The Best Fly Fishing Gifts for Christmas

If you’re an experienced angler, you’ll likely be considering your options for winter grayling and pike on the fly fishing. You'll also probably have a fair amount of kit, some of it more used than others, and some possibly not even used at all but often cherished the most. I know I do. My wife constantly asks how I could ever need that amount of stuff. And if you’re fairly new to fly fishing you’ll likely be looking to expand your kit to cover different types of situations, tactics, techniques, species and water types.

Aside from birthdays, there no better time than Christmas to get some shiny new fishing stuff. So we’ve put some handy Christmas fishing gift lists together for fishing enthusiasts and for those new to fishing!

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR FLY ANGLERS

WHAT TO GET FOR FLY FISHING ENTHUSIASTS?

• Gifts under £20: fly boxes, fly floatants & sinkants, fly patches, fly sets
• Gifts under £50: fly sets, digital thermometers, tool kits, fly line cases
• Gifts under £100: chest packs, head torches, pro nippers, fishing vests, waterproof gear cases
• Boxed fly gift sets for salmon or trout and for different types of water from chalkstreams to reservoirs
• Specialist fishing clothing and footwear gifts

WHAT TO GET FOR FLY FISHING NEWCOMERS?

• Key things a newcomer will need - polarised sunglasses, fly reels, fly lines, fly boxes
• A ready to fish outfit that includes the basics to get started (rod, reel, line)

WHAT ABOUT FLY FISHING STOCKING FILLERS UNDER £16?

There’s a whole host of smaller fly fishing item ideas perfect for stockings, from polarised sunglasses, hook sharpeners, first aid kits to fly boxes, wading belts, indicators and zingers

WHAT WOULD THE SPORTFISH EXPERTS CHOOSE?

Here at Sportfish we’re fishing fanatics, obsessives, gear junkies, intensely passionate about our sport. It’s what we talk about the whole time. It’s why we aim to offer our customers the ultimate range of quality products to suit every budget. Our team of experts love nothing more than testing products and working out what’s great and what’s not.

 Consequently, all the products on our website and in our stores are there because they’re the best quality for the price. Carefully curated to make your choices a little easier. And to make things even simpler for Christmas, we’ve highlighted some super choices for all the above categories:

Enthusiasts' Gift Ideas Under £20

1. Gink Floatant & Xink Sinkant Twin Pack: our most popular products for keeping flies and tippets floating or sinking for good reason - both are very effective.
2. Cling Mag Grab Brown Trout Mini Fly Patch: made from anodised aluminium, this robust patch has a super-strong neodymium magnet for securing flies.
3. Fulling Mill Must Have Dry Fly Set: perfect for targeting rising fish on both rivers and stillwaters (2 x Griffiths Gnat, 2 x Klink Tan, 2 x Klink Black, 2 x Adams).
4. Tacky Day Pack Single Sided Fly Box: With room for 180 flies and a bi-directional slit design, this box is made from recycled polycarbonate.
5. YETI Rambler 20oz: made from durable stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation to protect your hot or cold beverage at all costs.
6. Buff UV protection sun headwear: the most versatile headwear you will ever use - works as a hat, mask, scarf, balaclava, headband or bandana.
7. Fishpond Fly Puck: made from soft and durable TPU material, it can accommodate flies of all sizes (or other fishing essentials) and features a stackable lid system and magnetic base option available to secure flies.

Enthusiasts' Gift Ideas Under £50

1. Fulling Mill Ultimate Boxed Stillwater Fly Set: a selection of 32 proven fish catchers, carefully chosen to cover a wide range of species and conditions.
2. Fishpond Riverkeeper Digital Thermometer: a submersible (IPX7) digital thermometer with a large UV-filtered screen and a durable aluminium probe, it measures temperature from -34°C to 54°C (-30°F to 130°F).
3. Wynd Fly Box and Rig Card: allows anglers to easily wind and store tippet-rigged flies, including dry droppers, ensuring organised storage, it holds 176 flies and 9 dropper rigs.
4. Orvis Tool Kit: featuring 3 essential high quality items for the riverside - forceps, nippers and a zinger.
5. RIO shooting head case: the ultimate shooting head case with 12 x tough 6mm storage bags arranged to allow easy viewing and flipping of heads, as well as mesh pockets for storing leaders and tippet spools.

