The idea behind this list of Christmas stocking stuffers is that there are a huge number of suitable gifts you can give a fisher and hunter that are not overly expensive, but can be most useful and appreciated. In making this list I went to several stores, rounded the numbers to even dollars and capped the maximum cost at $10.
1. Frameable posters with serious and humourous sayings for the fisher or hunter who has everything – $5 to $10.
2. Berkley Worm Blower 9 (seriously, this device makes small worms larger) – $4.
3. LED flashlights (pkg. of four) – $6.
4. Camouflage Band-Aids in a small tin – $5.
5. Individual hand warmers – $2.
6. Simms Chap stick SPF 30 – $4.
7. Small guidebooks on tying fishing knots two types – $5 to $8.
8. Gloves for filleting, pulling prawn traps, or opening oysters – $2 to $10.
9. Locally made Buzz Bombs – $4 to $7, Zzingers – $4 to $7.
10. Locally made Zelda Jigs – $7, Spinnows – $7.
11, Gibbs Bottomfish and Halibut Bait rigs – $4 to $7.
12. Wide variety of trolling spoons, some made in B.C. They make great stocking stuffers for salmon trollers – $5 to $9.
13. Playing cards with animals or fish on the back – $5 to $8.
14. Rapala Filleting Knife – $10.
15. Diamond Knife Sharpener, Eze Lap – $6.
16. Sedge Fly Boxes plus many other brands – $7 to $10.
17. Mustard Fly Hooks for fly tiers (fly tiers can’t have too many, check sizes for recipients fishing style; pkg. of 25) – $5 to $9.
18. Reel oil and grease; also note suitable oil for firearms – $3 to $9.
19. Prawn and crab trap line weights. Very important to sink lines below floats – $8 to $9.
20. Real buy if any left - Travel Knife (8-in-1) – $1.
21. Slingshot for pests and weekend campers – $10.
22. Rag wool gloves for cold weather fishing and hunting – $9.
23. Handy shotgun shell holder for gun butt – $5.
24. Polar Bear Minnow Bucktails for salmon fishing – $8.
25. Anchovy heads for herring and anchovy baitfish; great variety of choice – $5 to $10.
26. There is a huge variety of hoochies, depending on target species and time of the year – $4 to $9 per package.
27. A neat glow-in-the dark fish whacker – $8.
28. Flatfish are among the oldest lures for freshwater species. They vary in size from fly rod types to large lake troll types – $8 to $10+.
29. Gibbs made-in-B.C. willow leaf trolls is one of the most economical – $9.
30. Plastic-cased hand warmers for people with cold hands – $2.
31. Simms Sunscreen for fly fishers – $10.
32. Flashers are generally quite expensive but the Hot Spot Flasher sells for $10.
33. SS Snaps and supply your own weights for prawn and crab traps line – $3.
34. Baitrix Artificial anchovies various sizes – $5 to $9.
35. Camouflage duct tape – $8.
36. Round plastic sinker selector holders – $4.
37. Weighted spinners come in a wide variety of colours and weights. Great for beginners with spinning outfits for easy casting – $4 to $6.
38. Adjusta Bubble for ease of casting with spinning outfits, especially useful in shore fishing situations – $4.
39. There is a wide variety of floats for bait fishing depending on species such as trout and steelhead – $1 to $4.
40. Adjustable Rod Raps. These simple devices can save a rod from being damaged while being transported – $4.
41. Tackle box – $9.
42. Stainless steel water bottle – $8.
43. One of the most useful gifts a fly fisher can get is a Pin Wheel and Clipper for their shirt or vest, Dragon Fly – $4.
44. Coghlands Snaplight Lightsticks are great for campers (pkg. of two) – $5.
45. Hoppe’s Silicone Cloth for wiping down guns – $5.
46. Hunters Flex Form camouflage face masks (several types) – $5.
47. Coghlands Mosquito Coils (pkg. of 10, these are great for campers) – $3.
48. Cannonball snubbers for downrigger trollers, two types – $7 to $10.
Ralph Shaw is a master fly fisherman who was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984 for his conservation efforts. In 20 years of writing a column in the Comox Valley Record it has won several awards.