Best Fishing Gifts

Twenty-five doors of proper bank-side tackle, rather than novelties, make up this carp advent calendar. Behind them you'll find ready-tied rigs, Teflon-finished hooks, tungsten components, PVA products, indicator bobbins and rig tools, along with a head torch.

It suits the carp angler who already has a full tackle box but still gets a buzz from new bits and pieces. Because the contents lean towards terminal tackle that gets used up every season, very little of it will end up gathering dust in a drawer.

I can picture the morning ritual in December: a door opened with the first coffee, then the contents sorted straight into the rig box ready for the first trip of the new year. A countdown like this keeps the fishing ticking over through the weeks when most of us are stuck indoors.

No year is printed on it, so if you buy early and change your mind, an unopened one keeps for another Christmas. It's aimed at experienced carp anglers, so a match or pike angler will get far less out of it.

Over 100 pieces of carp terminal tackle are spread across 24 days in this calendar. The mix covers wide gape and curve shank barbless hooks, Ronnie and quick-change swivels, anti-tangle sleeves, line aligners, lead clips, tail rubbers, tungsten stops, tubing, bait screws, PVA bags and fake corn.

Terminal tackle is the stuff every carp angler gets through, so this is a gift that actually gets used. It also suits someone a year or two into carp fishing, because it gives them a spread of components to try different rigs with.

Each door adds a few more bits to the rig box, and by Christmas Eve there's enough to tie a whole season of rigs. I like the idea of a winter evening spent at the kitchen table trying out a new D-rig or pop-up rig with the bits that turned up that week.

It's the more affordable of the two carp calendars here, and it's all small components rather than tools or rigs ready to use. If they only fish with ready-tied rigs, the deluxe version is the better choice.

Behind each of the 24 doors is a Westin lure, soft or hard, chosen by the Westin team for perch, zander and pike. The Westin Predator Advent Calendar 2026 hands a lure angler one new bait a day, right up to Christmas.

I like it as a present because you don't need to know a thing about their tackle box. The choosing has been done for you, and the mix runs from soft shads to hard baits and spinnerbaits.

Come the new season, picture a grey morning on a slow river with the perch sitting tight. That's when a Dropbite Spin Tail Jig or one of the two Gunnar the Goby models earns a place, while the Mvibe spinnerbait gives them something different for pike.

Check they fish lures for predators before you buy. It's a lure calendar for perch, pike and zander anglers, so a carp or match angler would get very little from it. It also needs to be with them before 1 December, so order in good time.

Savage Gear's Advent Calendar 2026 hides a lure or a piece of tackle behind every door as it counts down to Christmas. It comes in two versions: 4Play, built around the 4Play lure range, and Seatrout, aimed at coastal and sea trout fishing.

As presents go, I find this one refreshingly simple. The 4Play version holds 24 different gifts, including a run of hard 4Play lures for pike, perch and zander plus a few surprises. Some colours are made only for the calendar, and the contents would cost more bought separately.

Think of a frosty morning on a big lake in the new year, with pike on the move and no clue what they want. The 4Play lures come in different sizes and types, so they can keep swapping until something clicks.

The main thing to check is which version suits them. The 4Play is a lure calendar for predator anglers and the Seatrout is for sea trout on the coast, so neither will do much for a carp or match angler. Production is limited each season, too.

If the angler in your life lives for pike, this one is built around them. Westin's Premium XL Pike Advent Calendar 2026 holds 24 soft lures made for big pike, across six patterns including the BullTeez Curltail, Ricky the Roach Shadtail and ShadTeez Slim.

What I like is that it's a proper set rather than a random handful. There are five Ricky the Roach Shadtails, three BullTeez Curltails and four of each other pattern, so they get spares, and you needn't know their tackle to get it right.

Picture a raw February morning on a big water, the rod bent into a snag and a favourite roach pattern gone. With several of each lure in the box, they can put the same one on and carry on.

Make sure they're a dedicated pike angler first. These are big soft lures, so they're too much for a perch specialist, and a carp or match angler would have no use for them. The box is 54 x 54 x 5.5cm and has to land before the first of December.

Westin's Ready To Strike Advent Calendar 2026 puts 24 soft lures for pike, zander and perch behind its doors, and every one comes already rigged. Each lure is ready to fish as soon as it's out of the box.

That's what makes it such an easy present. You don't have to know which hooks or weights they like, because the setting up is done. The mix takes in BullTeez Curltail, Gunnar the Goby, HypoTeez Shadtail, Ricky the Roach, ShadTeez and Stanley the Stickleback, with multi-jointed and slim designs among them.

I can see it paying off on a winter towpath as the light fades and the zander switch on. Numb fingers and fiddly rigging don't mix, and here they can grab a fresh lure and be casting again in moments.

Before you order, check they fish lures for predators. It's a lure calendar aimed at pike, zander and perch, so it won't do much for someone who fishes for carp or matches. The box is 54 x 48 x 5.4cm.

