Last-minute casting for the right gift

What to do? For starters, it might be good to stay away from the big items.

Instead, opt for a bunch of small things, all stuffed into a stocking or wrapped separately to make a nice gaggle of gifts under the tree. Even then, you have to be sure you’re in the right pew of the right church.

For hunters, some items can include new or different game calls, new Day Glo orange clothing (it’s brighter and safer), perhaps a box of ammo (get help from a hunter friend or knowledgeable clerk).

For the high-priced stuff for hunters, think of good binoculars, rangefinders, hunting clothing, scopes, handheld GPS units, game bags, gun cases, small set-up blinds, field-dressing knives, tree stands and hunter backpacks. Particularly with blinds, clothing, GPS units and game bags, it is hard to go wrong.

For fishermen, think of a lure selection for the spin and casting fishermen or a box of flies (but not if he ties) for the fly angler. Fishing towels, fishing pliers, fillet and bait knife sets, walkie-talkie sets, polarizing sun glasses, line strippers, line winders, GPS units, depth finders, hook removers, bank-fishing rod holders, boat rod holders — they are all good.

Just don’t get the bank rod-holder if he fishes out of a boat, or the boat rod-holder if he is a shore fisherman. A new personal flotation device (the inflatable kind with mouth or CO2 cartridge) is ideal since it is more likely to be worn rather than stored.

With some things you have a range to fit any wallet. Fishing pliers are available for under $8 or just under $350 for the Van Stahl style. Bill Gates, take note if you are looking for something to get me.

Binoculars, rangefinders and scopes are high on the hunting list at Clyde’s Sport Shop, according to Clyde’s brother and store co-owner Bill Blamberg. They also sell a lot of bow-hunting equipment for gifts, admittedly a difficult task, as much has to be sized to the hunter. They will spend Dec. 26 sizing customers who received bow-hunting gifts.

At Angler’s on Route 50 in Annapolis, owner Charlie Ebersberger said that wind-proof sweaters are flying off the shelves while big items for summer fun are crab steamers. Angler’s also has more than 500 book titles, always good holiday gifts that are easy on the wallet and safe if you carefully pick the right one.

At Tochterman’s, owner Tony Tochterman noted that his customers are going for the increasingly popular Daiwa electric reels that operate off a wire-connected battery pack not much bigger than a home telephone receiver. He also said that sets of fillet and bait knives are popular gifts, along with multisection travel rods that range from $20 to $400. Tochterman’s is also heavy in the book department.

Tackle boxes and lure kits remain big gift purchases, along with inexpensive ($20 and up) spinning rod-and-reel combos that are great for kids.

The spinning-combo idea was seconded by Bass Pro Shops general manager Aaron Frazier. He noted that kids are getting away from the Sponge Bob and Batman-style sets of the past and want a “real” rod and reel just like dad’s. “You don’t fish by singing a Barney song,” said Frazier. Kids also want dad-sized tackle boxes.

For the same reason, BB guns are going to kids whose fathers hunt. For adults, a multitool is a good gift, noted Frazier. Other popular items are instructional DVDs and hard gun cases.

An always appreciated last-minute item is a 2008 fishing license available on-line at http://www3.wildlifelicense.com/md/ or www.dnr.maryland.gov. We can be pretty picky with our outdoor gear druthers, but we always need the appropriate license.

C. Boyd Pfeiffer is an internationally known sportsman and award-winning writer on fishing, hunting, and the outdoors, and he has more than 20 books to his credit. He can be reached at cbpfeiffer@msn.com.