If your dad’s anything like my dad, the gifts he’ll really appreciate are the things he’ll get plenty of use out of. Because unfortunately, we can’t all have a Darryl Kerrigan type dad’s, who have poolrooms full of ‘sentimental’ gifts and an appreciation for the simplest of things.

Father’s day falls at a time of year where we have some of the best weather of the whole year. Warm, windless days are common through Late August and early September, and rain events are at a minimum along most parts of the east coast. If you ask me, there’s no better time to be enjoying the outdoors, especially if you like fishing, boating, 4WDing and camping. It’s even more enjoyable if you can drag the old man out of the house and spend some quality time.

Because of this, it makes sense that anything you can buy that will encourage him to get out and enjoy the Aussie outdoors will make a for a great gift this Fathers’ Day.

The past few months has seen some exciting new products come out, so let’s take a look at some gift ideas for your old man.

Spring is my favourite time of the year to put the boots on and hike into some of the most scenic places we have in my home state of Queensland. Sometimes I’ll even drag dad down into these places! There’s nothing more important in this sort of scenario than a good pack to carry all the essentials, and Wilson have you covered with their new backpack.

The Wilson Backpack has padded straps and back panel for, making it comfortable for old backs and shoulders, and will store everything you need for a day of hiking and fishing. The pack has a clear, water resistant front panel, which allows you to operate a smart phone or GPS while it stays dry. On top of all this, it comes with two Wilson Tackle Trays to carry all the lures you’ll need for the trip.

For those longer camping trips, you may want to keep electronic devices charged. This may include smartphones, GPS, spotlights or laptops. Let’s face it, most of us like to keep up with the news of the world when we go camping… Black Diamond have the perfect solution for all the technoholic dads out there!

The Black Diamond Moji Power Station can run off either direct AC, an enclosed rechargeable battery, or regular AA alkalines, and has a USB port to charge your hand-held gadgets with. It also doubles as a light, putting out an impressive 250 lumens, which you can adjust with an easy-to-use dimming button on the side. The Moji is only the size of a coffee mug, so you’ll easily be able to cram it into your pack and have it ready to use once you’ve set up camp.

No matter where you’re fishing in Australia, sun safety should always be a priority. Slipping into one Zerek’s Dry Fit Jerseys is a great way to keep the sun at bay, stay dry, and look like a pro. Not to mention, they look great, which will probably only appeal to some dads…

With a UPF rating of 25, and can rest assured that whatever this shirt covers will be safe in the harsh Australian sun. The Dry Fit Jerseys are available in sizes from medium, and the way through to 3XL.

With these great bits of kit, the old man will be able to safely fish for longer, stay comfortable, and do it all in style… whether he wants it or not.

Tonic now boast the thinnest and lightest polaroid glasses on the market, in the Slice lens, and any dad would appreciate the ergonomics and aesthetics of these new lenses, and the stylish choices of frames.

Tonics are made in Japan and incorporate a de-centred lens technology, which provides distortion-free vision at any angle. The 1.3mm Slice lenses are scratch resistant, have anti-reflective coatings, Tonic’s own unique polarizing filter system and are 50% lighter than regular glass lenses.

You can choose from 12 different frames and four lens colours. Dad will look like he means business on and off the water with these bad boys, again, whether he wants it or not…

If you want to get something that any fisher-dad can put to use, regardless of whether he’s boat or land-based, then Deeper’s range of compact fishfinders are definitely worth a look. The small spherical transducer talks via Bluetooth to your smartphone and becomes a very handy little sounder.

Deeper’s newest model, the Smart Fishfinder 3.0, can be cast on most standard lines, making them very appealing for land-based anglers. How good is that? You’re actually able to map out a waterway from the shore and save it onto your smartphone! Dad doesn’t have to be good with technology either, as setting up these devices is very self-explanatory, so he’ll be out on the water (or the bank!) sounding up fish like a pro.

Tackle storage is important when you’re out on the water, and the Fishin’ Gear Bait Bags covers a range of storage solutions to suit every angler… and dad.

Whether it’s only for a few packets of plastics, or everything needed for a day on the water. These bags are built to last, with corrosion-resistant zips and fittings. They come in either a wallet or a satchel. The FG Deluxe Bait Wallet come with a removable caribiner to clip onto belts or other tackle bags. The FG Deluxe Bait Satchel comes with removable transparent sleeves, plus mesh pockets for terminal tackle.

Berkely’s tackle bags are an inexpensive way to carry your tackle, and make for a compact solution to bulky tackle boxes that dad will just love.

September isn’t too late to get stuck into a bit of relaxing surf fishing, and Black Magic has you covered! The Surf Waist Pack has all the accessories your dad will need to get down to the beach and wet a line.

The pack includes: Velocity Surf line; Tough Trace; Longreach surf rig; hooks and swivels; Wasabi fillet knife; Bait Buddy thread; and fish handling towel. And once you have the waist pack, you can refill it when necessary with whatever tackle you require for your next fishing adventure.

For under $100, you can get your dad kitted up and ready to tackle the surf What’s not to love about that?

If you want to get your dad something fancy-shmancy, NS Black Hole have recently produced one very fine piece of machinery. With models ranging from tiny 4-8lb bream sticks, through to 10-20lb poles suitable for impoundment barra, these rods have your options covered.

There are six models (2 spin, 4 baitcast), and between them, they cover everything from bass and bream, right through to impoundment barra and metre plus Murray cod!

Fitted with Fuji KR guides and a Fuji hook keeper, these things are built to last.

If your dad is a diehard lure chucker, these rods will definitely be right up his alley!

While Father’s Day is in September, and Murray cod season in all rivers will have closed, there are some Murray cod dams that remain open during the closure. It’s still not too late to cash in on the topwater madness in the Murray Cod dams in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and this is one of the best lures to do it with. The Murray moth is a jointed walking bait that’s 120mm long, has very sturdy Owner ST56 size 2 trebles and sports a beautiful finish.

Even if it doesn’t get wet this year, it might look nice in the poolroom (if your dad has one…) with all the other ‘sentimental’ gifts.

One of the best all-round reels ever made was made even better just last year. The new metal frame delivers high rigidity, so there’s no flexing when under load and no loss of cranking power either.

Like everything Shimano make, all Stradics stand up to the harsh Aussie saltwater environment.

If it looks like the old man is in need of a new reel, the Stradic FK will almost certainly fit the bill, regardless of the fishing he does. Stradic have just about every fishing scenario covered.

With all the latest technology, and a price tag that puts it in reach of most anglers around Australia, it’s a great gift idea for dad this father’s Day.

So as you can see, there’s plenty of great gift option out there for Father’s Day, and this article has only scratched the surface! For more great gift ideas, you can head over to www.tacklejunkie.fish and check out the latest fishing products.