Shopping for the best gift for someone who loves saltwater fishing can be hard if you’re not a fisherman yourself. Whenever I do a gift, I try to either get one thing that I think maximizes the value at the budgeted price point, or I pull together useful items that go together. For example, for a saltwater fisherman, I would choose a great rod, a great reel, or a group of items like a lure with the rigging tackle and tools.
Saltwater fishing uses a broad range of techniques. Some are fishing the flats with light baitcasting or spinning tackle, some are trolling offshore for big game tuna, some are bottom fishing for grouper, some are casting far out from a sandy beach, and some are jigging offshore. Whatever style of fishing your angler does, this gift guide has an option for you.
In this article, I’ve pulled together several gift ideas at different price points. Read through to see how to put together a great gift for the saltwater angler in your life.
Use these in-article links to jump straight to the section you’re most interested in. I also provide optional items to add or remove if your budget isn’t quite one of these numbers.
Budget: $50
For a budget of $50 or under, I recommend looking at lures, rigs, or tools for a gift. Throughout this article, the products links will take you to the product page on Tackle Direct's or Amazon's website.
- Slow Pitch Jig and Rigging Equipment
For an angler who is into slow pitch jigging or wants to try it, a great gift would be a slow jig that comes pre-rigged with a split ring and assist hooks, paired with split ring pliers. They may not need the pliers right away, but once they need to replace the hooks, they’ll be grateful to have the tool.
Jig: 100g Shimano Butterfly Flat-Fall Jig $14
The size 100g is very versatile. As a general rule, the jig size should be about 50 grams per 50 feet of water. When the current is strong, anglers will need to use a heavier jig to get down to depth. If you’re unsure of the water depth you’re fisherman frequents, about 100 ft of depth will work for most places within 10-15 miles offshore.
This jig is meant for slow pitch jigging in which the angler lets the jig fall to the bottom at a controlled freespool rate. The jig’s design causes it to turn horizontal and wobble as it falls. Once it hits bottom, its jigged up a few feet and allowed to fall again. It usually doesn’t take much time to get a bite, as long as there are fish around.
Split Ring: #5 Owner Hyperwire Split Rings $5
This jig comes pre-rigged with a split ring connected to the back eyelet, and a solid ring connected to the split ring and two assist hooks. To use the lure, you can tie a Fluoro leader directly to the top eyelet, or add a split ring onto the eyelet and tie the Fluoro leader to the split ring. The split ring in the loop can protect the eyelet from wear over time. The appropriate size split ring changes with the lure size and size 5 aligns with the 100g jig.
Split Ring Pliers: 6 inch Shimano Power Pliers $30
Split ring pliers are necessary when dealing with slow pitch jigs. Most rigging of jigs includes a split ring, and split ring pliers have a bent tip for the specific purpose of opening up a split ring. The 6 inch size of these pliers works with #1 through #5 size split rings. For the 100g jig, a size 5 split ring is used.
The total cost of the jig, pliers, and split ring is about $49, and this is a usable gift. The fisherman will be able to use it with the rod, reel, and line they already have. If you have some wiggle room in your budget, consider adding the following pieces:
Leader Line: Seaguar Blue Label Fluoro Leader 30 lb 25yd spool $16
When using this jig, fishermen usually use 15-30 ft of leader line. It can be monofilament or fluorocarbon, but I prefer fluorocarbon because it’s sensitive and nearly invisible to fish.
Spare Assist Hooks: 3/0 Owner Dual Dancing Stinger Hook $9
Spare hooks are always useful with a slow jig. If the stock hooks break off or bend, you’ll want to replace them. It’s also common to attach two more hooks to the top of the jig, for a total of 4 hooks on the jig. The Owner Dual Dancing stinger hooks in size 3/0 fit this 100g jig.
Swivel: SPRO Power Swivel #8 $3
A swivel is another piece of optional tackle to add when rigging a slow pitch jig. A swivel allows the jig to twist without twisting the main line on the reel. The swivel can be rigged onto the split ring at the top eyelet of the jig, or rigged between the leader line and main line. The SPRO power swivel is a reliable barrel swivel and size #8 will fit this jig well.
2. Trolling Squid Daisy Chain with Super Chugger
For the angler interested in trolling offshore for tuna, a squid daisy chain is a great gift. Mold Craft is a brand that’s been making these lures for decades.