Two well-known lure makers share the doors here. The Fox Rage & Salmo 2026 Christmas Calendar has 24 boxes, each holding a single Fox Rage or Salmo lure, so it counts down to Christmas one lure at a time.

I like that it mixes special editions with the original classics from both brands, so a predator angler gets a few lures that are new to them alongside some old favourites. By Christmas Day it adds up to a varied perch and pike collection, with no guesswork from you.

Think of a crisp January morning on a gravel pit with the perch hard to find. A box full of different lures means they can keep changing until something works, rather than flogging the same one for hours.

It's a lure calendar for perch and pike, so check they fish that way, as a carp or match angler would find little to use. At 425mm wide, 80mm deep and 490mm tall, it stands happily on a shelf or table. Numbers are limited, so order early and have it there by 1 December.

For someone who chases a bit of everything with a lure rod, Westin's Premium Predator Advent Calendar 2026 covers a lot of ground. Its 24 soft and hard lures are put together for perch, pike and zander, and many come in custom colours made only for it.

The range is what wins me over. Westin's experts picked creaturebaits, shadtails, crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, poppers and glidebaits, with the Jerkbite in DR, MR and SR forms. Whatever predator they're after, there's plenty to reach for, and you don't need to know their setup.

Next summer, on a warm evening with perch chasing fry near the top, the popper is the one to clip on. When the cold comes back, there are shadtails, creaturebaits and a Dropbite Spintail Jig to fall back on.

Check they fish lures for predators before you buy. It's a lure calendar for perch, pike and zander, so a carp or match angler would get little out of it. The box is 53 x 49 x 5.2cm.

Sea bass anglers get their own countdown with Westin's Premium Seabass Advent Calendar 2026. There are 24 lures inside, one a day, chosen for fishing coastlines, harbours and surf.

It's an easy present for someone who lives for the rocks or the beach, as you needn't know their tackle. Soft plastics give a lifelike baitfish action, while metals and hard lures add flash, vibration and surface work, all in limited-edition colours based on Japanese schemes.

I can picture it on a summer dawn at a surf beach, bass pushing bait in the white water. That's when the Sbass Popper comes out, with a Herrix Jig or Sandy Andy Jig if the fish drop deeper. The weedless Magic Minnow and Sandy Andy lures suit weedy harbour walls.

Check they fish for bass before you buy. A carp or match angler would get little from a sea bass lure calendar, and a freshwater pike angler might not use much either. The box is 51 x 49 x 3cm, and door one opens on 1 December, so allow for the post.

Every door of the Westin Original Swim Advent Calendar opens on a Swim lure, 24 in all, for perch, zander and pike. Each one comes in a signature colour made only for the calendar, and Westin's own angling team put the set together.

You don't need to know much about their tackle, only that they enjoy lure fishing for predators, and calendar-only colours mean even someone who owns a few Swims gets something new. I also like the spread: glidebaits that suspend, sink or float low, Silent versions, and two suspending Swim Tails.

On a clear winter river with the pike reluctant to chase, a suspending glidebait that hangs between twitches is a handy thing to have, and the sinking and low-floating ones let them match the depth.

Lengths run from 6.5cm to 13.5cm, so check that suits the fish they target. It's a lure calendar for predator anglers, and someone who fishes for carp or matches would find little in it. The box measures 50 x 47 x 4cm.

Here's a clever add-on for a carp angler's bucket. Korda's Bucket Table clips to the rim of a 5L or 17L Korda bucket to make a flat rig station, and its reinforced underside takes a fully loaded Korda box.

I like it as a stocking filler because it gives a new job to kit they already carry. Your only homework is checking they use a Korda bucket, and a peek in the shed will tell you.

Think of them rebaiting on a cold dawn. Six recessed wells keep small components out of the grass, and 12 rig holders keep spare rigs, tied or baited, ready to go. One side lifts for getting into the bucket, and it folds away inside a 17L one.

Fit is the thing to get right. It won't go on the Kontainer system, only Korda's 5L and 17L buckets, and with no legs it sits at whatever angle the bucket does. If they use another make or want a table that levels on a slope, I'd look elsewhere.

The NGT Bivvy Light & Powerbank is a bivvy lamp and phone charger in one. Its 21 white LEDs, six red ones and dimmer give a broad spread of light rather than a narrow beam, all running from a 10,400mAh battery.

I'd pick it for anyone who stays out after dark, from carp anglers on overnighters to someone who likes a long evening session. It doesn't need to match their other kit, and almost every angler can use a spare phone charge.

It earns its keep on a long winter night. Full output gives 500 lumens for about 11.5 hours, half power stretches that to 32 hours, and the lowest setting runs for up to 75 hours. If their phone is flagging by dawn, the 5V USB output tops it up.

