Hi all,

This is my first post on the forum.  I run a somewhat small tech startup company and one of my employee's birthday is this weekend - he left a relatively stable job to come work for me, so I want to make sure he feels valued with a nice birthday gift.

He is a really good guy and is absolutely obsessed with fishing - he estimates that he goes kayak fishing about 200+ times per year, and often wakes up at the crack of dawn to fish the lakes of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and the surrounding areas before putting in a full day's work at the office.  I know he often fishes for bass and is not at all a fly-fisher (he talks **** about them for some reason).

Full disclosure - I know next to nothing about fishing, other than I have been a few times and enjoy it.  I certainly do not know enough to pick out a proper gift for him.  I was thinking of a gift card at a store that would carry some consumables that he would regularly use or niche  gear that he would want, but I have no clue what that would be.  I know he already has thousands invested in his reels, rods, kayaks, etc.  

Is there a well-reputed fishing online store that would be relatively safe for me to buy him a gift  card too?  Somewhere that would carry relatively niche gear for the serious enthusiast?  While I do not know much about fishing, I am a serious enthusiast of several other niche hobbies (car racing, audiophile, bourbon, etc) and would much prefer that someone buy me a gift card to an enthusiast focused store as opposed to trying to choose a gift for me.....

Thanks so much!


 

Tacklewarehouse.com it has everything and anything he would ever want or need.

They have gift cards. Its what I ask for for my birthday and christmas

Get him a gift card to tacklewarehouse.com. He probably already spends a good portion of his paycheck there and if he doesn't he will thank you for showing him that website

I'll 3rd tacklewarehouse.com

 

And Bassproshops for an option

 

I think we're going to be unanimous on Tacklewarehouse.com

I know I would appreciate a Tacklewarehouse gift card for my birthday. I will most likely get a tie...

I'll 20th TackleWarehouse.com. 

 

So... What's your company and are you hiring? I'd love a boss like you.

Tacklewarehouse.com

 

 

If, by chance, he isn't aware of this website, direct him here and we can tell him how to get the most "bang for his buck".  There are some tricks you can do if (BIG IF) you can hold off on your purchases until Christmas or next Spring.  But trust us...he'll be thrilled.

 

 

 

I'm sorry we weren't clear on our answers to you!!!

 

I'm going to go in a different direction.  If he's like most of us here, he already hits TW daily....or more

 

If it were me, I think I'd appreciate a gift card from Austin Kayak; http://www.austinkayak.com/

and or Yak Gear, https://yakgear.com/yakshop/

 

or, perhaps: http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/

I like @Choporoz's idea, and toss one more to the mix.  

 

http://sfttackle.com/

 

SFT is like TW "east."  A very nice, family operation.

On 9/21/2017 at 9:59 PM, CroakHunter said:

Tacklewarehouse.com it has everything and anything he would ever want or need.

They have gift cards. Its what I ask for for my birthday and christmas

^^^this^^^

Tom

I would appreciate a paid day off to fish...

 

 

oe

9 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

I would appreciate a paid day off to fish...

 

 

oe

If I could "like" this more than once I would!!!!!!

This is it....never mind what everyone else said......A brand new Ranger Z522D Comanche with a 300 HP Mercury and 2 power poles. And if you get this for him i'm putting in a resume to work for you.

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

I like @Choporoz's idea, and toss one more to the mix.  

 

http://sfttackle.com/

 

SFT is like TW "east."  A very nice, family operation.

Thanks for the lead on this tackle site J. I haven't seen it before and it looks like a great place to order from.

33 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

I would appreciate a paid day off to fish...

 

 

oe

Yes, this would be an awesome gift! Has my vote.

Probably a Bass Pro gift card

Don't know if they do gift cards but Siebert Outdoors can personalize something specific to your friend's needs!

I agree with sft I'm lucky to live 40 minutes away and if any guys close to PA go to bassfest next year you won't be disappointed 

Another vote for Tacklewarehouse.com and you sound like a great person and are spot on with gift card idea as opposed to a specific gift since fishing gear is so subjective to the individual.

I vote for a gift card to TW or BPS and a paid day off fishing. A fishing enthusiast couldn't ask for more.

Well, some good ideas on where to purchase.

 

I just want to say Thank You for recognizing a good employee!

You guys are awesome, did a gift card to tacklewarehouse.com and he was surprised and very happy and said it's basically the only site he ever orders from.  Also gave him Monday off to go fishing since I would rather be at the race track anyway!

Thanks so much for the help!  

You're a good man, uh, maybe woman... boss!

 

oe

It's nice that you are thinking of him.

 

First advice:  As you already seem to recognize, if you don't know much about the hobby, don't attempt to buy directly.  At an office Christmas exchange, I had said I liked fishing gear.  So what do I get?  Red and white round bobbers, bait holder hooks, and a polystyrene stringer.  Ugh!  Anyway, yes, I recommend gift certs from places like Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas (actually also owned by BPS), and Tackle warehouse.  

A gift card would get my vote too. Probably Tacklewarhouse (largest fishing operation) or TheTackleTrap(Largest niche high end tackle dealer IMO plus lots of sales/specials too).

 

If you really want to knock his shorts off buy him a Megabass rod and reel.