Squid Daisy Chain: Mold Craft Squid Daisy Chain 9 in $37
The 9 inch daisy chain from Mold Craft comes in a variety of colors and comes rigged with 300 lb monofilament. There are 5 squids in the daisy chain. Daisy chains are a great way to increase the number of baits in the water without needing to use more rods and reels.
Super Chugger: Mold craft Super Chugger $16
The squid daisy chain can be made even more effective by adding a Super Chugger at the end. The Super Chugger is a soft plastic lure with a concave head that swims behind the daisy chain and adds additional interest with a bubble trail.
The squid daisy chain plus super chugger is nearly ready to go, but there are a few additional items that would make this gift more complete. Consider these items if you can bump the budget up a bit.
Hook: Mustad 7691 7/0 hook $11
There is no hook on the daisy chain or the super chugger, so a heavy duty hook meant for targeting pelagics like tuna and mahi will improve the “completeness” of the gift. The Mustad 7691 is a hook that’s been trusted for decades by big game fishermen. The 7/0 size is good for targeted tuna and mahi under 30 lbs.
Mono Leader: 300 lb Jinkai mono leader $30
The Super Chugger comes completely unrigged. You’ll need 300 lb monofilament to attach it to the rest of the squid daisy chain that comes rigged with 300 lb monofilament.
Crimp: Jinkai Sleeve F $9
Monofilament of this size makes extremely bulky knots. You’ll need to crimp the mono with the appropriate size crimp, which is Jinkai Sleeve F for the 300 lb Jinkai mono leader.
Crimper: Jinkai Crimper SC-3 $40
To do a crimp, you’ll need a crimper. The Jinkai Crimper SC-3 will crimp a size F sleeve on the biggest hole.
Bag: Boone 1 Pocket Lure Bag $4.49
You’ll need a place to store the daisy chain and super chugger. A pocket lure bag like this one is just big enough to store one chain and chugger. The two grommets at the top let you hook it onto something to hang. While hanging, you can rinse the lures through the mesh side and leave it hanging to dry. The mesh lets the water drain out.
3. Surf Fishing Rigs and Tools
Surf fishing equipment is relatively cheap compared to some other saltwater techniques. When we’re fishing the beach in Florida, we’re always targeting pompano, Spanish mackerel, and black drum which are caught on pompano rigs with Fishbites. Here’s the breakdown of products to get a fisherman interested in surf fishing.
Artificial bait #1: Fishbites EZ Flea $7
The EZ Flea scent imitates a sand flea. The orange color of the bait also looks like the eggs that a sand flea sometimes carries. I’ve caught many fish from the beach using a small piece of Fishbites.
Artificial bait #2: Fishbites EZ Shrimp $6
Adding the EZ shrimp scent is a good way to add variety to a surf fishing setup. If you’re striking out with EZ flea, you can simply swap the bait to the shrimp scent, or rig one hook with flea and one hook with shrimp on your pompano rig.
Sinker #1: Sputnik Sinker 5 oz $5
You’ll need a sinker to keep the rig anchored on the bottom in the surf. The sputnik style sinkers are very effective at maintaining a grip on the bottom with strong waves and current.
Sinker #2: Sputnik Sinker 6 oz $5
A variety of weights for sputnik sinkers is necessary because of the differing conditions day to day. A heavier sinker will be needed when the current is extra strong.
Rigs: Tackle Crafters Pompano Rigs Pompano circle pro Quantity 2 $7
Surf fishing with a pompano rig, a sputnik sinker, and Fishbites is simple and effective. This pompano rig has circle hooks which is what I always catch pompano, Spanish macks, and black drum on.
Tools: Rapala Line Scissors $4
Scissors are a great addition to the gift because the fisherman will need to cut the Fishbites into smaller strips to use. They can also be used to cut line if needed.
Gear: Fish monkey gripper glove $15
Even though I target pompano, mackerals, and drums, I almost always reel in at least 1 sail catfish. These fish have stingers on the end of their fins and can hurt you if you grab them without gloves. Add a pair of gloves to the gift and your fisherman is ready for anything.
Budget: $150
You can get a great gift for a saltwater angler at a $150 price point. Again, I like to suggest gifts that are complete, and don’t require the angler to buy anything else before they can use it.
