A Father's Day Gift List for Dads Who Fish

Some fathers will say they don't care much about Father's Day.

Especially when you forget to even call.

“Don't worry about it,” he might say, “it's just another day.”

Then he hangs up the phone and daydreams. In the vision, he's positioning the boat so your bait dangles over the part of the ledge that is not holding fish. “I don't know why you're not catching anything,” he says in his fantasy, “same tackle, same bait, same spot, same technique … must be the angler.”

Dad also won't admit the oil that just spat out of the frying pan and scortched his forearm stings. He points to his skin. "Teflon, son." 

He'll tell you it's not about catching fish — it's just about getting “out on the water.”

Little bothers this sort of dad.

Do you know the type?

He won't tell you he actually wants a gift for Father's Day, because it all started as “a big stupid marketing campaign anyway.”

Now that we see through dad and can afford to surprise him with a gift, here are some fishing-related gift ideas.

Father's Day is Sunday, June 19. That leaves enough time to run to a store; barely enough to allow 5-7 days for shipping.

So here goes:

• The Fishing Buddy. The basket, available at www.pleasantsurprises for $49.95, includes a pint of Stone Pale Ale, pretzels with mustard and a bag of mixed nuts in a fishing-themed wood container. (Other beer types, as well as iced tea, also are options.)
• Jerk dad's chain with a “Your Photo in a Big Catch Caricature.” Available at www.findgift.com for $39.85, a myDaVinci artist creates a caricature based on a photo you send. The gift basically challenges dad to go out and boat the real deal.
• Many fishing captains offer gift certificates for fishing charters. If you don't know a local captain, do an Internet search for one in your area and give him or her a call.
• “Born to Fish, Forced to Work” seems like the attitude of many angling dad's, and that message also is emblazoned on T-shirts sold on eBay, site-athletics.com and Zazzle, to name a few.
• The Gone Fishing! Father's Day Gift Basket, of which Amazon.com had 19 in stock for $58.49 as of Thursday afternoon, has an assortment of practical fishing items. According to the item's description, the basket includes Eagle Claw snelled fishing hooks, assorted-sized bobbers, peanuts, potato chips, pretzels, Blue Crab Chesapeke Bay seasoned salt, cheese spread, and so forth, all in a tin bucket with brass handles.
• Give dad a piece of angling lore and history with a signed and personalized edition of Doug Kelly's Florida Fishing Legends and Pioneers. The hardcopy book contains 36 chapters, 352 pages and 120 historical images. For more details, visit www.FloridaFishingLegends.com.
• No need to get all fancy. Dad won't admit he likes shiny tin cans. So stroke his manly ego by simply heading to your local tackle shop and purchasing some quality lures and tackle (captains are reporting a good morning, topwater bite). Secure that whole mess with duct tape and Sunday's sports section.
• Take dad on a canoe/kayak trip. The Tampa Bay area is rich with places that rent canoes and kayaks if you don't own either.
• A personalized fishing bucket cooler doubles as a cooler and lightweight, portable seat. It's available for $31.95 at findgift.com. The bucket would be ideal for fishing beaches and piers. Heck, it would be perfect for watching the kids at Little League baseball or Pop Warner football (good luck sneaking drinks in.)

That should loosen your brain. And remember, dad probably won't admit just how much he'll love the gift.

Testosterone doesn't always allow for tears.