(SportsRadio 610) -- A podcast listener DM'd me, asking advice on a good gift/stocking stuffer for her husband, "that he doesn't already have."
First off ... good luck with that!
But I had a couple ideas, so I thought I would share.
I’ll start with the shameless plug.
How 'bout some Bite Me Podcast gear? Hats, shirts and stickers can be found at www.scottnullphotography.com.
Aside from that:
I wouldn't go rod, reel, kayak, trolling motor or a big gift like that, unless you know exactly what he wants. However, I don't know anyone that wouldn't appreciate a nice kick-butt wading belt like the Madre Sling or WadeRight belt from www.coastalfishinggear.com ... that's what I have and they are awesome. Same thing with a Boga Grip fish grabber, a good waterproof Yeti-type duffle (for when he goes fishing with buddies) and new glass Costa sunglasses.
Another bigger-type gift he will love are a good pair of binoculars, for finding birds and scanning shorelines. You can't go wrong with Nikon or Bushnell ... but go with a smaller size, something he can put in his bag or on the boat console. Another big, good gift he might not have is a kick-ass knife for cleaning, presuming he keeps fish -- like a Bubba Blade or Garberg carbon steel knife.
One more great gift -- contact my friend Chet at The Boat Yard in Kemah and ask about a certificate for boat service, like the annual oil change. Or if you have the means, get him a new boat like mine! The Freedom Warrior. He'll probably name it after you. Haha. One more big gift guys don't always want to spend the money on: A mount of one of his trophy fish. Another gift he’ll thank you for big-time is a guided trip.
My personal recommendations are Capts. Scott Null, Caleb McCumber, Patrick Gardner, Nick Mosley, Greg Verm, Dean Thomas, Wayne Davis and Ernest Cisneros.
As for stocking stuffer-type stuff, I would start with a CCA Star Tournament entry and maybe some nice CCA gear. Personally, I love the CCA Dura Hold Grip pliers. They look cool, benefit CCA and have a great line clipper. They also have a less expensive lip gripper that's cool.
Of course, I'm gonna tell you about Deadly Dudley soft plastic lures. It's been my go-to soft plastic bait for nearly 15-years, but he might have another brand he prefers. One thing most guys don't put in their tackle boxes are crank baits. Any good brand.
Most guys have soft plastics, shrimp imitations, hard baits, twitch baits and Corkys. But crank baits can be killer around the jetties.
Also, Boeshield T-9 lubricant at www.boeshield.com. It's ridiculously good for lubricating everything associated with fishing and the rust-remover is outstanding.
If you know what kind of jig heads he prefers, you can never have enough of those. Load him up with 1/16-ounce, 1/8-ounce and 1/4-ounce jigheads.
Reel Wash at Fishing Tackle Unlimited is another, as are a good pair of neoprene fishing gloves with finger slots (very key) and the Toadfish non-tipping cup holder.
Good luck!