Enthusiasts' Gift Ideas Under £100

1. Fishpond Canyon Creek Chest Pack: great for anglers who need quick access to the absolute essentials, this highly versatile carry system offers a rich list of features, including seven tool attachment points, a drop-down fly bench, and an integrated net slot.
2. Petzl Tikka Core Rechargeable 450 Lumens Head Torch: this rechargeable, IPX4 weatherproof headlight offers a powerful 450 lumens, a long burn time with single button operation of 3 light modes, and red-light options to protect your night vision.
3. Simms Pro Nippers: made in the USA with a magnetic spring and magnetic fly threader, this durable guide-level nipper brings together multiple angling tools.
4. Greys Tail Lightweight Fly Fishing Vest: both comfortable and practical, its lightweight and breathable design ensures you stay comfortable during long days of casting, even in warm weather.
5. YETI Sidekick Dry Waterproof Gear Case 3L: the worry-free way to carry your valuables, with interior mesh pockets to help you stay organised in the field, a 100% waterproof seal and RF-welded seams that repel any rogue wetness.

Boxed Fly Set Gift Ideas

1. Turrall Presentation Fly Boxes: a lovely bamboo fly box containing 32 carefully selected flies, with 3 options of fly patterns - Dry Flies, Spring Hatch Match and Stillwater Essentials.
2. Fulling Mill Ultimate Boxed Fly Sets: a collection of proven fish catching premium flies for specific occasions, with boxed options for:
   Chalkstream, Mayfly, Stillwater, Bonefish, Reservoir Lure, High Water Salmon, Low Water Salmon, River Trout, Sea Bass, Bungs, Reservoir Naturals.

Fishing Clothing & Footwear Gift Ideas

1. Simms Merino Midweight Hiker Sock: over-the-calf socks made from mid-weight Merino wool which provides excellent moisture management and anti-microbial protection and keeps your feet warm and comfortable in a wide range of temperatures.
2. Simms Freestone Wading Jacket: an updated version of Simms legendary Freestone Jacket featuring 3-layer Toray® fabric and fully taped waterproof seams to protect you from the elements, keeping you comfortable on the water all day long.
3. Simms Freestone Rubber Sole Wading Boot: offering superior grip and support at a great price, the synthetic full-grain leather and scratch-resistant rubber upper give these boots both style and durability, while a neoprene-lined collar enhances all-around hiking and wading capabilities.
4. Patagonia Stealth Pack Fishing Vest: made from 100% recycled materials, it’s comfortable, quiet, water resistant and features an ingenious suspension system.
5. Hardy Logo Classic Cotton Twill Cap: a 5 panel construction in brushed cotton twill featuring a rear buckle adjustment and tactel under visor and sweatband.

Essential Newcomer Gift Ideas

1. Greys Cruise Combination Fly Fishing Kit 9ft #5: a medium fast action 4-piece fly rod matched with a large arbor fly reel featuring a full disc drag and matching floating fly line, the perfect set up for the beginner and experienced angler alike. Available in 3 sizes, from small rivers to large stillwaters and even saltwater.
2. Fortis Wraps Polarised Sunglasses: a wrap-around design for full peripheral vision and for eliminating unwanted light, with soft rubber insets on the frame arms to reduce slippage, and a unique vent system preventing mist / fog buildup.
3. Greys Cruise Cassette Fly Reel: perfectly balanced with a well-proven disc drag system in a range of sizes to cover all species, the reel is supplied with two spare spools and a carry case - the perfect solution for the angler looking to cover multiple options with one reel.
4. Orvis Ultralight Foam Fly Box: a floating fly box made of moulded foam with an updated ripple foam in the interior to better hold flies in place.

