What to put under the tree for your favorite outdoorsman
I admire all of you who have finished your Christmas shopping. Unfortunately, I find myself on the list of procrastinators who haven’t begun to shop yet.
It’s even worse when those of us behind the shopping eight-ball haven’t even come up with a list of possible presents.
Hopefully, the person you need to buy presents for is an outdoorsman. That opens up myriad possibilities for potential presents.
I get asked annually to suggest ideas for presents, and it is a task that I fear. It’s difficult to have to recommend Christmas presents for hunters and fishermen. It’s a tough task because I can’t spend someone else’s money. I have no idea as to what your budget is, and I hate to mention products that are out of your price range.
One thing you will come to learn about me is that I am, for lack of a better word, thrifty. OK, I’ll admit it, I’m cheap. Let me explain, please. When I shop, I am not looking for the cheapest item I can buy. I diligently look for an item that I believe is the best possible value for the price I am paying.
As far as fishing Christmas gifts go, let’s look at the basics and figure out what I’d recommend, starting with fishing rods. If money was no object and I needed to buy a fishing rod, I’d buy a Grandt rod. I’ve written about my buddy Jim Grandt, the best rod man in the business. Grandt rods are incredibly sensitive and carry the best guarantee you can find. Grandt is based out of Arlington Heights, and I am a big fan of supporting local businesses. The rods tend to be pricey and that eliminates a lot of purchasers.
So what rod am I going to buy for the fisherman on my shopping list? I’ll pick the low-hanging fruit and suggest the Ugly Stik, the bestselling fishing rod in the world.
Back in the day, Ugly Stiks were famous for their 100 percent warranty. That’s amazing for a fishing rod that retailed for under $50. The darn things wouldn’t break no matter how you abused them.
On the other hand, their sensitivity and fish catching ability was less than ideal. Hall of Famer Spence Petros always joked that he always brought one Ugly Stik on a fishing trip, so if he ran over his rod case with his truck, he’d know that he’d have one rod that wouldn’t be broken.
Well, times have changed, and some huge improvements have been brought forth by the Pure Fishing company, the parent of Ugly Stik. They are still making the GX-2 series, which Ugly Stik built its reputation on, but they’ve introduced better rods, including the Carbon Series, which is 100 percent graphite construction.
That’s how the best rods on the market are made. The warranty is still excellent, although it now lasts for seven years. I think that is plenty. Their best rods run about $80, and that fits my requirement for being worth the money.
Ugly Stik never spent money getting the top pros to endorse their products. Now they are using Kentucky’s Matt Robertson as their spokesman. Matt is a great guy and totally fits the bill as an “everyman.” Matt has won a cool half-mil in tournaments the last five years using Ugly Stiks. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t gamble away his income on substandard products. Matt Robertson has me sold on Ugly Stik.
If you are buying your favorite angler a new rod for Christmas, I am sure they won’t be disappointed to find an Ugly Stik under the tree.
• Daily Herald Outdoors columnist Steve Sarley can be reached at sarfishing@yahoo.com.