It's Shopping Season

Every angler loves to get fishing gear as a gift, but if you're not a fisherman yourself, it can be difficult to pick out something useful and appropriate. A great gift for a bass angler is not necessarily a great gift for a trout fisherman or a crappie angler. So here are some ideas specific to what your angler loves to fish for.

Bass Anglers

Savage Gear won best of show for their 3D shrimp at ICAST this year, and they have other 3D lures as well. One thing that works particularly well for big bass is craw lures, and Savage Gear has a 3D Craw that is not only super realistic, but also has air-filled claws and carapace for great movement in the water.

They are also infused with salt and scents, and are perfect for Carolina rigs, jigheads, or for fishing over weeds. Get your angler a few of these, along with some weighted hooks and some jig heads, and get ready for a very happy result.

They come in two sizes: 3-inch and 4-3/4 inch. Those may sound big, but they pretty much match the size of the craws we have in our Arizona lakes. Get them (and the stand-up jig heads) at cabelas.com.

The LiveTarget Hollow Body Sunfish lure is brand new and perfectly replicates one of a largemouth's favorite meals - a juvenile sunfish. Those little critters are everywhere there is cover on a bass lake. I bet you've seen them swimming around every dock you've ever been on.

The hooks on this lure hug the sides of the body, but since it's hollow, as soon as the big fish inhales it, it's an easy process to set the hook. You can walk the dog with it or fish it fast to make a bubble trail. It may look weird because it floats on its side in the water, but it works like a charm.

These are $13 at tacklewarehouse.com and they come in 12 different colors. The one closest to the sunfish I've seen at the desert lakes here is either the natural green or natural olive colors. The blue metallic looks awfully good, too. I'd actually have a hard time choosing! Right now they are pre-ordering and should be available in December. Just in time!

Aegis Lifeshirt - For Any Angler

People drown all the time, and almost all of the victims are not wearing life jackets. The main reason given for not wearing a life jacket is that they are bulky and uncomfortable, and get in the way of whatever you're doing.

The Aegis Lifeshirt is not bulky and does not get in your way. It's actually a shirt that looks and feels great, but includes automatic flotation that can save your life. The fabric wicks moisture away for the skin plus offers the highest-rated protection from UV light. The company says the shirt is not much heavier than a regular t-shirt.

Now, one caveat: The Lifeshirt is not yet in compliance with laws about flotation devices. The company has put off introducing the shirt for years because lawmakers have been so slow to act. The U.S. Coast Guard and Transport Canada have both said that significant life jacket reclassification is underway, but the adoption of these new standards are years behind the anticipated timeline.

So, right now, the Lifeshirt does not legally qualify as a flotation device. However, if you wore one fishing, you could remove your life jacket while fishing (perfectly legal for an adult), but still know that you would be totally protected if you fell overboard, plus you would be protected from harmful sun rays.

Hopefully, the laws will be changed soon, because these could save hundreds of lives. Check them out at lifeshirt.com.

RV Or Pleasure Boater/Fisherman

The Rinsekit is a portable sprayer that doesn't require any batteries or any pumping at all. Just fill it up (it holds about 2 gallons), then spray with the attached nozzle with seven different spray patterns.

This is ideal for taking a shower while camping, but it's also perfect for rinsing down the boat after a day fishing. Salt water really needs to be rinsed off because of corrosion problems, but freshwater fishermen in Arizona are also asked to drain and clean their boats to avoid transmission of invasive species like various mussels.

The Rinsekit will let you spray pressurized water for about four minutes before you have to refill it, plus it will hold the pressure for months. You can rinse spills out of your boat carpet, clean the livewells, spray the scumline off your boat, and even give that stinky dog a quick rinse with this. It costs about $90 and you can check it out at rinsekit.com.

Bass Angler/YouTube Star Wannabe

The Yolotek AquaStick mounts your GoPro or other action camera to the navigation light port in your boat for hands-free action. The collar locks it in and holds it tight at up to 50mph. It extends from about 15 inches to 43 inches, and can be mounted in the bow or stern light receptacles.

Put it in the back to film yourself while you're fishing - it's like having a camera man! They are on sale right now for just under $40, regularly about $60. Get one at yolotek.com.

Fly Fishermen

The new Simms G3 waders are not cheap at about $500, but they are built to last a lifetime. The Gore-Tex is five layers from the waist down and three above, there is a removable flip-out chest pocket, a zippered chest pocket, and reach-through fleece lined hand warmer pocket on the bib.

If you want, you can undo the suspenders and roll it down for waist-high waders, and the front and back leg seams make them fit so well that you won't even notice they're there, even if you have to hike to your favorite stretch of river.

You can get them at Cabelas.com or just take a look at simmsfishing.com.

If you have a bit less than $500 to spend, how about the Patagonia Fly Fishing Vest Front Sling? This handy little thing blends the best features of a fishing vest and a sling - in front is a line of pockets like the side of a vest, and behind is a large storage sling.

The small pockets hold your fly fishing gear, and you can put your lunch, a rain poncho and a fly box in the bigger pouch. There is also a waterproof internal security pouch for your keys and such, and there's a water bottle holder on the bottom. Just slide it around to get from one side to the other. So much handier and cooler than a vest!

This sling is around $90 and you can get one at backcountry.com.

Any Angler

All fishermen have this in common: If they bring fish home for the table, they are going to need a good knife. Eagle Claw's new Lazer Sharp Fillet Knife took top honors at ICAST this year in the New Product Showcase for good reason: The white rubber sure grip handle makes cleaning and filleting fish easier, and the protective sheath keeps it safe and easy to grab.

The magnetic sheath also has built-in sharpeners, which makes the job even safer and quicker. There is an attached lanyard as well. They are out of stock on Amazon.com, but you can pre-order for just under $17.