There's no published waterproof rating, so it belongs inside the shelter rather than out in heavy rain, and a full recharge takes about 7.5 hours. If they only fish short daytime trips, a simple head torch makes more sense.

Polarised glasses don't come much simpler than these. The Avid Seethru Blinker pairs brown-tinted TAC polarised lenses with closed frame sides, which stop the sun creeping in at the temples and keep their view of the water clear.

Glasses like these are one of the safest presents for an angler, because anyone who fishes in sunshine benefits and you don't need to know their tackle. The frame is wide enough to suit most anglers, and a lanyard and case come in the box.

Picture a bright July afternoon with the sun bouncing off the lake. With these on, they can pick out fish shapes, depth changes and detail on the bottom, and the lanyard means they can slip the glasses off to tie a rig without losing them in the margins.

I'd check how they usually fish first. The brown lens is dark for overcast days and there's no second tint, so these suit bright, open water. They're not the lightest pair either, so if they mostly fish dull mornings, look elsewhere.

Sonik's Gizmo HTR-250 is a compact rechargeable head torch with a wide 250-lumen COB LED, twin red LEDs and a sensor that controls the light with a wave of the hand. It charges by USB-C and comes in a hard case.

Every angler who fishes into the evening needs a head torch, and I think a spare never goes to waste. This one is light and affordable, the headband adjusts to fit, and four small lights show the charge left.

On a dark winter evening, wearing wet gloves after landing a fish, they wave a hand at the sensor instead of fumbling for a button. The red LEDs let them bait a hook without ruining their night vision, and the instant-off button kills the light in one press.

It isn't rated for full downpours and it's dimmer than premium torches, so someone who sits out through long, wet nights may want a brighter, weatherproof model. Check they haven't just bought a new one, but for short sessions it covers the essentials.

Lure anglers collect boxes like other people collect mugs, and this one suits soft lures especially well. The Fox Rage Stack and Store Box Shield comes in eight configurations across three sizes, with shallow boxes for jig heads and little soft lures and deep ones for bigger shads and hard lures.

One more is always welcome, so it's an easy present for anyone who chases pike or perch. Soft rubber lures sit happily in its plasticiser-resistant plastic without reacting and turning sticky.

On a drizzly towpath, swapping shads between casts, they can trust the red latches to stay shut so nothing spills in the bag. A UV filter in the grey finish stops lures fading, and an anti-rust additive in the base helps keep hooks from rusting.

I'd ask which lures they use most. Treble-hooked hard lures can still tangle in the open compartments, so if that's most of their collection, look elsewhere. If they own Fox Rage Voyager Luggage, these slot straight in and stack with older Stack and Store boxes.

Few first whips are simpler than this one. The Guru A-Class Whip is a 3m telescopic pole, fished without a reel, and weighs 135g. Pull the sections out, fix a ready-tied rig to the tip connector and off they go.

For a youngster's first outings to the canal or local pond, I'd start here. There's nothing to set up beyond the rig, the light, strong build copes with knocks, and you need no fishing knowledge to choose it.

Imagine a Saturday morning on the local pond and a youngster watching their first float. When a roach takes, the forgiving action helps keep it on the hook, and once the session ends the whip slides back down for the walk home.

Check which version you're buying. The With Rig version adds a rig matched to the whip's length and tackle for different fish sizes, so it's the easier gift. It's heavier than a carbon flick tip whip and lacks its crisp strike, so anyone who already fishes will soon want more.

RidgeMonkey's VRH300X is a rechargeable head torch with five colours of light (white, green, red, orange and violet) and brightness from 1 to 200 lumens. Its 2000mAh battery charges by USB-C in about an hour and 40 minutes.

It feels like a proper treat for anyone who fishes after dark, whatever their tackle. The IP66 shell keeps out dust and heavy splashes, a shroud over the glowing buttons stops it switching on in the bag, and it has no upside down, so it always goes on the right way.

The night location mode is the bit I like most. Left glowing at 1% power, it lasts up to 670 hours, so when the alarm sounds at 3am they find the torch straight away. Green light saves their night vision while netting, and violet recharges glow-in-the-dark tackle.

It's a touch heavier than basic head torches and sits in the mid to premium bracket, so for the odd summer evening a simpler torch will do. Check they haven't already treated themselves to a good one.

Trakker's Techpro Sunglasses are polarised fishing glasses with HD lenses, a wraparound frame and UV400 protection. A hard case, cleaning cloth and lanyard come with them, and a small metal Trakker badge is a neat finishing touch.

I'd buy these for an angler who spends long summer days by the water. Glasses don't have to match their kit, the wraparound shape covers the sides without feeling tight, and rubber pads at the nose and ears stop the frame slipping.

Early on a bright morning, with carp feeding over gravel, the lenses cut the surface glare and show detail underneath, even in mixed light. Spotting fish, choosing where to cast and following a float all get easier, and the grips hold them in place while they net a fish.

