Cuda Professional Knives
Cuda’s Professional fishing knives are great gifts for fishermen, spanning an array of seven models, from a 6-inch fillet knife to a 10-inch breaking knife. The knives are constructed from U.S.-made stainless Carpenter Steel that’s titanium-bonded for hardness, sharpness and corrosion resistance. The knives are then layered with a nonstick coating. The handles are made from Micarta (a super-high-end, co-molded canvas). The full-tang knives come with hard sheaths and range in price from $49.99 to $94.99. Visit cudabrand.com.
FishHunter Directional 3D Fish Finder
FishHunter’s Directional 3D portable wireless fish finder has five tri-frequency transducers that show your depth — up to 160 feet — as you slow-troll or reel the unit back. At the same time, those transducers create detailed bathymetric and 3D charts of your favorite hot spots. The 300-watt FishHunter 3D also comes with a directional casting view that tells you where to toss your bait in relation to the floating sonar, which transmits up to 200 feet. The round bobber-shaped unit weighs 6½ ounces and pairs to your smartphone or tablet using Wi-Fi. Gifts for fishermen don’t get any better than this! The rechargeable battery lasts up to 10 hours. Price is $249.99 at fishunter.com.
Grundens Dark & Stormy Jacket and Bib
Made from waterproof and breathable eVent fabric, Grundens new Dark & Stormy Jacket and Bib offer full-featured weather protection. The jacket comes with a stretch wind/water skirt, waterproof front zipper, adjustable-hem cord locks, adjustable neoprene cuffs and five large, zippered chest pockets. Two zippered hand pockets keep wet fingers warm, and a rear zippered and bellowed game pocket offers room to store large items. The bib come with adjustable suspenders and a waist cinch, a stretch side/back panel, cargo pockets, chest-high handwarming pockets, and a waterproof crotch zipper. Available in dark slate (pictured) and olive night and in sizes S to 3X, the jacket costs $380 and the bib, $350. Visit grundens.com.
Hogy Pro Tail Series
Designed for serious anglers targeting species such as striped bass, tarpon, bluefin tuna and snook, the Hogy Pro Tail Series soft-plastic lures come prerigged in two styles: paddles and eels. Paddles come with 2 to 5 ounces of weight and in five colors; they cost $8.95 to $12.95. Eels measure 7 or 9 inches and are available in three colors for $5.95 and $6.95. Both feature a UV-infused body for increased visibility and a 3X 10/0 VMC Barbarian jig hook. Bulk packs of 10 baits in either style cost $39.95 to $59.95. Visit hogylures.com.
Huk Packable Rain Jacket
Huk’s new Packable Rain Jacket is 100 percent water- and windproof while remaining breathable and quick-drying. The lightweight stretch jacket features taped seams, a three-piece elastic draw-cord hood and draw-cord hem, Velcro cuffs, and underarm zip vents, which let additional humidity out when needed. Available in black or charcoal gray and in sizes S to XXXL, the jacket packs into its own pocket and costs $99.99 at hukgear.com.
Tauten LineWelder
When an angler ties a knot in mono, braid or fluorocarbon, the line must bend, which weakens the material. Tauten’s LineWelder creates a connection without bending the line, resulting in virtually no strength loss. Run the line through the hook eye and back over the LineWelder. Push a button and the line welds to itself in seconds; it’s a process used by doctors to tie surgical knots. The LineWelder operates using replaceable polymer cartridges that can each create 12 welds. The LineWelder costs $199.95; buy three replacement cartridges for $11.99 at tauten.com.
XTRATUF 6-Inch Ankle Deck Boot
XTRATUF designed the 6-inch ankle deck boot specifically for sport fishermen. The waterproof boot is lightweight and features XTRATUF’s proprietary evaporative XpressCool liner, which wicks away moisture and creates a cooling sensation as your feet start to sweat. Chevron outsoles grip surfaces without leaving scuffs or marks. The boots come in sizes 7 to 14 and cost $79.99; $89.99 for Kryptek camouflage versions. The Pontus and Yeti Kryptek versions will be available February 2017, while the Black and Mandrake options will be available August 2017. Visit XTRATUF.