- Hard Trolling Lure and Rigging Equipment
A lure with rigging tackle is a great gift for someone who does trolling frequently, or wants to get into it. The great thing about trolling with a hard bait is that it is a one-time cost and can be used over and over. It requires specific materials for rigging, so read below for my recommended lure and rigging tackle.
Hard Sinking Lure: 6-3/4 inch Yo-Zuri bonita $30
The Yo-Zuri Bonita is a sinking lure that’s meant to be trolled at moderate to high speeds and sinks to a depth without the use of a planer or trolling lead. This makes it a simple and effective lure to use. The color selections are all great, so choose the one that appeals most to you. To stay around the $150 budget, I recommend getting the 6-3/4 inch size lure to leave more room in the budget for rigging equipment.
Leader Cable: 275 lb Wire Leader AFW 49 strand $20
Big fish will strike these lures hard and there’s no lip to protect against a toothy wahoo biting the lure off your line. I recommend a wire leader and I’d opt for a multi-strand one such as this one because of the better longevity and improved usability (no kinking).
Split Ring: Owner Hyperwire Split Ring Size 10, 220 lbs $5
To protect the lure eyelet from the wire leader, you’ll want to use a split ring. The Owner Hyperwire Split Ring size 10 is a great match for this lure.
Split Ring Pliers: Shimano Power Pliers Size 7 inch $50
Split ring pliers will be necessary to connect the split ring to the lure eyelet. The Shimano Power Pliers are great, and the 7 inch version works well with a size 10 split ring.
Crimp Sleeves: AFW 7F8 Double Barrel Crimps $10.49
To connect the multi-strand wire leader to the lure, it will need to be crimped onto the split ring. The AFW double barrel crimps work great with the 49 strand cable leader. Size 7F8 is appropriate for the 275 lb wire leader. A crimp sleeve will also be used on the other end of the cable to connect it to a barrel swivel.
Crimp Tool: Jinkai Crimp Tool SC-3 $40
A crimper is necessary to be able to crimp. Give the fisherman everything he or she needs to do the rigging by adding a crimp tool. Jinkai is well known for providing good quality crimping gear.
Barrel Swivel: 230 lb SPRO Power Swivel $3
One end of the cable will be connected to the lure with a split ring and crimp, and the other end of the cable will be connected to a swivel with a crimp. The swivel will be attached to the leader line that we can assume the fisherman already has. The SPRO Power Swivel is a great quality barrel swivel that will resist corrosion in a saltwater environment.
The total cost is slightly over $150, about $158. When giving this gift, be sure to point the fisherman to my article on Trolling Rigs to learn how to rig it up.
2. Surf Fishing Rod, Reel, Line, and Rig
Believe it or not, you can get set up with a rod, reel, line, and rigs to start surf fishing for about $150. Someone who wants to start fishing from the beach can get started with this simple setup.
Rod: Okuma Nesika 10’ Medium Heavy Power Moderate Fast Action Spinning Rod $75
A surf fishing rod is usually pretty long. This one comes in two pieces for better portability, while giving you the length required to get a long cast out. The heavy power is needed for a heavy sputnik sinker. Be sure to get the spinning model to pair with a spinning reel.
Reel: Penn Wrath Spinning Reel Size 5000 $55
Penn reels are well known for being great values. The wrath is an affordable $55 and has a high line capacity which is beneficial when fishing from the beach. There’s plenty of drag available on this reel and it’ll pair nicely with the Okuma Nesika rod.
Main Line: Sufix ProMix Mono Line Clear 20 lb 330 yard spool $5.89
Monofilament is a great budget option for fishing line. You can spool an entire reel for a very low cost. The Penn Wrath 5000 holds 135 yards of 20 lb test monofilament. If purchasing the reel and line from tackle direct, simply add both to your cart and in the comments section say “please spool the reel with the line” and they’ll do it for no additional cost.
Rig: Tackle Crafters Pompano Circle Pro Rig $3.50
A pompano rig will catch pompano, Spanish mackeral, black drum, and many other species in the surf.
Sinker: Sputnik Sinker 4 oz $5
A sputnik sinker is one of the best types of weights to keep hold of the bottom in the surf. With the strong currents and waves, the prongs sticking out of the sputnik sinker help grip the bottom to keep your baits in place.
Artificial Bait: Fishbites EZ Flea $7
Fishbites are an effective artificial bait for surf fishing. The EZ flea scent mimics sand fleas, which many nearshore species regularly feed on.
