FATHER’S Day is upon us and Fishing World has compiled a comprehensive gift guide to help both fishos and non-fishos get the perfect gift for Dad this year!
Plus we’ve also given each item a “Dad love rating” so you will get an idea of how much Dad will love each item.
Berkley Lip Grips
We start the list with a long time favourite. The Berkley lip grips provide a safe and effective method of landing, holding and releasing a fish, for both the fish and the angler! The mechanism is locked until you release it meaning that the fish can’t get away until you want it to. Plus they are very corrosion resistant and well priced.
Dad love rating: There will always be a special place in Dad’s heart for anyone who helps with holding a good fish so he can get photographic proof.
RRP $29.95
More info at berkley-fishing.com.au
Bigfish mozzie-repellent shirt
This is one for the northerners. Bigfish says its new BF Maxflow Repel performance range of gear contains a technically advanced insect resistant agent that will repel 95 per cent of mosquitoes and other biting insects. And, it keeps working at up to 80 per cent efficiency after 50-70 washes.
Dad love rating: Let’s be honest, if you’re the child responsible for solving Dad’s mosquito problems you are going to be looking at a much larger slice of the will.
RRP $99.95
More info at bigfishgear.com
Victorinox Swiss tool
Macgyver’s tool of choice is the swiss army knife and the latest one from Victorinox is one of the finest. The SwissTool Spirit X is compact (11cm when closed) and tough (made from rustproof stainless steel) and comes with more features than you can poke a stick at. A great all round fishing tool from the makers of the original Swiss Army Knife and undoubtedly a cut above the cheap imitations that float around.
Dad love rating: If your dad didn’t like Macgyver you’re probably not even reading this list because you weren’t raised properly and you would be on another website like rollerblading.com or ballet.com. But if you can make Dad think he is Macgyver then you could probably crash his car and he wouldn’t care.
RRP $239.00
More info at victorinox.com
Shimano Lure wallets
With jig, squid and lure specific cases, Shimano is confronting fishing organisation head on. All Shimano Lure Cases and Wallets are equipped with heavy-duty adjustable strapping, reinforced handles, water-resistant, and with single-finger durable PVC zips.
Dad love rating: If only Dad was as organised as mum, right? Never going to happen, but do him a favour and help him organise that monstrosity he calls a tackle box. They’re even hose-able so the lazy old bugger doesn’t even need to pull them out to clean them!
RRP $17.55 Egi Case
RRP $33.80 Lure and Jig Cases
More info at shimanofish.com.au
Victory filleting knife
Victory filleting knives are good quality filleting knives at an even better price. Made in New Zealand from European Steel these knives are great for both land or boat based fishos, and the 20cm blade is a good all round size that easily covers day to day estuary stuff and the odd trophy sized fish too.
Dad love rating: We all know that Dad’s been meaning to upgrade that blunt, tetanus-ridden rust magnet of a knife for a decade and that’s why his 60cm flatties end up in the frying pan as 10cm long fillets. If you’re the one to make Dad’s fillets look like fillets again, not to mention potentially save him a finger or two down the track, he could suddenly start liking the person you chose to marry.
RRP $45.50
More info at tawonga.com.au
Atomic’s Create Your Own Lure & Trick Bitz
These new releases from Atomic are sure to get all of the tinkering dads fired up. With Create your own lure, there are four easy steps. Pick a blank lure body from the Atomic range, paint it, detail and seal it and then finish it.
There are plenty of options available with different colours, holographic tape, eyes, hooks and more all available to use. Atomic has also released Trick Bitz, which contains even more options for “tricking out” both DIY and pre-purchased lures, jig-heads, plastics and pretty much anything you can think of.
Dad love rating: This one could get you double points. Not only would Dad be occupied for hours on end but Mum will be stoked because the old bugger would be out in the garage fiddling with his Trick Bitz instead of in the kitchen whining about the 30kt southerly that’s stopping him from fishing.
More info at atomiclures.com.au
Deeper Pro Sounder
If Dad is landbased, kayak based or does every type of fishing known to man, then a portable sounder is probably a good option. The latest model, the Deeper Smart Sonar Pro+, just won the John Dunphy Award For Innovation at the 2016 AFTA Tackle Show. These portable sounders can be cast from the bank or mounted on a vessel and are a powerful electronics unit. They use Wifi, GPS and a whole bunch of other fancy acronyms to send data to your smartphone about what’s happening under the surface.
Dad love rating: If you can manage to find Dad a new jewie honey hole close to home that he’s been driving past for 30 years then even a middle-child could be looking at some serious extra attention.
RRP from $349
More info at buydeeper.com
Blue Bottle Fishing Original Chiller Fish Bag
Blue Bottle Fishing’s Chiller bags are a great alternative to traditional coolers for keeping fish. They are light to carry, soft so they fold into places an esky won’t go and they are heavily insulated to keep ice cold for days. They come in various sizes and are suitable for both land and boat-based.
Dad love rating: Anything you can do to stop Dad’s “fresh” fish coming home hard, dry and smelling like a Saharan fish market at midday will be appreciated by Dad and everyone else in his street.
RRP from $129
More info at bluebottlefishing.com
Wilson tackle storage
WILSON’S Ultimate Tackle Station is designed to fit nicely in the kayak, but works just as well in a boat or from the shore. Made from water resistant rip-stop fabric, the Tackle Station features two heavy duty carry straps with an adjustable and detachable padded shoulder strap, a sewn in triple rod/tool holder with three rod tubes secured by Velcro straps, a multitude of tool holders and accessory pouches, drainage holes in all areas, clear plastic map pockets, a Velcro secured top and heaps of storage space inside for tackle trays and loose odds and ends!
Dad love rating: This is a good one for the Dads that take a lot of gear with them because they like to be “prepared for anything”. Because obviously Dad’s targeting bream but if they don’t play ball he’ll need to take enough gear to chase kings and jewies as a backup plan. Anyone who encourages Dad’s obsession with trucking half a tackle shop around is sure to get on his good side.
RRP $139.95
More info at wilsonfishing.com.au
Jarvis Walker crab traps
Jarvis Walker have a range of crabbing pots and accessories that are cheap, durable and effective. Grab a couple of pots plus a pot tagging kit and Dad will have everything he needs to chuck a couple of pots out on his way to and from his favourite spot.
Dad love rating: It takes virtually no time to chuck a couple of crab pots out while you go for a fish and once Dad susses out a few spots and starts putting chilli mud crab on the table on a weekly basis who is going to be the first person he calls around for dinner? That’s right, you, the genius who bought him the crab pots…
Two pots plus ropes, tags, floats and everything else you need for under $100
More info at jarviswalker.com.au
Fisho subscription with free Mako sunnies!
Two years of Fishing World delivered straight to your door and inbox every month for two years plus a free pair of Mako sunnies valued at $200 thrown in for good measure! Over $400 value for only $189.95!
Dad love rating: We’re at the business end of the list now and this one is a no-brainer for the black sheep, middle-child, in-and-out of prison, still owes mum and dad $20k type kids, you know who you are! What is two years of Australia’s longest running and best fishing magazine including trips, reports, tips, techniques, news and more worth?
