by Keith Hamburger

Created on: April 29, 2008   Last Updated: January 06, 2009

To buy fishing reel as a gift for the angler in your life you must know a lot about that person. There is a lot you need to know about the fisherman's style of fishing and what he currently uses to make a good choice. Most serious fishermen have a preferred fishing technique that must be taken into consideration when making such a decision. You certainly don't want to buy a baitcast reel for a fisherman that prefers spinning reels, and the opposite holds true as well.

Except for tournament anglers, most fishermen have a one or two rod and reel combos they use for each of the various types fishing they are doing. They may have an ultralight spinning combo for panfish and trout and use a medium weight spinning combo for bass and walleye. Or they may use a baitcast rig for flipping under docks and other cover for bass. If you don't get the proper equipment for their particular techniques your gift won't be as well used and appreciated in the long run as you would like.

If you know how your favorite fisherman likes to fish you should also take into consideration the equipment he already has. There is no sense in purchasing a lower quality reel than the one he is currently using in a particular situation. If you know that he has come to love his ultralight spinning reel for panfish, but he's still using a spincast reel for larger game, a nice medium weight spinning reel might be just the ticket.

My wife has a technique that seems to work well. She watches me when we go to the sporting goods store and observes what I touch and play with. If I keep coming back to the same thing time and again, but I'm not willing to spend the money on it myself, there's a good chance that will end up under the tree come Christmas. A few years ago I was greatly surprised by a top of the line spinning reel that I had been admiring for several years but wasn't willing to spend several hundred dollars on myself. I have probably caught a couple hundred fish with that reel and been thrilled by every one.

Another option, if you don't get the chance to follow your favorite angler around every time they visit the store, is to ask for assistance. Secretly write down the make and model of every reel that is used regularly. You'll probably find there are some that your fisherman goes to on a regular basis. Visit the best stocked fishing store in town, you'll probably know which one that is because your fisherman probably visits it on a regular basis. Tell the clerk what you wish to spend and what the recipient already has and is using. The clerk should be able to make some good suggestions as to what they would like in your price range. With the proper information at hand you are unlikely to go wrong in making your purchase.

If you're considering purchasing fishing equipment as a gift, be certain you know how the recipient fishes and what they already have. If you don't have that kind of familiarity with your favorite fisherman, and you still want to give a fishing related gift, a gift certificate might be a better idea.

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