They're a little bulkier than some minimalist wraparounds, so check they don't prefer a slim pair. If they only fish the odd sunny afternoon, a budget side-blocking pair cuts much the same glare for far less, so these suit someone who fishes hard and often.

Weighing a fish is a big moment, and these digital scales make it easy. The Wychwood Dual Screen T-Bar Scales 60lb have a backlit screen on each side and a T-bar handle, and a karabiner safety clip stops the weigh sling slipping off.

Scales make a smart present for a carp angler, because accuracy matters most and these have it: checked against a certified 10kg calibration weight, they read exactly 10.00kg. They don't depend on the rest of their tackle, so I'd call them a safe buy.

Say there's a big fish in the net at midnight and a mate ready with the camera. With two backlit screens, both can read the weight without twisting the scales round in the dark, and the True Grip handle stays secure in wet hands.

There's no IP waterproof rating, so they rely on splash resistance, and the T-bar takes more room in a bag than hook-style scales. If they already own a decent set, or travel light with a small bag, look elsewhere.

Trakker's Deluxe Bivvy Table is a bedside table for the bivvy. Its 48 x 31cm top is deep recessed ABS, so small kit stays put, a long slot at the back holds a phone or tablet upright, and both short sides store rigs.

Any carp angler who sleeps out on overnighters or weekenders will use it, whatever the rest of their gear. It's a tidy upgrade many anglers never get round to buying themselves, which is exactly why I'd give it.

Come dusk on a sloping peg, the cam-lock legs adjust from 24cm to 37cm, so they can set a level top beside the bedchair. Trakker's rig tools each have a set place on the right-hand edge, so when they wake for a take, everything is where they left it.

Check the space they want. The top is fairly compact, the feet are small standard ones rather than wide mud feet, and it's built to organise the bedside, not to cook on, so for brewing up, look for something bigger.

Few tackle boxes arrive as ready to use as this one. The Korum Mega Blox Fully Loaded has four deep compartments, nine adjustable divided sections and a long section, plus two Rig Blox in the lid for pre-tied hooklengths, five Ti Baiting Needles, a disgorger and scissors.

It's the box I'd hand a coarse or specimen angler who wants end tackle, tools and hooklengths in one place. It takes spools of line and packets of hooks too, so it suits whatever they already use.

When rain sets in and they need a fresh hooklength, secure clips and a gasket keep the weather out. A length measure helps them tie the rig accurately, and the tools click back into their own slots instead of vanishing to the bottom.

Size is the thing to check. At 36 x 26 x 11.5cm it belongs on the barrow or in a carryall, not a rucksack pocket. If they carry little more than a few hooks and swivels, it's too much box and something smaller will suit them.

Daiwa's Ninja Tele Whip is a 3m telescopic whip in carbon, with a solid carbon flick tip built to catch small silverfish close in and swing them straight to hand. It weighs 85g and collapses to 116cm.

Anglers chasing roach, perch, bleak and skimmers on canals, drains and rivers will get the most from it, and it's a natural step up from a starter whip. With the lily yarn connector already fitted, there's no cutting or gluing, so it's an easy present.

Bites can come every cast on a still autumn canal, and it's light enough to hold out all session. Matt grip paint gives a sure hold on the handle, and the elasticated hook holder keeps the rig tidy when they move along the towpath.

To be fair, it has a single tip and the blank lacks the crispness of a dearer whip, so a match angler wanting spare tips or a more refined feel should look elsewhere. As a flick tip whip on a budget, I think it's hard to fault.

Nytro's Impax Elasticated Whip is a 4m telescopic whip sold ready to fish. There's 1.6mm elastic already in the tip, and the pack adds a ready-tied pole rig and disgorger.

For a youngster or complete beginner, I can't think of an easier start, and you needn't understand the tackle to buy it. The rig pairs a 0.5g carp pole float and 4lb main line with a 15cm, 3lb hook length and a size 16 barbless hook, and the composite G-fibre blank copes with knocks.

Picture the first trip to a commercial fishery in the summer holidays. They unpack it, extend it and they're fishing within minutes, and when an F1 or small carp takes, the elastic stretches to absorb the fight.

Check who it's for. Composite is heavier than carbon, and a keen angler will soon outgrow it, so for a teenager who already fishes, a lighter carbon flick tip whip is smarter. As a first whip that's ready the moment it's unwrapped, it ticks every box.

Reuben Heaton have made precision instruments in Warwickshire for more than 160 years, and the 7000 Series Digital Scale is their angling scale. It has a backlit display, comes in 30kg or 60kg versions, and stores 50 weights in a memory with a backup battery.

It's a name big-carp anglers trust, so it's a safe buy even if you've never seen inside their holdall. Reuben Heaton certified Dean Fletcher's 68lb 1oz British record carp, and in a CARPology check these read exactly 10.00kg on a certified calibration weight.

