2020 Holiday Gift Guide Pt. 2

By Fish Alaska Staff

As the holidays rapidly approach, our editors poured over the endless options of gear for outdoorsmen to provide you with a list of possibilities to please anglers of all skill levels, ages and genders. Some choices are broad based and well suited for just about anyone, while others are quite specific to a certain type of adventurer.

Enjoy the Holiday Gift Guide Part 2, and remember to be thankful for all the people in your life that make the holidays special. If you are like us, you will also be thankful for all those places in Alaska that you go to catch fish and all the people who aid you in getting there.

Three Bears Alaska Grizzly Tech Dry Bags threebearsalaska.com These new dry bags come in a range of sizes to fit the needs of many outdoorsmen on your list. Options include duffels, dry bags and dry packs. Features include an airtight waterproof zipper on some models, adjustable shoulder straps, and 100% waterproof high-quality material that is easy to clean. We recently used one of these dry packs on a very wet moose hunt and can attest that the pack performed well.

Salmon Sisters Tails & Scales Quarter Zip aksalmonsisters.com This limited-edition, soft, bamboo-fleece quarter-zip pullover is comfortable, breathable, moisture-wicking, has anti-odor and anti-itch properties, and is thermal regulating. It would make a great gift for any female angler on your holiday gift list. It features a 2-inch standup collar with lock-down zipper, a shirttail hem, jersey cuff with thumbholes, and an original Salmon Sisters’ print. It’s a nice layering piece that offers warmth without bulk.

LEM Products MaxVac Pro Chamber Sealer lemproducts.com LEM makes all kinds of products that would make great gifts for anglers and hunters. With such a bounty of fish in Alaska, a quality vacuum sealer is a gift that keeps giving. Each time you cook fish, you’ll appreciate the quality and freshness that remains intact when you pack your fish in LEM vacuum sealer bags and seal with one of their MaxVac sealers. We recommend the MaxVac Pro Chamber Sealer for the serious angler on your list. It’s designed for quick and easy use, is heavy-duty, versatile and dependable.

P-Line 3-Way Rolling Chain Swivel p-line.com P-Line has long been an innovator in fishing products. Anglers on your gift list can benefit from any number of their products including line, lures, tools and terminal tackle. One of their new products that would be of interest to the trollers on your list is the 3-Way Rolling Chain Swivel. This piece of terminal tackle will help reduce twists and tangles caused by trolling rotating baits, lures and flashers. P-Line incorporated a rolling chain into the traditional 3-way swivel which eliminates the need for an additional swivel and for less knots. These would make great stocking stuffers or as part of a larger tackle package.

Mossy’s Fly Shop Gift Cards mossysflyshop.com Mossy’s Fly Shop is an Anchorage business that is locally owned by lifelong Alaskan Mike Brown. They specialize in all things flyfishing and are friendly, helpful and experts in the Alaska flyfishing scene. If you have an avid flyfisherman on your list, or a conventional angler who has talked about getting into flyfishing, then a gift card to Mossy’s is a great choice. Offering flies, lines, rods and reels, wading gear, technical clothing, fly-tying materials and equipment, and fishing packs, Mossy’s has everything you need to become a better fly angler.

Beckman PVC Nets beckmanfishingnets.com Beckman PVC Nets are now available in a collapsible version for a smaller storage profile in two, flat-bottom size offerings. The 17” X 20” is 49 inches extended and becomes 33 inches long for storage. The 19” X 24” goes from 63 inches to 43 inches long. Beckman’s full line of nets includes options for just about every angler, with a wide range of sizes, basket materials, and handle lengths to choose from. All you need to do is put a bow on the handle and you’ve got a great gift for any angler.

FisheWear Crossbody and Weekender Bag fishewear.com These two products from FisheWear are sure to put a smile on the face of the woman anglers on your list. The Weekender Bag has a 28L capacity, a top zipper, internal and external pockets, a key fob snap hook, a daisy chain for rod or accessory attachment, and is created in the stylish Groovy Grayling pattern. It can be carried by the handles or worn over the shoulder. The Crossbody is a multi-functional bag that can be used in many different ways, including on the river. It sports a 2L capacity, a removable shoulder strap, the ability to feed your wading belt through the loops to wear it on the water, external and internal zipper pockets, and rocks it out with the Groovy Grayling pattern.

ZOLEO Global Messenger zoleo.com After a full season of using this product, we can say enthusiastically that this is a device you should seriously consider getting as a gift for the outdoorsmen on your list. It has allowed us to communicate by text or email in all the remote places we have ventured. New users download the ZOLEO app onto their smartphone and pair up the ZOLEO unit with the smartphone app. From there, it’s as simple as turning on your ZOLEO unit, opening the app, and you are able to text and email easily. The ZOLEO unit accesses Wi-Fi, cellular, and the Iridium satellite network to allow you to communicate anywhere. Users get a unique email address and SMS number, as well as weather forecasting and SOS alerting with their ZOLEO device. We like using the functionality of our smartphone for communicating, and ZOLEO makes that possible even in the bush.

SABRE Realtree EDGE Camouflage Compact Pepper Spray with Clip sabrered.com If you’ve been hunting for the hottest pepper spray available, you’re in the right place. SABRE products are police grade—as a matter of fact, SABRE is the #1 brand trusted by law enforcement worldwide. Now featuring a Realtree EDGE Camo design, the SABRE Compact Pepper Spray with Clip is the perfect safety gift for outdoorsmen. Whether they’re hiking, fishing, camping, or just running errands, make it safe with safety products you trust.

Eagle Claw Sawatch Fly Fishing Series: Rods, Reels, Combos eagleclaw.com Eagle Claw is happy to offer the new Sawatch Fly Series, which combines classic design with modern performance. The Sawatch Series offers anglers of all skill levels versatile flyfishing gear at an affordable price. Consisting of a medium-fast graphite rod for smooth casting and a lightweight, machine-cut aluminum, mid-arbor reel with fluid disk drag, the Sawatch offerings are tailored for use in a wide range of conditions. Available in feature sets that enable small river and stream fishing for trout to targeting predator fish in larger bodies of water. This would make an excellent gift for a new fly angler or for an experienced fly angler looking to target a new species.

Spyderco Siren spyderco.com Professional kayak fisherman Lance Clinton spends much of his life using knives in and around the water. That hard-earned experience inspired him to design the Spyderco Siren—a full-service folding knife optimized for the needs of fishermen and water-sports enthusiasts. It’s full flat-ground blade is crafted from ultra-corrosion-resistant LC200N steel and supported by a stout back-lock mechanism. To ensure a secure, non-slip grip in wet conditions, the blade is paired with a coarse-textured G-10 handle with a substantial integral guard. Both G-10 scales include a stylish blue accent layer and house a reversible, deep-pocket wire clip. We have been using this knife for months and can attest to the fact that it would make a great gift.

E-Z Anchor Puller Wireless Remote Control ezanchorpuller.com Avoid extra trips to the helm with E-Z Anchor Puller’s wireless remote control, the perfect companion to Rebel anchor winches. This long-range remote powers your direct-drive or free-fall unit anywhere on deck. Two small remotes easily clip onto your keychain and are designed with a slide cover to protect the “up/down” buttons from jams or drops. Operate this E-Z accessory just like your pre-installed rocker switch, without the need to stand at the helm. Each purchase includes batteries, two keychain remotes and a wireless receiver unit. Receiver unit wiring diagrams can be found in the 2020 manual. This convenient and thoughtful gift would be a great addition to boaters who use the Rebel anchor winch, or as an add-on when buying a Rebel anchor winch for your beloved boater.