I believe that the majority of people have a keen angler in their family, or friends who fish.
Those who are considering buying fishing tackle for an angler as Christmas time draws near should be aware of buying appropriate gifts if the giver knows little about angling, because it is a very involved business.
Some anglers who are what we call 'all rounders' indulge in each of the sport's facets including coarse fishing and game angling and in a few cases sea fishing too.
Each kind of fishing has tackle suited to that sort of fishing and not applicable to other kinds of fishing.
Even if the intended recipient only indulges in coarse fishing there is a vast difference in the kind of gear used for seeking big fish like carp and pike or samller species.
Also, quite a lot of coarse fishing enthusiasts these days fish mainly with poles rather than rods and reels.
You can spend a fortune if you want to buy a decent pole but tackle for fishing with a reel attatched to the rod, whether it be float fishing or legering, varies a lot in price.
Some gear can cost a fortune but there is a lot of amazingly cheap but serviceable tackle on sale by specialist firms.
It really pays to ask the advice of a well-informed regular angler about choice of suitable presents, or even ask the person for whom you are buying present what he would like to receive, though this does take away the element of surprise.
One thing to avoid is one of the much-advertised outfits comprising a telescopic rod and a reel and some samll items of tackle that are sold suitable for beginners or children.
Often the rods in these outfits are a mere four feet long and despite their cheapness are all but useless.
Ask an expert before you buy: that is my advice.


John Neville