Angling for the Perfect Gift
What to buy for the serious angler? It's an oft-asked question pondered by holiday gift-givers young and old. Take inventory of an angler's arsenal and it's hard to imagine the need for reinforcement. Still, tackle and gear lost or damaged in the heat of battle needs to be replaced, rods and reels can be up-graded to any angler’s delight, and simple gifts like a few new striper lures seem always to be welcomed.
Naturally, you’ll want to consider what type of fishing your angler enjoys most when making these all-important holiday selections. For exactly that reason, we’ve grouped a few gift suggestions into categories matching various fishing genre. Of course, if you still need some help sorting things out, you can always stop by the shop or give a call and we’ll be happy to help.
During the holiday season White Water Outfitters will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. With our knowledgeable staff on-hand daily, it shouldn’t take long to find a gift that’s sure to generate some smiles from your favorite angler. Here’s wishing you all plenty of holiday cheer!
For Offshore Anglers:
Shimano Talica A
The new Shimano Talica 2-speed lever drag reels are truly impressive. This is Shimano’s flagship line and they offer ultra-smooth performance, a powerful drag and the ability to outlast the most stubborn tuna and trophy big game species encountered along the East Coast. The addition of Shimano's innovative Infinity Drive technology leverages a novel drag design to increase drag force while reducing side-load pressure resulting in up to 30-percent lighter handle rotation during tough battles and high-drag situations.
The latest generation of Talica reels also features Shimano’s X-Protect technology to boast high-level water resistance in vital areas, improving durability without sacrificing a light-gear feel. No doubt about it, this is a gift that should bring big smiles. Price: From $659.99.
JYG Swym Y-Tails
Slow-pitch jigging is a fun and challenging big game technique that’s rapidly increasing in popularity on the offshore scene. The recent addition of larger and easy-to-rig Jig Heads & Y-Tails to the JYG SWYM collection means anglers can now offer a bigger soft-plastic target with a natural swimming motion that closely mimics live baitfish. Glow-in-the-dark and UV-enhanced color options ensure high visibility in deep or murky waters while the larger size heads and tails quickly catch the attention of offshore beasts. Affordably priced, the heads and tails are sold separately. Price: Heads: From $7.99/pack; Tails: From $9.99/pack
Daiwa Tanacom Electric Reels
For die-hard bottom-fishing fans that love long-range wreck trips targeting tilefish, barrelfish, wreckfish, cod and more, there’s only one place to send a bait and that’s: “deep.” Daiwa’s Tanacom reel series is designed specifically for such deep-drop action - and these are the kind of workhorses hard-core anglers really appreciate. Fight ‘em on the handle and let the power assist do the drudgery of retrieving heavy sinkers from the depths when it’s time to check your bait.
Dependable, durable and smartly put together, the models in this line feature powerful electric-assist winding with the motor and gearing hidden inside the spool, a variable-speed Power Lever, plus a programable jigging function. A sealed aluminum frame ensures durability while a digital line counter, depth memory system and easy-to-program, washable display helps keep the entire process under control and repeatable. At the top of the line, the Tanacom 1000 holds up to 1000 meters of 80-pound-test Daiwa J-Braid line while the 1200 features an astounding line capacity of 1100 yards, plus 20-percent more maximum winding power. Price: From $699.99
Surf Candy:
Personal Best Lures
What surfcaster couldn’t do with a few more plugs? Go with the best for the holidays and grab a couple. Personal Best Lures surf plugs include Danny Metal Lipped Swimmers, Pencil Poppers, Surface Poppers and Spook styles. Smartly designed and well-constructed, these surface lures come in a variety of striper tempting color patterns, cast a mile, provoke powerful strikes, and stand-up amazingly well to the rough and tumble surf-casting environment. Price: Starting at $45.00.
