Holiday gift shopping can be a major pain, especially when you are trying to surprise and impress someone who already has a truckload of gear. The good news is that as this is being posted, time is still on your side. Here is a short list of great holiday fly fishing gift ideas starting around $500 that are sure to blow the mind of your beloved angler.
Full Day Float Trip
Nothing beats a day of fly fishing from the front of a drift boat or raft. Whether you are booking a trip for a beginner that wants to soak up some knowledge, or an expert that simply needs someone to row the boat for a day, you cannot go wrong with a Full Day Float trip with a professional guide from Vail Valley Anglers.
Simms G4 Pro Jacket
At $549.95, the new Simms G4 Pro Jacket is no small investment. That being said, it is also one of the finest pieces of fly fishing outerwear ever created. Its updated Gore-Tex Pro fabric makes this shell lighter and more durable than its predecessor, and its streamlined design makes is even more comfortable and angler-friendly. By giving the Simms G4 Pro Jacket, you are giving the gift of longer, more comfortable days on the water, no matter the weather.
Sage SALT Fly Rod
A great cast is one of the most important components of saltwater fly fishing success, and making that great cast without a good saltwater fly rod can be nearly impossible. The Sage SALT is the first ever “salt action” fly rod, and was designed to enable casters to generate high line speed for making quick, accurate casts under extreme pressure. The SALT rod is a tool that will help your special angler hook more fish on the salty flats and return home with stories of success.
Hatch Finatic Fly Reel
Many trout fishermen share the opinion that a high end fly reel on a trout rod is unnecessary. They believe that a trout reel is nothing more than line storage, and that high performance features like stopping power and low start up inertia are pointless while battling the average rainbow or brown trout. I suspect, however, that if one of these anglers was to try out a new Hatch Finatic 5 Plus for a day or two, they would have a hard time denying the advantages it gave them. The rugged, machined aluminum construction and silky smooth, multi-disk drag system combine to make the Hatch Finatic one of the lightest, toughest, and best performing trout reels ever made. This is a gift that will not be forgotten, and will easily see years and years of use on the water.
Flies
One of the great things about giving someone a loaded fly box is that it shows some thought and creativity. You can set up a fly box to meet the specific needs of any angler. For example, you can help someone prepare for a special trip to a new destination, cater it to their favorite type of fishing, or simply load them up for an entire season on their home river.
Hopefully this list gives you some ideas for your special fly fisherman or woman that already has everything, and helps ease some of your holiday gift shopping pain. Visit the fly shop in Edwards for more ideas or shop online to get the perfect gifts for all the anglers in your life.
Andy “Otter” Smith, Guide and Content Writer