Right, so Father’s Day is coming round again and you’re scratching your head trying to figure out what to get your old man. If he’s into fly fishing, you’ve actually got it easier than most, though the sheer amount of tackle out there can be a bit overwhelming.
Gear Used in This Article
The thing about buying for fly fishers is that we’re a particular bunch. We’ve all got our preferred rod weights, our lucky flies, and that one jacket we’ve been wearing since the nineties that still “has plenty of life in it”. So unless you really know what you’re doing, buying specific tackle can be a minefield.
I’ve been fishing the Test and various northern rivers for the better part of twenty years, and I can tell you the gifts I’ve actually used versus the ones gathering dust in the shed. The problem with most fishing gifts is they’re either too generic or too specific. Get someone a fly box when they’ve already got a system sorted? It’ll never get used. Buy the wrong weight line? Same story.
That said, there are some absolute bankers that work for almost any fly fisher. Top of my list would be a really good quality fishing journal or log book. Sounds simple, but hear me out. Most of us keep mental notes of what worked where and when, but after a few seasons it all blurs together. Was it a size 16 or 18 that worked on the Itchen that day in May? What pattern smashed it on the Eden last September? A proper fishing journal sorts all that out, and if your dad doesn’t already keep one, he’ll wonder how he managed without it.
Another safe bet is a quality head torch. The amount of times I’ve been caught short during a late summer evening rise, fumbling with a phone torch while trying to tie on a sedge pattern in failing light. A decent head torch from https://amzn.to/4dbkzUH leaves both hands free and honestly transforms those crucial last thirty minutes of daylight when the trout are really having it.
Wading staff is another brilliant shout if he doesn’t have one already. I resisted getting one for years, thought it was something only older anglers needed. Then I went over in the Ure one February, chest waders filled up, and I nearly became a cautionary tale. Got a collapsible wading staff the following week and now it comes out whenever I’m on anything bigger than a stream.
For something a bit more personal, consider a custom fly box with his favourite patterns tied by a local tier. Most areas have someone doing decent custom work, and there’s something special about fishing with flies tied specifically for your local waters. Far better than another mass-produced assortment that’ll sit in a drawer.
If your dad’s into tying his own flies, you really can’t go wrong with materials. Proper genetic hackle isn’t cheap, and most of us won’t splash out on the good stuff for ourselves. Same goes for quality dubbing or realistic CDC feathers. These are the things we use regularly but often make do with cheaper alternatives.
The gifts to avoid? Gimmicky gadgets that promise to revolutionise your fishing. We’ve all seen them advertised. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they’re solving problems that don’t really exist. Also, clothing is tricky unless you know exact sizes and preferences. Fishing jackets especially are so personal that buying one for someone else rarely works out.
Whatever you choose, remember that the best fishing gifts are the ones that actually get used. Something practical that solves a real problem or fills a genuine gap beats something expensive and showy every single time.
Here’s a practical tip for your next session: if you’re fishing a new stretch of river, spend the first fifteen minutes just watching before you start casting. Look for rising fish, check what insects are about, and work out the current patterns. That quarter hour of observation will save you an hour of fishing blind and wondering why nothing’s happening.
