Have you been thinking to yourself lately, “Father’s Day is coming up...what do I get him?” If you have a father that is anything like mine then anything fishing-related is always a good option. However, there are so many options to choose from that it can be daunting. Never fear! I am here to help you find the perfect gift for your father, spouse, or loved one!

Lures and Bait

A true fisherman will never complain about any type of bait. You can buy them multiple options for a good price too! Some of my favorite options are Panther Martins, Blue Fox, Rapala, and even some good PowerBait. All of these options are affordable—you can pick up individual lures for under $10 and the kits are around $30.

Blue Fox Classic Vibrax

This lure is great for trout, steelhead, and salmon. I have even caught bass on them before, so you really can’t go wrong with these. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. I like to use the silver and blue for colder water and the black and yellow are good to toss in the water anytime, but mostly when it is warmer. Find the Blue Fox here.

Panther Martin

This is another great option and you really can’t go wrong with any of these color combos. That being said, my favorite is the gold. I catch so many fish with this, no matter the time of year, and honestly, all fish species will go after the gold. Yellow with red also tends to do well for trout and bass when it is warmer. That’s right, you don’t need a Rapala to get bass to bite!

Mepps

Mepps are another great option! This is my favorite package deal for trout because you get multiple options which all work well. Toss any of these in the water at any time and you are assured to get a bite! Find the Mepps Trout Kit here.

Rapala

If you’re going after predatory fish, Rapala is where it’s at. Bass, pike, and muskies will all go after these and you can choose any depth, from topwater, mid-water, and deep diving. Additionally, there are tons of awesome colors to choose from and sizes to match the fish you are after. For bass, I would go for a 2 inch, and for those larger fish, 3 inches or higher, depending on how big the fish you’re going after. However, an aggressive fish that is on the hunt still won’t turn down a smaller option. I love the options made for perch in the mid-to-top waters. They have great colors and simply just work well. For the deep divers, I like the options that have more color to them. When you are fishing deeper, there is less light so brighter colors tend to attract fish a little better. This redfire deep diver is an awesome option. Find the Rap Shad here.

Frogs, Mice, and Lizards

These lures are good topwater options for predatory fish like smallmouth and largemouth bass since the action on the top of the water grabs their attention. Choose from tons of colors and shapes—they even come in spider! I tend to stick to frog and my favorite lure is the Booya Poppin Pad Crasher in Swamp. It has great color and the legs give good action to really get the attention of the fish.

PowerBait

Now, if your fisherman is more of the type to go to a nicely stocked pond to sit and relax, then something like PowerBait might be a good choice for them. Trout really like the scent and the colors that they come in. Even using some Fire Balls is a great option for pond fishing. A value pack of the PowerBait comes with 4 colors to choose from, so if one color isn’t working, you have the option to try another. The Pautzke Fire Balls fish eggs are cured in a way to look and taste like real eggs but they aren’t! Fish really love these and will be sneaking a slurp so watch out! You can get creative and make a “Trout Sandwich,” as my dad likes to call it, and make a stack on your hook out of both the PowerBait and the Fire Balls.

Bobbers

Lots of fishermen love to use bobbers and you don’t have to just fish in a pond to use them! These days, they are far more advanced than your run-of-the-mill red and white bobber. My favorite bobber by far is the West Coast Float. They come in a variety of sizes so you can go small for trout or go large for salmon. Now, these are technically designed as float bobbers to run down rivers but still work well in a lake or a pond. These bobbers are high quality and hand-made right in my home state of Oregon! (Thank you Bert for inventing these!) The West Coast Float is the original design and all bobbers that look like it were made after. They are a little pricier but will last years and years if you don’t lose them.

Sun Protection

Now if your fisherman doesn’t need anything above (which is highly doubtful as you can never have too many), then you can get them some awesome sun protection! When you spend all day on the river, you can get pretty badly burnt. Rather than dealing with the hassle of constantly reapplying sunscreen, pick up this awesome Simms SolarFlex for them. It is quick-drying and moisture-wicking; perfect for day out on the water. You can find the hoodie version of the Simms solar flex here.

Clamps

If you are looking for something helpful for someone who uses braided line, then the Dr. Slick gift set here is a great option. It comes with a zinger, clamps, and nippers so you can hang your clamps or nippers on your vest or waders and not have to dig through your gear bag to find them. These are sharp and will cut your braided line with ease. They are so high-quality that they will last your fisherman for years to come.

Rods and Reels

Ok, so you might be asking yourself when I’m going to show you some rod and reel options? Now. Now is that time! This section has options around $100 per piece but will make for an awesome gift that will last many, many years. There are some cheaper options but the quality won’t be there. Nothing is more disappointing than having a rod or reel only last a couple of years because the quality isn’t there. Now to the goods!

Rods

St. Croix has really, really stepped up to the plate over the last few years. They are turning out quality products for a fairly affordable price. I love them for the “smaller” fish species like trout, bass, and panfish. They even make an excellent steelhead rod too!

The St. Croix X Bass Casting rod is those who use baitcasting reels. It is hand-made from high-quality carbon and 2 coats of flex-coat cure. It is super sensitive, lightweight, and comes with a 5-year warranty. This rod also comes in a spinning option. For steelhead and salmon, you can grab the St. Croix Triumph Salmon Steelhead rod in either casting or spinning. It is made with the same quality as the Bass X rod. Pick up the heavier model for more salmon fishing. This rod is slightly more expensive but will last many years and catch you plenty of fish.

Reels

And now, for reels!! Reels will also cost a bit more than some of the other options I gave you, but I know anyone would appreciate a nice, new, smooth casting reel. For reels, Daiwa has just been producing quality options. Most people tend to go with Shimano and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with them, Daiwa has made quality choices with some great technologies. The Daiwa Tatula Reel is my favorite and comes in multiple sizes for both casting and spinning. It’s a smooth, lightweight reel that brings performance and quality. It has the patented Magforce magnetic casting and braking system on the exterior side plate that makes adjustments easy and fast for longer, smoother casts. It also has tournament drag for fighting fish and an air-rotor for butter-like reeling.

The spinning option is a little different and is an investment piece that is sure to make your fisherman happy. This reel has a Zaion body that is ultra-light and strong, making this reel one of the lightest on the market. The spinning reel has the same air-rotor as its casting brother and is super smooth and perfect for all-day fishing.

No matter your budget, you are sure to find something perfect from this list for your special fisherman on Father's Day. You can’t go wrong with any of these options—they will be happy with whatever you choose. Remember, the ultimate gift would be to not only buy them something from this list but to go fishing with them!

Happy fishing and Happy Father’s Day!