Fishing Stocking Fillers: Small Gifts Anglers Will Actually Use

First, find out what kind of fishing they do

This matters more than the budget. Most of what we sell is for sea fishing, and a pack of sea rigs is no use to someone who fishes for carp on a lake. Look in the shed, check their photos or simply ask a friend they fish with. If they catch mackerel, bass or cod, you are in the right place. If they fish rivers and lakes, stick to the general items below, or look at a Coarse Fishing Advent Calendar, and our fishing advent calendars page has the sea, coarse and fly versions.

Stocking fillers under £5

A WSB Rig Wallet has ten grip-seal pouches for keeping ready-tied rigs tidy, and most anglers need another one. The Zebco Disgorger and Priest is a single 20cm tool that takes hooks out and deals with a fish quickly, and it is easily lost, so a spare is always welcome. The Padded Reel Case protects a good reel in the bag.

Rigs and lures get lost on snags, which makes them true consumables. The Zebco Arm Rig 2 is a ready-tied, three-hook general sea rig, the SeaTech Fatboy Lumi is a heavier trace with big hooks for winter fishing, and a pack of Eddystone Delta Eels are soft lures in a mackerel pattern. For a beginner, the Go Sea Angling pocket guide covers rigs, baits and knots in a book small enough for a tackle box.

Stocking fillers under £15

A Zebco Waterproof Head Lamp is the one we would pick if we could only buy one thing. Winter fishing happens in the dark, and tying a rig with a torch in your teeth is no fun. A Wide Dial Scale weighs up to 50lb and has a tape measure built in, and a Quantum Waterproof Tackle Box keeps small tackle dry.

If they fish with lures, a Fiiish Black Minnow combo comes ready rigged with a spare body, and a pack of Storm Biscay Minnows gives you two complete soft lures. A Bottom Fishing Tackle Kit is a good all-round top-up, with line, hooks, swivels, a weight and a ready-made rig. And the Finger Fresh Odour Remover Bar is really a present for whoever shares a house with them.

For the angler who has everything

If their tackle room is already full, buy something that is about fishing rather than for fishing. The Bass Fish Cufflinks are gift boxed and smart enough for a wedding. A Monkey Fist Keyring has a proper sailing feel, The Great Cornish Fish Book gives them something to do with the catch, and the Fishing Friends ornament, showing a man and child fishing together, is a good one from the children.

Three easy ways to fill a stocking

For a beginner: a Go Sea Angling guide, a rig wallet, a disgorger and priest, a couple of Arm Rigs and a Bottom Fishing Tackle Kit.

For a winter beach angler: a head lamp, a warm Rhino Black Cat hat, a couple of Fatboy Lumi rigs, a Magic Flatty Rig and a Wide Dial Scale.

For a lure angler: a Fiiish Black Minnow combo, a pack of Eddystone Eels, a Crystal Minnow, a Quantum Spinner Bait Bag to keep them in and a waterproof tackle box.

What to avoid

Do not guess at line and hooks. Line strength and hook size depend on the rod and the fish, and an angler will usually have firm views. Be wary of novelty gadgets that look clever and never leave the box. And leave rods and reels to a bigger present, because they need to match each other and the kind of fishing. If you are after something bigger, our guides to gifts for fishermen, Christmas gifts for anglers and sea fishing rods for beginners will help.

Sending your gift

Free mainland UK delivery on orders from £30, and orders placed before 3pm are normally dispatched the same working day. We leave prices out of the parcel, you can add a free message card, and if you would like it wrapped, add gift wrap in your basket or at checkout. Not sure what to pick? Try our 60-second gift finder, or browse all our fishing tackle and gear.