On a wet autumn dawn, with a big fish in the sling and rain drumming on the bivvy, the IP56 rating means water and dust aren't a worry. The backlit screen reads clearly in poor light, so the fish goes back quickly.

Check what their current scales go up to, then pick 30kg or 60kg. The memory menu takes a session or two to learn. I think these are a treat for the serious big-fish angler; a casual one will manage with something simpler.

Two lights share one case in the RidgeMonkey Vault Bivvy Lite IR180: a floodlight for inside the bivvy and a 180-lumen torch for outside it. The floodlight runs in white, red or green, dims down, and works by infrared remote from the bedchair.

Anyone who fishes overnight needs a light, so it's a safe present even if you couldn't tell a bite alarm from a buzz bar. It comes with a bankstick adaptor, magnetic fittings and a hanging cord, and the 5,200mAh battery can charge their phone by USB.

Imagine a wet November night with the floodlight on a low glow. When a take comes, they flick to the torch to find the landing net. The IP67 casing handles rain, and turned right down, the floodlight runs up to 240 hours.

I'd save it for regular overnighters; for a few nights a season, a basic light will do. The remote works by line of sight, so it wants hanging in view of the bed. If they already own a decent bivvy light, choose something else.

This is Korda's Large Tackle Box with eight smaller boxes already inside: three Accessory Boxes, a 9 and a 16 compartment Mini-Box, a Large Leader Safe, a Tubing Box and a Hook Safe. Nine removable dividers and magnetic catches finish it off.

It's the box many carp anglers settle on in the end, so it's a safe present even if you don't know their tackle. With the smaller boxes included, they won't need to buy them one at a time.

Halfway through a session, with the light going, a fresh rig needs tying on fast. I like that the lid keeps up to 56 pre-tied rigs straight on a grooved hook bar, plus 25 flip-top compartments for swivels and shrink tube.

Terminal tackle isn't included. Check they don't already own the Large box and that, at 35.5 x 24 x 7.5cm, it fits their tackle bag. For short sessions with a handful of rigs, the much smaller Korda Tacklesafe makes more sense.

The Fox Voyager is a four-season sleeping bag for bivvy fishing, with a soft polyester Marl outer instead of camo. Silicone-treated 7 Core Hollow Fibre is wrapped in deep Sherpa fleece on top and micro-fleece underneath.

Every overnight angler needs a warm bag, so it's a safe present for anyone fishing spring into winter. Three sizes and hoods cut for single-leg bedchairs make it easy to match to their bed. I like that it shares the Fox Camolite's fill, fleece and zips.

At three in the morning on a frosty night, a screaming alarm needs a quick exit. The heavy-duty 10mm Crash Zips run behind a big fleece baffle and end before the foot, so their toes stay snug in a hot-foot pocket.

Check their bedchair before choosing Compact, Standard or XL. The Standard weighs 3.9kg and rolls up bulky, so it's no friend on a long walk. There's no mosquito net for summer, and if they already own a warm bag, look elsewhere.

A framed cradle holds a carp safely off the ground while it's unhooked. The Sonik Proguard Framed Cradle has padded sides round a 130 x 74cm frame, a fish-friendly lining, drainage mesh and a mesh flap over the top.

It looks after the fish as well as the angler, and you don't need to know their rods or reels to get it right. For me, it's a sensible choice, with the same padded, height-adjustable frame idea as cradles costing a fair bit more.

Picture a sloping, gravelly swim at first light. The legs extend to a working height of 28 to 36cm, and swivel mud feet level it on soft ground. The fish needs only a short lift from the net, then rests clear of the stones.

It packs into a zipped bag at 74 x 67 x 16cm, so check there's room on the barrow; it's not one for stalking. The low height also means unhooking on their knees. If they already own a framed cradle, choose something else.

Made from high modulus carbon, Drennan's Acolyte Pro Tele Whip extends to 3m and is built for swinging small fish to hand at close range. It weighs about 56g, has a forward action and closes down into three sections.

It suits the canal, drain or river angler who loves bagging roach, perch, dace and bleak. There's no elastic to set up, so it's an easy buy even if you don't know their tackle, and I like that it should last for years.

On a summer evening canal peg, speed is everything. A knotted Dacron connector on the spliced solid flick tip pushes the rig clear of the whip to cut tangles, and the soft top cushions tiny fish while the lower section swings in a better perch.

Check what they need from it. At 3m with one fixed tip, it won't reach a far line or let them change tip strength. If they'd like tips to swap, the Guru Aventus Zero 600 Tele Whip has three; for more length, look at a system whip.

Steve Neville alarms have sat on carp banks for over 30 years, with Terry Hearn and Nigel Sharp among their fans. The MK3 Remote keeps the classic metal toggle switch, with a four-magnet roller wheel and reed switches to sense bites.