Complete Fly Fishing Outfit Gift Ideas

1. Greys Fin Combination Fishing Outfit: featuring a Greys Fin fly reel, a high-performance fast action 4-piece Greys Fin fly rod (8ft to 10ft options) and a fully fitted twin colour floating line complete with backing and a tapered leader.
2. Sage Foundation Ready to fish outfit: a quality 4-piece 9ft fast action graphite fly rod (with #4, #5, #6 & #8 weight options) matched with a large Spectrum C fly reel, RIO gold fly line, RIO backing and a RIO Powerflex tapered leader. 
3. Orvis Encounter Fly Fishing Outfit: these rod, reel and line outfits offer great value and are perfect for anglers of all ages just starting out in fly fishing, built to Orvis’ exacting specifications and designed to make fly casting as easy as possible.
4. Cortland Guide Series ready to fish outfit: these budget-friendly fishing outfits include a graphite fast-action 4-piece fly rod (8ft to 10ft 6in options), a mid-arbour reel, a weight-forward fly line with a welded loop, and a tapered nylon leader for optimal performance.

A selection of a few things small enough to fit in a Christmas stocking and that won’t break the bank.

Stocking Filler Ideas Under £16

1. Loon Hook Sharpening Hone: designed to increase your hook-up rates and keep your fly hooks in prime condition and featuring  an easy locking attachment ring.
2. Lifeventure Dristore Waterproof Roll Top Bag: the perfect accessory for the adventurous traveller, keep the contents of your pack dry, without adding weight or bulk.
3. Sportfish Gold Loop Glove Clamps: scissor pliers that are great for unhooking fish and de-barbing hooks.
4. Snowbee Ethafoam Fly and Leader Patch: a pair of simple foam patches helps organise your leaders and flies in one convenient location, they can be interchanged to suit various fishing scenarios, with options to attach via clips or with a wire cord.
5. Fishpond Fly Puck: made from soft and durable TPU material, it can accommodate flies of all sizes (or other fishing essentials) and features a stackable lid system and magnetic base option available to secure flies.
6. Fulling Mill Must Have Damsel Nymphs Fly Set: 10 damsel flies perfect for targeting feeding trout on small stillwaters and reservoirs.
7. Stormsure Flexible Repair Adhesive: the original waterproof, flexible, clear adhesive and sealant for all types of repair to waders or boots and just about anything else you can think of, comes in 3 x 5g tubes.
8. Ahrex Neoprene Wading Belt: an adjustable 5cm wide neoprene belt with a strong secure plastic buckle that fits waist sizes up to 150cm (59in).
9. Flyvines Bracelets: made from hand-braided recycled fly lines, each one of these adjustable bracelets is unique.

More Stocking Filler Ideas Under £16

1. Greys Magnetic Net Clip: a useful magnetic clip enabling you to easily hang your wading net to the back of your waders, fly vest or backpack.
2. Lifesystems Pocket First Aid Kit: equipped to treat most minor injuries and includes a loop on the back of the pack allowing easy attachment to either to a belt or rucksack.
3. Sportfish Clip and Zinger Kit: a top quality stainless steel clipper with super sharp cutting edge and a recessed needle, plus a stainless steel retractor zinger with 20” rot proof cord.
4. Gink Floatant & Xink Sinkant Twin Pack: our most popular products for keeping flies and tippets floating or sinking for good reason - both are very effective.
5. Fulling Mill Must Have Dry Fly Set: 8 dry flies perfect for targeting rising fish on both rivers and stillwaters.
6. Sportfish Neoprene Reel Case: helps protect your fly reel and prevent it from being scratched or damaged.
7. Fishpond Floatant Bottle Holder: can be easily hooked to a cord or D-ring on your fly vest or pack and allows quick access to your floatant or sinkant bottles.
8. Clip On Sheepskin Fly Patch: a handy, top quality lambswool fly patch with strong spring clip attachment, perfect for storing and drying flies you want easy access to.
9. Loon Biostrike Indicator Putty: useful putty indicator for helping with adjusting the depth and size of indicator in a simple manner.

Wow, that is a lot of kit. I’d be happy to get any of it though (I hope my wife and kids are reading this). Wishing you all a very fun filled festive season.