Xmas Gifts Galore

 

by Bill Valentine

"Tis the season to be jolly--and if you have a saltwater fisherman, young or old, on your Christmas list, I'm gonna list a bunch of goodies to make the old (or young) boy quite jolly--(most sporting goods store owners too).

If he needs a tackle box, there are quite a few  new plastic jobbies on the market that look pretty good--till you fill them up with tackle, then some of the lighter ones tend to bulge a trifle in all directions. Get him one that is stout enough to withstand the gaff of the constant abuse an active fisherman can dish out.

Boy, there's a ton of stuff you can cram into that box to make him light up--stuff like Dixie Jets, Kastmasters, Big Surface plugs, Stingsildas, etc. if he happens to be a surf man, or Fishbacks, Accetta spoons, or Evans Loco lures if he likes to troll for small (five to twenty pound) fish, and if he's a big thinker, and likes to troll for the bigger brutes (grouper, pinto, etc.), stuff it with an assortment of Martin, Salty Boogies or big Rapala-type plugs or the larger (19#--21#--23#) sized Tony Accetta spoons.

One of the most important items a guy needs to be a successful angler is quality line--no matter how good the rest of his outfit is, if he isn't fishing with prime line, all he'll bring back from a trip is excuses. Gudebrod, Shakespeare, Ashaway, Trilene, Garcia and Stren to name a few, all make good, high-quality line. Get him a few spare spools of the test he uses most--it's something he'll appreciate. If he doesn't own a spinning rig, get him one. No matter what type of fishing he likes, he can find an opportunity to use it. For instance, when drift reef fishing, a spin rig with the right lure on it can almost always produce fresh bait, or, when deep trolling, a spin rig will produce fish when the fish are feeding on the surface. Besides that, they're fun to fish with.

I'm about as prejudiced as I can be on spin reels, having worn out about a dozen of the dang things. I haven't used every make available, but my own preference for my uses anyway, is still a good old reliable Zebco Cardinal 7--I've got a buddy that don't like one worth a dang--but I love the trouble-free little jewel. There are several other reels on the market that I've had good service with--like Orivs, Quick, or the fast retrieve Mitchell 406.

I'm real cranky when it comes to rods. The only reason I fish is for the pleasure of fighting whatever I'm fishing for, on as equal terms as possible (with the exception of grouper and pinto) so if your old man is a meat hunter, disregard this paragraph. A stout-gutty butt section with a whippy tip--this is my criterion when picking any rod--be it trolling, casting, or jigging. There are several dang good first class factory-built rods available. The best, in my opinion, is Fenwick. Their rods are the highest quality, and you can generally pick out the action you want. If you really want to impress him (so he in turn can impress his buddies) have Al Ellis build him a custom-made stick to his exact specifications. Al can tailor-make a rod like you wouldn't believe--putting the action where you want it, making it the exact weight you want, and a finish like pure glass--it takes little more to go first class.

Other handy little dandies a fisherman can always find a place for: a good sturdy sharp gaff, a scale that goes to at least fifty pounds, and if his boat doesn't have a depth finder--this would be the most useful gift you could possibly get him. My Lowrance Model LFG 660 has found me reefs with fish on them in places where I never suspected there was anything. A good pair of chest high waders will keep his little tutu dry when surf casting, also a vest with beaucoup pockets is sure a handy way to carry lures. A good cheapie type gift that is invaluable if he ever tries to fish from slippery rocks is to get a pair of high top tennis shoes and with Elmer's or Willhold glue, stick a piece of nylon carpet to each sole--this little trick just might save him from a nasty fall.

There now, if you get him any of the above and he pouts about it--just forward whatever it is he don't like to me.

 

This article is from Valentine and Friends, a collection of sketches written between 1962 and 1978 for the Arizona Republic. It is reprinted here by permission of the late author's family. If anyone would like a copy of the book, it can be purchased for $10 from Jessie Valentine, 1515 W. Rovey, Phoenix, AZ  85015  (602) 249-1364