LA Dodgers, Man’s Best Friend, and Fly Rods: One-Of-A-Kind Father’s Day Gifts

For the fly angler and dog owner. Three unique, thoughtful gifts for Father's Day.

LA Dodgers and the NY Yankees fly fishing reels that would make for a great fly fishing gift for Father's Day. | photo provided by Abel Reels

Fly anglers are, in general, a pretty easy bunch to buy a gift for. Anything to do with fly fishing, and we are happy. But some gifts can really touch the heart of an angler.

Man's Best Friend - Forever Captured

If the fly fishing dad has a dog that he is especially fond of, imagine getting him a custom hand-painted portrait of his best friend. That's about as thoughtful of a gift as you can get. And the good news is, it's not difficult to make happen.

From Photograph to a Painting

Artist Anastasia Rinker is a painter and art teacher in Charleston, SC. She paints dog portraits and works primarily with acrylics because of the medium’s vibrant colors, fast drying time, and versatility. She also finds freedom in acrylics—allowing her to layer textures, build dimension, and make spontaneous changes as her paintings evolve.

There is a depth and real human feeling in her work that you can't get with AI. I think it is her love for animals that is the special sauce.

Talk With The Artist – Not AI

She has a website where you can fill out a form requesting a commissioned work of a pet. It can be as simple as sending her a photo, or if you have any special requests, you can discuss your ideas with her to begin the creative process. Her prices range from $155 to $750, depending on the size of the portrait. This is a gift that will keep on giving.

Turn this - | photo by Josh Hudman

Into this. The perfect gift for a dog owner. | photo by Ken Baldwin

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A Fly Reel Like No Other

Do you want to go all out for the father–angler in your life, and you've got the budget to get the best? Here's the best. In the world of fly fishing, you have a lot of good fly reels, and then you have a small batch of reels that hover at the top of the "finest reels made" list. Reels that are built to the highest standards, with quality material and craftsmanship. These reels will last a lifetime and are a pure joy to fish with. Abel Reels makes that kind of reel.

Not Your Ordinary Fly Fishing Gift

What makes Abel Reels a special Father's Day gift is that you can get them custom-designed for the fly angler's favorite kind of fish. Let's say the dad loves to fish for striped bass; he has dedicated his life to chasing striped bass. You can get an Abel reel with a striped bass finish, and it looks amazing. Again, this is the best of the best, and it shows in the detailed custom finish.

An Abel SDS Fly Reel in a custom Striped Bass finish. | photo provided by Abel Reels

Knock It Out of the Park

With Abel, you can go one step further. If you really want to leave a lasting impression, and the father-angler you're buying a gift for is a baseball fan, maybe he's a die-hard LA Dodgers fan or a NY Yankees fan. Abel Reels, in collaboration with MLB, has custom reels featuring Major League Baseball team logos. These aren't gimmick reels; these are made in America, truly unique fly reels, the real deal.

Knock it out of the park with a MLB Abel fly reel as a Father's Day Gift | photo provided by Abel

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An Old School Classic Gift.

If you have a more modest budget, but still want to pull on the heart strings of a fly angler–dad, get him a fiberglass fly rod. Fiberglass fly rods are what fly fishermen fished with before graphite came on the scene. Glass rods are a softer, "sweeter" swinging rod, and because of these attributes, their use is making a comeback with fly anglers.

The New Glass

The new fiberglass rod is lightweight, slow, and soft – but not sloppy in its movement. One of my favorite makers of glass rods is Moonlit Fly Fishing. I have a few and try to include one in every fishing trip I take. They are a fair price and look beautiful.

The Fun of Fiberglass

Casting and playing a fish on a fiberglass rod is a blast and something all anglers would enjoy. Get one in the hands of your fly angler-dad and let him discover the pleasures of fly fishing with glass.

Two Moonlit fiberglass fly rods, the Lunar and the Nirvana. | photo by Ken Baldwin

Father's Day Gifts With Intention

Three Father's Day gift ideas, three different price levels, and any one of them would make an angler happy. He will know you put thought and consideration into his gift, and it is something that the fly angler, dog owner in him will love. KB

"The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

Some of the gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.