For an angler who loves carp fishing history, these have a near cult following, so they'll know the name even if you don't. I like how simple they are: one toggle for power and sensitivity, three volume settings including silent, and no menus to learn.

On a long night session with the bivvy zipped up, they can silence the heads so only the receiver sounds. Even a delicate bite registers, the built-in transmitter reaches up to 500 metres, and one LRV08 battery lasts around a season.

Count their rods first: the heads are sold singly, so you'll need one per rod, plus the Remote Receiver Box unless they already own one. Tightening a head too hard on a buzz bar can damage its casing. If they want lots of adjustment per head, look elsewhere.

The Fox Horizon X4S is a carp landing net with a high modulus carbon handle and arms, made with extra diameter so they stay rigid. Its stainless steel spreader block and spigots fit together smoothly, and the 2K carbon wrap finish comes with Japanese shrink wrap grips.

Every carp angler relies on a net, and this one gives high-end build without paying for gimmicks. I like that the stainless parts should keep it going for decades, so it's a safe pick even if you're not sure what they use now.

As the light fades and a good fish rolls under the rod tip, the rigid arms stay steady and the camo mesh slides through with little drag. Reinforced corners and fish-friendly mesh look after the catch, and it shakes clean afterwards.

Check the size: it comes in 42 or 46 inch, with no 50 inch for true monsters. Of the three handle versions, the 8ft two-piece adds reach and the Explorer's retractable handle stores compactly. The 2K finish also shows fingerprints and scratches.

Built for match anglers who need to net fish quickly, the Preston Response Competition Handle is a 4m handle in two threaded sections of high-modulus carbon. It weighs just 284g and has textured grip sections.

Its universal thread fits nearly every standard landing net head, so it should suit the heads they already own. It's well balanced for its length, with no gimmicks, and I'd happily buy it for any match angler.

With minutes left in a match and a decent fish on, every second counts. The 4m reach gets the net out, the handle stays rigid enough to net quickly, and the textured grips hold firm in wet hands. A heavier fish at full stretch puts a slight curve in it, but nothing worrying.

It's a handle only, so check they have a net head for it. The Preston Response 1m extension adds reach but is sold separately. If they regularly net heavy fish at full length, or already have a 4m handle they're happy with, choose something else.

Think of the Fox Ventec All Season Bag as two bags in one. A three-season outer takes a zip-in thermal inner, making a five-season setup. The inner pairs a Sherpa fleece top with a micro-fleece base, and reverses to a smooth polyester face.

If they're in the bivvy through every month of the year, one bag for all seasons makes life simpler. With hoods cut for single-leg bedchairs, it's an easy fit even if you don't know their setup, and I see it as a real treat.

When frost settles on the bivvy in January, both layers keep the warmth in, with 7 Core Hollow Fibre and offset stitching. On a mild May night, the inner flips to its smooth side. Guarded crash zips won't snag when an alarm sounds.

Check their bedchair width to choose between Standard and XL. The Standard weighs 6.5kg and packs bulky, so it's a barrow item. If they rarely fish through winter, it's a big spend for what they'll use.

The Trakker Levelite Colossus is a heavily padded chair for long carp sessions. Its seat measures 56cm and the back 68cm, and seat height adjusts from 35 to 45cm. Memory foam fills the key support areas, and the armrests are fleece-covered.

A comfortable chair is an easy present to get right, as it doesn't need to match the rest of their kit. At around 6.2kg it's light for such a padded chair, and I think it suits anyone after near-bedchair comfort in something easy to carry.

Think of reaching the swim before dawn with the barrow loaded. The push-button legs set with a single press, so they're sitting down within moments. Through a long day waiting for a bite, the wide seat and tall back keep their posture supported.

The backrest doesn't recline, so if they like to lean back and doze, choose a chair with an adjustable back. There's no shoulder strap or carry handle, and comfort depends on build, so check the 56cm seat and 130kg limit suit them.

A bedchair is where a carp angler sleeps on the bank, and the Solar SP C-Tech Memory Foam Bedchair MkII is one of the comfiest around. Its Memory 6 mattress is a 6cm layer of 50-density memory foam fixed into a high-tensile aluminium frame, over lay-flat lumbar support.

For anyone who sits it out for several nights, a better night's sleep is a present they'll feel every trip. The foam never slides or bunches, the frame takes 225kg plus, and a Wide version at 100cm across suits broad-shouldered anglers.

When they pack the barrow in the rain after three nights, Flat-Pac hinges let the bed fold with the sleeping bag still on. On a sloping swim, the oval Spring-Loc legs set anywhere from 40 to 52cm, which I'd value more than any gadget.

Check their bivvy has room, especially for the Wide version. At 14.9kg it's one for anglers who barrow their kit, and no sleeping bag comes with it, so make sure they already have one.