Jigging World Shadow Surf Rods
Does your angler need a surf rod that can tackle everything from huge stripers and gorilla blues to speedsters like false albacore and bonito? If so, a Jigging World Shadow Surf rod should make an ideal gift. These two-piece rods are easy to transport and feature a lightweight, tough parabolic design while maintaining the sturdy, powerful backbone feel of a one-piece rod and superior sensitivity at the tip. The 9-foot, medium-heavy model is perfect for North Shore and back-bay fishing situations while a 10-foot, 6-inch medium-heave model will handle most South Shore up front surf situations. Price: $239.99
Fly Right:
Hardy Marksman Z Fly Rods
The Hardy Marksman Z features an unrivaled blend of feel, power, recovery and downright durability. Designed in conjunction with some of the finest guides, anglers and legends in the saltwater world, it’s the right rod for when weather, wind, sky, predators and prey all align to present a magic moment.
Lightweight, with ceramic lined titanium framed stripper guides, titanium recoil intermediate snake guides, and Sintrix FLT applied to an updated mandrel design, a Hardy Marksman Z Fly Rod is what your fly-caster secretly wants when he has one shot at a trophy fish, especially in high-pressure saltwater situations.
This rod comes with a lifetime warranty from Hardy. Sizes range from 9-foot, 6-wt to 8-foot, 12-wt. Think of a 9-foot, 10-wt, fast action rod as about right for fishing in the bays and Long Island Sound. Choose an 11- or 12-weight for surf, jetty, open ocean, or for targeting large predators in tropical waters. Price: $1050.00
The Inshore Crew:
NLBN Paddle Tails
Beautifully designed and laced with iridescent additives so they can be fished in clear or murky water with realistic flash, No Live Bait Needed (NLBN) Paddle Tails and Jig Heads are available in three different sizes. The 5-inch paddle-tail is one of the most versatile big-game saltwater swim baits you’ll find on the market, and it accounts for a ton of schoolie to mid-sized keepers in our bay and inlet fishing scenarios. It also scores well with weakfish, especially in back bay surfcasting situations. When bigger bass and other large prey are in play, the 8-inch size presents a beefy target while a 3-inch version allows anglers to match smaller rain baits.
NLBN screw lock jig heads keep swimbaits secured in a way never seen before. With "No Super Glue Needed" swimbaits stay tightly secured thanks to an oversized stainless steel screw lock. Every jig head is perfectly balanced to reduce body roll. Custom oversized 3d eyes provide maximum flash and 4 different colors complement the NLBN soft-plastic lineup.
If you aren’t sure which NLBN paddle tail or jig head sizes best fit your angler’s needs, we suggest you grab a pack of two of each size to cover all the bases.
Price: $7.99 for jig heads; From $6.99/pack for Paddle Tails
Daiwa Saltiga Conventional Reels
The Daiwa Saltiga features advanced gear design, a narrow spool with spool lock to protect the gears when engaged, a super grip soft touch EVA knob, plus “MagSealed ball bearings” that enable these reels to stand up exceptionally well in corrosive saltwater environments. Add in this lineup’s smooth-as-silk performance, superior cranking power, along with a strong drag, and the Saltiga lineup is unmatched on the inshore front. An absolutely great choice for serious bottom-fishing fans, this is the reel your angler wants - even if he owns one already. Price: From $449.99.
Traveling Anglers
TFO Traveler TRV Inshore Spinning Rods
For anglers who enjoy fishing on the road, TFO Traveler spinning rods solve the dilemma of traveling with a high-quality multi-piece conventional rod while maintaining your favorite one-piece rod’s effortless action.
TFO’s newly redesigned Traveler series of high-performance 7-foot, three-piece rods is hand-crafted for the globe-trotting adventurer in all of us. The series offers a diverse range with seven models, including five spinning and two casting options. Meticulously crafted using IM carbon fiber blanks, these rods also feature precision-engineered tip-over ferrules to ensure a one-piece feel. The result is an exceptionally light, sensitive, medium-fast, high-performance fishing anglers will be happy to take wherever their next travel leads. Price: $299.99.
- Bryce Poyer
