The Fly-Fishing Gift Everyone Overlooks and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

These three stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

From the Fly-Fishing Gift Everyone Overlooks, to the Best Gifts for Fishermen That Aren’t Fishing Tackle, to the Perfect Gifts for People Who Love to Fly Fish, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week. | Ken Baldwin | Kurt Mazurek | Ken Baldwin

1.) The Fly-Fishing Gift Everyone Overlooks, But Every Angler Needs

The beginning of a good day. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

A small first-aid kit isn’t flashy, but it’s one of the most important things an angler can carry. I’ve seen enough hooks embedded in hands, cuts, stings, and accidents to know this: when something goes wrong, having the basics close at hand can save a day—or stop a bad situation from getting worse.

I’m not a doctor. This kit is based on common first-aid practices and what I’ve found helpful on the water. Use your judgment and seek medical instruction and expertise when needed…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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2.) The Best Gifts for Fishermen Aren’t Always Fishing Tackle

Not sure what to buy the angler who has everything? These tested gift ideas—from sunglasses and whiskey to eBikes and cameras—go beyond fishing tackle. | Kurt Mazurek || MNB6QBN | merc67 | Envato

If you have an angler on your gift list, you know finding them the perfect gift can be challenging. As you know, they probably already have more fishing tackle than they can use. But I have good news! The best gifts for fishermen aren’t always fishing tackle.

On a recent cross-country, camping, fishing road trip, I had the opportunity to personally test a wide range of outdoor, camping and fishing-adjacent lifestyle gear. And although they’re not specifically fishing tackle, these are things I’d genuinely love to receive as a lifelong angler. From affordable everyday items to true once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list gifts, I’ve grouped them by price so there’s something here for every budget…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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3.) Perfect Gifts for People Who Love to Fly Fish

A quality fly reel can last the lifetime of the angler, and gets better as it ages. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

If you don’t fly fish, how do you know what to get for someone who does? These 3 gifts are practical, well-made, and perfect for people who love to fly fish.

Here are three gifts that I use and enjoy, and I'm sure any fly angler would be happy to find them under the Christmas tree.

Fly anglers as a whole are an easy bunch to buy a gift for. Get us a beautiful, well-made fly reel, and we’ll be happy. It doesn’t even have to be the weight we typically fish—a good reel will inspire us to chase new species and build a whole new setup around it…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.