With the Toslon X, bait goes out by GPS: the boat runs to a chosen spot and drops it there. Paired with the XR310 handset and TF520 sonar, it offers point baiting, repeatable waypoint drops and live sonar mapping up to 300 metres.

It's the dream present most carp anglers only wish for, and it grows with them, as the sonar steps up to the TF640 or TF740 without changing boats. You don't need to know their rods, but you do need to know their water.

Out on a big, windswept water at dawn, finding the same spot twice is hard. They mark it once, the boat drops the bait, and next session it returns to exactly the same point. The build handles heavy bait loads and rough conditions.

Before anything else, check that their club lake or fishery allows bait boats. Then ask whether they'll use the sonar mapping; if not, a simpler boat is the better buy. I'd keep it for committed big-water anglers rather than someone new to bait boating.

Zippo's Refillable Hand Warmer is a small metal case that runs on lighter fuel instead of batteries. One fill gives up to about 12 hours of heat, and at roughly 5.5 by 3.8 by 1.2cm it sits neatly in a jacket pocket.

I like it as a present because there's nothing to get wrong. It doesn't matter whether they chase carp, pike or roach, and the polished chrome case feels like a keepsake rather than a throwaway. It's reusable for years, which beats buying boxes of disposable heat pads every winter.

Picture a frosty dawn on a pike water, floats out and nothing moving. Cold fingers make rebaiting and unhooking clumsy, and a warm case to wrap a hand round while they wait gets the feeling back. A single fill can see them through a short winter day on the bank.

The fuel is sold separately, so add a can of lighter fluid to the basket, or the gift falls flat on the day. If they'd rather not fiddle with fuel at all, a rechargeable warmer will suit them better.

Zippo's HeatBank 9s is a rechargeable hand warmer that doubles as a power bank. A 5200mAh battery gives up to nine hours of warmth on average, with six heat settings that warm both sides of the unit to around 50C, and indicator lights show the heat level and how much charge is left.

It makes a sensible present for any angler who sits still in the cold, whether they're behind a set of rods or on a winter match peg. Nothing needs refilling, and it charges from a USB plug like a phone, so there's no fuel smell in the car or the bivvy.

On a frosty morning it goes in a jacket pocket on a low setting, so stiff fingers are ready to tie a rig or net a fish. Later, when the phone runs low after a night of bite alarm alerts and photos, the same unit tops it up from its USB port.

Charge it fully before the first trip, and keep the cable with it. If they'd rather have something with no battery to look after, the refillable Zippo hand warmer is the old-school choice, and gloves still do the heavy lifting on really bitter days.

This is the classic hammertone green Stanley, a 1 litre double-wall steel flask in a style Stanley have made since 1913. It keeps drinks hot, or cold, for up to 24 hours, the stopper is leakproof and the lid doubles as a cup.

I like a flask as a gift because every angler drinks tea or coffee on the bank, yet few treat themselves to a really good one. It suits carp, match and pleasure anglers alike, and it's made from 18/8 food-grade stainless steel that's BPA-free.

Think of a long night session in January. Boiling a kettle at 3am is a chore when the bivvy is warm and the rain is coming in sideways, so a hot brew poured straight from the flask is a real comfort. Filled at home in the evening, it can still be pouring hot drinks by breakfast.

A full litre suits overnight or all-day trips. If they only fish a couple of hours after work, it may be more flask than they need. It's also worth checking they don't already own one.

Sandwiches lose their appeal by midday in winter. The Thermos Stainless King is a 470ml vacuum food jar that keeps soup, stew, pasta or chilli hot for about 9 hours, and the insulated lid doubles as a bowl.

It's a safe present because you don't need to know a thing about their tackle. Whether they fish club matches or sit behind carp rods all weekend, everyone stops to eat, and I like that it's stainless steel inside and out, leakproof and BPA-free. The wide mouth makes it easy to fill and clean, too.

Picture a match peg on a raw December morning. By halfway the bites have slowed and their hands are numb on the pole. Unscrewing a jar of hot chilli made before dawn does more for morale than any bait, and filled at 6am it should still be hot into the afternoon.

At 470ml, it holds one hearty portion rather than enough to share. Check whether they already carry a food flask, and if they mostly fish short summer evenings, a drinks flask will probably see more use.

Socks might sound like a dull present, but these Heat Holders are made for proper cold. The pack holds three pairs of men's thermal socks with a 2.34 TOG value, and an extra long looped cushion pile inside that traps warm air.

I'd put them among the safest buys for any angler. You don't need to know their tackle, their target species or their favourite venue, just their shoe size. Three pairs also means one on, one in the wash and a spare in the bag.

Think of a frozen bank before dawn, or sitting behind a pole in a wind that goes straight through boots. Feet go first, and once they're cold the whole day drags. The thick thermal yarn still breathes, which helps after a sweaty push of the barrow round to the far swim.