Budget: $300
For around $300, you can get a full Nomad jigging kit. It would be put together by you, so the sizes and colors of the jigs are flexible. I would recommend choosing similar sizes in all 3 jigs to improve the chances that they work within the lure rating of whatever rod the angler has. It consists of the following products.
Bag: Nomad Jig Wallet $70
The jig wallet is a great storage bag for jigs. It holds up to 24 large jigs, or 48 small jigs, but there are 12 individual pockets. For a gift, I recommend getting a minimum of 12 jigs, to fill up the wallet a reasonable amount.
Jig 1: Gypsea 80g, 120g, & 160g $39
The Gypsea jig flutters when falling and thumps back and forth when being pulled to the surface. This is a versatile jig that can be used for slow pitch and vertical jigging. I recommend getting 3 different sizes to maximize the usability.
Jig 2: Buffalo 80g, 120g, & 180g $37
The Buffalo jig is designed for slow pitch jigging. It will wobble back and forth horizontally as it falls to the bottom. The color selections provide lots of flash to attract fish.
Jig 3: Streaker 80g, 120g, & 160g $39
The streaker jig is meant for vertical speed jigging. It sinks straight down very quickly and darts on the retrieve.
Jig 4: Ridgeback 80g, 120g, & 160g $39
The ridgeback jig is another versatile option. It flutters before the fall so it can work for slow pitch jigging and also has an erratic darting action on the way back up.
Split Ring Pliers: Nomad Split Ring Pliers Size Medium $60
Split ring pliers are a must have when dealing with jigs. Assist hooks will always be added to the lure with a split ring, and these Nomad ones work great. The size Medium fits the split rings you’ll use for these size jigs. These pliers also come with a great looking sheath.
Split Rings: Owner Hyperwire Sizes 5, 7, & 9 $15
Owner Hyperwire are some of the most trusted split rings on the market. These three sizes will work well with the 80g, 120g, and 160-180g jigs.
An angler who receives the jig wallet full of jigs, split rings, and pliers will be ready to try jigging. If your budget isn’t quite $300, I would recommend decreasing the number of jigs you buy. The pliers and split rings are very helpful, and they could still get started with jigging even if they only receive 4 jigs.
Budget: $600
For about $600, you can get someone a full setup for inshore fishing, from the rod and reel, all the way to the leader and lure.
Reel: Shimano Curado DC 150 20 lb test braid $260
The Shimano Curado is an impressive reel. It has digital braking technology to prevent a bird’s nest when casting. This makes it much easier for anglers to get started with a baitcasting reel. It’s small size makes it incredibly comfortable for hours of short range casting.
Rod: Shimano Teramar XX SE Casting Rod Medium Power XFast Action 7’ Spinning Rod $310
The Shimano Teramar XX rod has high quality blank construction to minimize stress during a fight. It also has high quality rod guides to keep it lightweight and resilient against the cutting power of braided fishing line. There are regional options for the rod, so I’d recommend getting the one that corresponds with where you live.
The medium power, extra fast action is great for pairing with the Shimano Curado 150DC. The reel will likely be spooled with 20 lb test braid, which is right in the middle of the line rating for the rod.
Main line: PowerPro Super Slick V2 Braided Line 20 lb test 150 yards $23
The Shimano Curado 150DC holds about 150 yards of 20 lb braid. I recommend getting the reel spooled with PowerPro or Diamond braid. Tackle Direct makes this very easy. Simply add the reel to your cart, then add the line to you cart, and in the notes section when checking out, write something like “please spool the reel with the braided line” and they do it for free.
Leader: Hi-Seas Grand Slam Monofilament Leader 50 yd Coil Clear $5.50
You’ll need a leader, and since we’re going with a topwater lure, monofilament line is best. Monofilament tends to float, so it’ll keep the lure on the surface.
Lure: Yo-Zuri 3D Inshore Popper 2-3/4 inch length, ¼ oz weight $9
The Yo-Zuri 3D inshore popper is a great topwater lure for inshore fishing. The artistry on the lure is incredibly realistic, and the ¼ oz size fits within the lure rating of the rod. Any color will do, I like the silver and black pattern.
This rod, reel, line and lure is a very nice setup for the inshore angler. There’s no doubt the fisherman will feel excited to use it and impressed by the way the gift was put together.
