feeling the holiday crunch? Generosity isn’t about buying the most expensive gift—what counts is the care you put into choosing the perfect present. These great gift ideas geared for kayak anglers are proof positive that you don’t need to break the bank to get them something cool. Read on for our hand-picked list of fun and useful fishing gifts for under $50.
Berkley
Powerbait Nessie
$7.99 | berkley-fishing.com
Large, slow and lethargic, glide baits offer an irresistible target for big bass. Unfortunately, the price of a fancy glide bait often puts the tactic out of reach for many anglers. Berkley Powerbait’s Nessie is custom-painted and perfectly balanced glide bait at a price anyone can afford. The combination of design and accessibility earned Nessie the Best Freshwater Lure award at ICAST 2023. The glidebait comes in three sizes from five inches to nine inches with side fins and tail fin designed to keep the lure upright and swimming correctly. The mesh-reinforced body joint gives the Nessie a lifelike swimming action. To hold the razor sharp treble hook Berkley patented a special clip that releases the hook when the fish hits. Add in the Powerbait scent package and the Nessie is irresistible to fish and anglers.
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BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S FISH USA SCHEELS
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Z-Man
Mulletron LT
$9.99–$12.99 | zmanfishing.com
The innovative and enticing Z-Man Mulletron LT won Best New Salt Water Soft Plastic at the 2023 ICAST tradeshow for several reasons. First, the photo-printed lifelike body comes in two sizes and six colors. When the Mulletron is retrieved, the wide swimbait tail gives the lure a slow, side-to-side wobble. Of course, the Mulletron uses Z-Man’s patented Elaztech plastic which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. To survive the brutal battles with saltwater fish, the Mulletron is designed to slide up the fishing line exposing the super sharp and sturdy sickle-style hook. Since the Mulletron hit the water, the four-inch model has become a go-to for speckled trout anglers. The large six-inch model works fantastic for big red drum and striped bass. The slow sink makes the Mulletron perfect for shallow water and surface fishing.
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Sea To Summit
13L Big River Dry Bag
$49.95 | seatosummit.com
Among the crates, tackleboxes and hatches scattered across the deck, it’s easy to forget you still need a place to keep some personal effects bone dry. Especially around fish hooks and fillet knives, a kayak angler’s choice in dry bag needs to be tough, durable and, well, stay dry. Enter the Sea To Summit Big River Dry Bag. The Big River is constructed with abrasion-resistant 420D nylon laminated with a TPU film for strength and waterproofness. It uses a PFC-free waterproofing. On the inside, Sea To Summit uses a white liner for visibility so you spend less time rooting around your bag. On the outside, they’ve included a thoughtful addition—webbing as lash points to keep your bag where you secured it in the first place.
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AMAZON ATMOSPHERE BACKCOUNTRY BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S MEC REI SCHEELS SPORT CHEK SPORTS EXPERTS
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Abu Garcia
Reel Maintenance Kit
$34 | abugarcia.com
Make your tackle last longer with this handy maintenance kit from Abu Garcia. Featuring everything you need to keep your reels running smoothly, the kit travels in style with its convenient carrying case and custom foam inserts. Services all reel types.
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AMAZON BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S FISH USA SCHEELS WALMART
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Bass Pro Shops
Fishing Towel
$8 | basspro.com
Clean up gear, tackle and grimy hands with this durable, high-quality bait towel from Bass Pro Shops. What it lacks in bells and whistles, the towel more than makes up for in straightforward performance. Attaches to boat, belt or tackle box with a locking grommet.
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BerleyPro
Fish Finder Visor
$49 | berleypro.com
Reduce glare and keep water off your fish finder display with custom-made visors from BerleyPro. Even better, a visor allows you to use a lower brightness setting on the screen, conserving battery power for more time on the water. Fits available for major brands like Garmin, Lowrance, Humminbird, Raymarine and Simrad. Pictured: Visor compatible with Lowrance Hook2 5.
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Black Diamond
Storm 450 Headlamp
$49 | blackdiamondequipment.com
A light so nice our editor bought it twice, the Storm 450 headlamp has plenty of premium features for nighttime anglers. High-efficiency engineering gives you brighter light with longer battery life, plus an LED battery meter to track power consumption. Colored LED modes preserve your night vision when it really counts. Even better, Black Diamond’s built-in brightness memory setting remembers your chosen level when turning the headlamp on and off.