Check the size before you buy: they're men's 6 to 11, so they won't fit everyone. It's also worth making sure their boots have a bit of room, as thick socks squeezed into a tight boot can leave feet colder, not warmer.

NGT's set pairs neoprene fishing gloves with a camo snood. The gloves have fold-back fingertips, so they can tie rigs and bait up without taking them off, and the snood works as either a neck warmer or a hat.

I like it because it's two useful bits of cold-weather kit in one, and both are made with fishing in mind. Ordinary winter gloves are hopeless for fiddly jobs, so plenty of anglers end up fishing bare-handed and suffering. These solve that without changing how they fish.

Picture first light on a windswept reservoir, rebaiting a rig with fingers that won't work properly. With these, the fingertips fold back for the knot and go straight back on afterwards. Pull the snood up over the chin and the wind coming off the water loses its sting.

The gloves come in adult size large only, so think about their hand size before you buy, especially for slimmer hands or younger anglers. If they already have a favourite pair of fishing gloves, the snood on its own may feel like a small present.

Leatherman's Wave+ packs 18 tools into one stainless steel body, including needlenose and regular pliers, wire cutters, knife blades, scissors, files and screwdrivers. The main blades and tools open from the outside with the tool closed, so there's no unfolding it just to reach the knife.

I like gifts that last, and this one comes with Leatherman's 25-year warranty, so they could still be carrying it many years from now. It's handy far beyond fishing, in the shed, the car or the garden, and you don't need to know their tackle at all, only that they like a tool that does the job.

On the bank, the needlenose pliers flatten a barb in seconds, the wire cutters snip pike trace wire cleanly and the scissors deal with braid. When a screw works loose on a barrow or chair at midnight, the screwdriver saves the session.

It has knife blades, so it's strictly for adults and not one for a junior angler's stocking. It's also worth checking whether they already carry a multi-tool, as plenty of anglers do.

If they watched Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse on the BBC series, this is the book to go with it. Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing is a Sunday Times bestseller in which the two old friends, both after heart scares, head off fishing around Britain and talk about life, friendship and fishing.

I like it as a present because it's funny and warm, and choosing it needs no knowledge of their tackle at all. It's easy to dip into, and it appeals to non-anglers in the family too, so it may well get passed round after Christmas.

It belongs to the quiet hours. Think of a winter evening when the lake is frozen and they can't get out, or a slow afternoon behind the rods with a brew and nothing happening. It's fishing company that doesn't need a rod in hand.

This is the paperback edition, so check they haven't already been given a copy, especially if they're a fan of the series. If they're after rigs, tactics and watercraft, a how-to book will serve them better.

Lots of anglers mean to start a fishing diary and never quite do. This log book makes it easy: a spiral-bound A5 book, 21 by 14.8cm, that lays flat, with 104 pages of 90gsm paper and room for 52 trips.

Each trip gets a double page, with the trip details on the left and the catch log on the right. I like it as a gift because it suits anyone, from a youngster after their first perch to a carp angler recording every fish, and there's no size or tackle to get wrong.

Once a fish is safely back, out comes the log while the details are fresh. Over a season, those notes start to show patterns, like which swim produced in a cold snap. The conversion chart for weights and measurements helps when a mate quotes a fish in kilos.

Fifty-two trips is about a year of weekly sessions, so someone who fishes several times a week will fill it sooner. If they already log everything on their phone, think about whether they'd enjoy pen and paper.

Here's a gift with their name stitched right into it. TeddyT's towel is 100% cotton, 90 by 50cm and quick drying, embroidered rather than printed with a fishing hook design and the name you choose. It's machine washable too.

Personalised presents suit anglers who seem to have everything, because nobody else will turn up with the same one. I like that you don't need to know a thing about their tackle, only how to spell their name. It's made to order, so allow about three days for it to arrive.

Every angler needs a towel on the bank. Hands get slimy after unhooking a bream and soaked after returning a fish, and a towel with their name on it is far less likely to wander off at a club match or a weekend social.

Check the spelling before you order, as embroidery can't be changed afterwards. If they're the type who wipes their hands with an old rag and would never want a nice towel to get dirty, a more practical gift will suit them better.

For a milestone birthday or retirement, an engraved hip flask makes a lovely keepsake. This 7oz stainless steel flask is laser engraved with a fishing design, and you can personalise it with a name or message. It comes in a gift box.

I like it because it feels personal without you needing to know anything about how they fish. When you add a name or message, it's made to order, so allow about four days for it to arrive and leave a little slack before the big day.

Picture the end of a long weekend session, rods packed and the light gone, raising a small toast to a new PB that's safely back in the water. It's a flask for celebrating, not for tea.

Read the name or message through twice before you order, as engraving is permanent. At 7oz it's a pocket flask for a nip, not a brew, so if they're after hot drinks on the bank, a vacuum flask makes more sense. It's also one for someone who enjoys a drink.