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33 practical fishing gifts and gear ideas for bass anglers
Originally published November 23, 2019. Reviewed October 2026 to remove stale pricing, improve product-link transparency and update the page for current search and accessibility standards. Product availability can change.
Looking for more ideas? See our bass fishing man-cave ideas or our guide to the best bass lures.
1.Fishing Line – Removing old line and re-spooling with fresh fishing line is relatively cheap, can be done in a matter of minutes, and could be the difference between landing that lunker or breaking on off at the boat.
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2. Head Lamp – Having a head lamp is a basic essential for all anglers. Whether searching for the right lure in the morning dawn or packing up right a dusk after a long day on the water – having a head lamp to pop on is a great convenience and frees up your hands. Don’t forger that people can and do fish at night.
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3. Pliers – This simple tool makes such a difference on the water. From cutting line to crushing barbs to removing hooks from fishes mouths, pliers a versatile tool that is essential for every fisherman to have.
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4. Rod Sleeves – Carrying around multiple rods almost requires rod sleeves, not just for the general protection that the sleeves provide, but to also ensure there is no criss-crossing and accidental damage to your poles.
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5. Reel Bag – A reel bag is good for storage, travel, and for the fisherman who works with his reels often. This promising review on Amazon says it all, “Movable pockets, secure, lightweight, no complaints.“
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6. Fish Book or Magazine Subscription – Legitimate magazines still do exist. You can choose from digital or print versions. They are easily gifted via Amazon too!
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7. Filet Knife – Many anglers practice the Catch-Photo-Release (CPR) method, especially with largemouth. Catfish however, are quite tasty and easy to catch. Having a good, sharp knife around is never a bad idea.
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8. Tackle Organization – Getting a premium tackle storage box can be quite helpful. Not only are there several compartments to store all sorts of gear – from hard baits, to soft plastics, to extra fishing line – but most come with a flat bottom and sturdy handle for easy portability.
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9. Polarized Sunglasses – A quality pair of sunglasses can make a big difference on the water. Less eye strain combined with the ability to “see” further into the water makes having a pair of polarized glasses a fishing must. Sunglasses lenses are typically made of plastic or glass and come in a variety of different colors – each color is best suited for specific weather conditions. You can easily find a quality pair of polarized sunglasses for these current options on Amazon.
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10. Tournament Identifier Cull Kit – Whether it’s a friendly fishing match between buddies or the real-deal money tournament – using a cull-kit is an easy way to keep track of multiple fish in a live well.
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11. Rod Rack – Storage and organization is just as important at home as it is on the go. Consider an on-the-ground circular rod rack or a wall rod rack or both!
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12. Latest and greatest from ICAST – While ICAST has lots and lots of 2019 winner from different categories – this year’s freshwater soft plastic lure winner is the Phantom Spider by Lunkerhunt.
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13. Hawg Trough – A scale is not the only way to get stats on a fish. Many anglers – especially kayak fishermen – now use Hawg Trough’s. A Hawg Trough is essentially a glorified plastic ruler. Pro tip: darken the measurement lines with a sharpie for easier fish length determination. Darkening the measurement lines if often required for tournaments and helps get accurate measurements from pictures.
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14. Scale – Having a nice scale on hand is always great to truly know how much that “huge” fish weighed. Many anglers will use a strong lip-grip tool in conjunction with the scale so that their is less potential to harm to the fish.
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15. Glasses Retainer – Using a glasses retainer ensures that you know where your glasses are at all times – around your neck or on your face. Retainers also make it a breeze to constantly take your glasses on and off. Expensive pairs of glasses deserve retainers so that they don’t get stepped on, get flung off, or fall overboard.
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16. Hat – Spending the day in the sun can be brutal on your skin. A moisture-wicking UV-protecting wide brim hat can offer a great amount of head and face cover.
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17. Fishing Gloves – Have the hat? Have a long sleeve shirt? Pants? While fishermen typically cover all other areas of their body, their hands and fingers are typically the last thought on their mind, and are often overlooked and left exposed to the elements. However, the area should not be ignored and should either be protected well with sunscreen or specially made fishing gloves.
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18. In-Ground Rod Holder – Fishing is supposed to be a relaxing hobby. What better way to take that to the max but with a in the ground rod holder. Just shove it in to the ground, cast out your bait, and keep an eye on your rod.
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19. Fishing Seat – See above re: relaxing fishing. A portable chair with back support that can also hold items sounds like the swiss army knife of chairs. Holds up to 250 pounds!
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20. Hard Baits – New lures to test and try or that become a favorite are always worth getting. You can also never have enough. Pick the color and size that best suits your location the fish you typically see.
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21. Soft Plastics – These are hands down the most popular lure or method of largemouth bass fishing. Soft plastics come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and scents. A classic soft plastic that many beginner anglers use is the 5 inch worm in watermelon with black flake.
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22. Bait Bucket with Aerator – Bait won’t keep with an aerator at the very least. Some will do this with just any ole bucket – which is fine and cheaper. The specially made bait bucket provides an easy access lid for bait that can jump or crawl out.
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23. Rod Cleaning or Repair Kit – Rods get dirty. Rods get broken. Having a cleaning or repair kit can help extend the life and maximize the value of your favorite rods. One can also get satisfaction from restoring something that was once broken back to working condition.
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24. Fishing Grips – Most grips slide easily over the existing handles and simply add a pop of color while providing extra grip and comfort.
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25. Fishing Box Subscription – Getting a box of new and curated fishing items delivered to your door each month is exciting. Getting its a gift is even better. The most popular websites, Lucky Tackle Box and Mystery Tackle Box, both make it easy to gift multi-month subscriptions. Always check around on the internet for a discount count code before purchasing at full-price.
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26. Fishing DVD’s – When the wifi is down or when you are at the far and away lake house – it’s nice to have the physical DVD to pop in and watch some great fishing actions while also getting some tips and tricks to employ the next time you are out.
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27. Neck Guard – Covering up your neck can be easy, stylish, and cheap – it also can protect you from the sun!
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28. Storage – kayak rack in garage – Getting your kayak inside your garage is one thing – getting up on the wall is another. It’ll make a world of difference once you have your kayak(s) up on the wall and off the ground. Check out this link for a how-to on kayak wall hanging.
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29. Bobber with Light – This product is actually a light that goes underwater to attract fish – which is kind of cooler than a light-up bobber anyway. Both are cool and should be considered if you’ll be fishing with kids or at night.
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30. Line Cutter Ring – This ingenious invention hit the market several years ago and is now available to the mass market at an affordable price. Wearing the ring makes retying and cutting line a breeze.
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31. Camera to Record Record Catches – Having a camera on board or around that’s in a waterproof casing that floats just feels safer than using your phone. Top end cameras like the GoPro offer better quality videos too.
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32. Fishing Scent – Adding a little fishing scent to your lures is an easy way to differentiate your lure attractants while on the water. Don’t be afraid to put this on soft or hard baits.
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33. Knife – Finally on this list is a knife. A simple knife is one of the most convenient and handy tools to have in life in general. Having a knife on your person can make up for a lot of things in a jam – it’s a good idea to have one.
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