tech weight features a matte black finish. MSRP: Varies The new FishHunter Directional 3D sonar unit fits in the palm of your hand, but once deployed in the water this portable device which comes equipped with five transducers turns into a fish-finding powerhouse. And it's all controlled via an iOS or Android app.
It offers anglers crisp 3D bottom contour views and the ability to save accurate 3D bottom contour maps to a smartphone or tablet. With the FishHunter’s Directional Casting feature, anglers can pinpoint high-percentage areas where the fish are hanging out. The FishHunter has a depth range of 160 feet, and is an effective tool from shore, the dock or in open water – even on ice. MSRP: $199.99 Coming off a Best of Show victory in the Soft Bait category at this year’s ICAST show, the LIVETARGET Sunfish was a head turner based on the lifelike finish that has made LIVETARGET’s lures famous. This hollow-body frog type bait walks the dog with ease with a very unique action. The design allows it to skip well under docks where bass are not accustomed to seeing such lures. Equipped with a Lazer TroKar hook, missed fish are almost a thing of the past. It’ll be available at the BassFan store starting Nov. 22. MSRP: $12.99
Made by Buddha Bait Co., a small company near the shores of Lake Seminole, this braid has been tested in the nastiest cover and thickest vegetation. Buddha Braid is very smooth and quiet through the rod guides as well as small in diameter and will not fade over time. Available in 30-, 50- and 60-pound test sizes, a 150-yard spool is priced lower than many other brands. MSRP: $18.99 Another brainchild of big bait and big bass guru Bill Siemantel, the SPRO BBZ-1 Rat is another ICAST honoree, winning best new hard bait at the 2014 tradeshow. The Rat is designed for those larger predator fish that every angler is looking for and there’s really no wrong way to fish it.
On a steady retrieve, it’ll plunge just beneath the surface. It also can be waked, walked, popped, twitched, you name it. The articulated tail (each bait comes with a replacement) gives it additional lifelike action and the hooks are strategically placed to avoid foul-ups and to improve hook-up ratios. Available in 30 (6.25” with tail), 40 (7.5”) and 50 (10”) sizes. MSRP: $21.99 to $29.99
Denali’s most technologically advanced series of rods – the Lithium Series – was introduced this year to rave reviews.
With 15 new rods in the lineup, there’s a Lithium rod for just about any technique a BassFan would want to fish. Featuring feather-light Interloc blanks that boast a striking woven silver graphite wrap covering the bottom third of the rod, it’s more than curb appeal as the length of woven graphite covers the most common breaking area of a rod.
Add in the ring-lock semi-micro guides and hybrid cork/EVA contoured split grips and there weren’t any details overlooked in the design and construction of the new Lithium Series rods. MSRP: $179 to $199 LED LENSER head lamps offer up the technology BassFans want in a compact, lightweight and rechargeable design. Featuring German-engineered OPTISENSE Technology, the SEO 7R will sense the light level in your surrounding area and adjust its brightness automatically to save battery life and give you light when you need it, without taking your hands from your task. A red LED preserves your night vision and helps to make sure you stay safe while enjoying the activities you love. MSRP: $90 Board games aren't the hippest form of entertainment these days, but one that's fun and challenging can keep just about anybody occupied for an hour or more – particularly in situations where things such as electricity and Internet access are lacking. A company called Education Outdoors has produced a fishing-themed game with four different levels of questions that really is fun for the entire family. An average kindergartner will get at least a few of the Level 1 questions right, but not even the most grizzled angler will know every answer to all of the questions at Level 4. MSRP: $19.99 Although most high-quality rods are constructed from super-strong space age materials, their slender, tapering design creates a need for protection. The Lew's Speed Sock fills that bill. Available in both black and yellow, they'll handle spinning rods ranging in length from 6'6" to 7'2" and casting rods up to 7'6". A heavy-duty elastic band keeps the Speed Sock tight to the reel. MSRP: $9.99 As a starter setup for somebody who's just getting into serious bass fishing or a versatile backup for a more seasoned, well-equipped angler, the Berkley Lightning Rod Combo is a budget-friendly option. The rods come in three lengths ranging from 6 to 7 feet (actions are medium or medium-heavy) and the reels (6.4:1 gear ratio) feature a ported aluminum spool, a 4-plus-1 bearing system and an ergonomically curved handle. MSRP: $69.99 Whether on the water or in the woods, Flambeau’s lineup of Heat Gear is full of options to keep you warm without having to pile on the layers.
Flambeau’s Heated Vest is equipped with 3 temperature settings delivering up to 4 hours of warmth through heating elements located on the chest and across the back. Thin enough to fit under a jacket without hindering freedom of movement, the vest is machine washable with removable batteries and heating elements. It's available in six sizes and 2 colors.
The high-capacity 7.4 volt Freerein Silver battery powers the vest and features a 1-amp USB output that’s capable of charging smartphones and other portable devices. MSRP: $159.99
The days of the cumbersome, ugly D battery-powered socks are long gone. With Flambeau’s Heated Socks, which are made of a merino wool blend, removable carbon fiber heating elements – they are virtually undetectable – provide hours of cozy comfort for your toes and the balls of your feet. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery, secured at the top of the cuff, has low and high settings. MSRP: $79.99 The patented G-Force Handle offers anglers the ultimate trolling motor rope upgrade.
It serves as a replacement for the release & lift system and is a rugged, nylon jacketed stainless steel cable with a large comfortable cushioned grip handle which solves the problem of the cheap lift & release ropes on today’s trolling motors.
As trolling motors have become more powerful and heavy, the lift systems from the manufacturers have not kept pace. The G-Force Handle fits most models and comes complete with a hook-n-loop strap to secure to the motor shaft while underway. Available in black or red. MSRP: $30 to $45.Hawg Tech Reel Parts & Tungsten Weights
FishHunter Directional 3D Fish Finder
LIVETARGET Sunfish
Buddha Braid
SPRO BBZ-1 Rat
Denali Lithium Casting Rods
LED LENSER SEO 7R Headlamp
Fishing Camp – The Game
Lew's Speed Sock
Berkley Lightning Rod Baitcast Combo
Flambeau Heat Gear – Vest
Flambeau Heat Gear – Socks
T-H Marine G-Force Trolling Motor Handle