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ALS AMAZON BACKCOUNTRY BASS PRO SHOP EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS MEC OUTDOORPLAY REI SCHEELS SPORT CHEK
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Frabill
4825 Insulated Bait Bucket
$37 | frabill.com
Keep your bait alive and kicking with an Insulated Bait Bucket from Frabill. Designed with durable snap-on lid and lid-housed aerator, the bucket has a 1.3-gallon capacity. Looking for even better performance? Add a second aerator via clip-on bracket and hose hole.
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AMAZON BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S FISH USA SCHEELS WALMART
Gruv
Big Jig Box
$30 | gruvfishing.com
Don’t spook the fish! This unique tackle tray uses soft silicone inserts to hold your fishing lures securely, reducing noise and keeping them organized. Designed with sturdy polycarbonate shell and magnetic clasp for easy access. The Big Jig Box holds up to 115 larger jigs or hooks.
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Kayak Angler Magazine Subscription
$30 | kayakanglermag.com
Give a gift that is sure to inspire your loved one to get out and paddle. For a limited time, you can get (or give) a print subscription to Kayak Angler Magazine and save 50% off the cover price! Order now to receive 6 print issues of Kayak Angler Magazine for only $30!
- Award-winning editorial features
- Print issues delivered to your doorstep
- Every page of every issue in our digital archive
- First access to digital issues
- Download our app to read stories anywhere, online or offline
Mustang Survival
Traction Open Finger Glove
$39 | mustangsurvival.com
There are many paddling gloves on the market, but we haven’t found any that work as well for kayak fishing as Mustang Survival’s Traction Gloves. Warm up your hands without sacrificing grip and dexterity thanks to Traction’s tacky palms. Tests found these gloves give you a 30–50% boost in grip torque—even when your gear is wet. See our full review for more.
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Outset
Cast Iron Fish Grill Pan
$39 | foxrunbrands.com
Grill up a catch-and-cook feast with this appropriately-shaped pan and serving platter from Outset. Designed to cook evenly on stovetops, grills or campfires, the cast iron construction means this pan gets even better the more you use it. And at only four pounds it’s not too big or heavy to pack on a backcountry trip.
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AMAZON BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S WALMART
Rapala
Mag Spring Fishing Pliers
$28 | rapala.com
Harness the power of magnets with these patent-pending pliers from Rapala. Unique Mag-Spring jaws stay open and ready for use, perfect when you’re wrangling a fish in the other hand. Offset design features serrated jaws and line cutter. Comes with quick-draw sheath, belt loop and clip to keep them within arm’s reach.
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AMAZON BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S FISH USA SCHEELS WALMART
Thermacell
MR300 Portable Mosquito Repeller
$24 | thermacell.com
Harness the cutting edge in pest protection with this MR300 Mosquito Repeller from Thermacell. The no-spray repellent is DEET-free and scentless, providing an invisible, mobile, 15-foot-wide area of coverage. Includes holster, clip, fuel cartridge and three repellent mats for 12 hours of protection.
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AMAZON BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S CANADIAN TIRE FISH USA HOME HARDWARE SCHEELS WALMART WALMART CANADA
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Vestergaard
LifeStraw Peak Series Personal Water Filter Straw
$25 | lifestraw.com
Long a favorite of backcountry campers and hikers, the LifeStraw is great in a pinch. This personal water filter removes 99.999% of waterborne bacteria, parasites and even the smallest microplastics found in the environment. Rigorously tested, each LifeStraw provides 1,000 gallons of clean, safe drinking water over its lifetime.
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AMAZON BASS PRO SHOP CABELA’S MEC REI SPORT CHEK VALHALLA PURE OUTFITTERS
YakGear
YakSack
$37 | yakgear.com
The YakSack from YakGear gives you storage options not only for your favorite lures, pliers and fish grips in the four outer pockets but also has a dry pouch interior that allows you to store your wallet, keys and phone. The YakSack is splash-proof and water-resistant. It can mount to a track, rail or framed seat.
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Feature photo: Monicore/Pexels
