The final countdown to do your holiday shopping has arrived. If you are like some of us and have continued to put it off, we’re here to help make things easy! We’ve put together a fly fishing gift guide with a list of products that cover a wide array of needs for the angler in your life. From staff favorites to industry standards, you can’t go wrong with gifting any of the awesome items listed below!

*TroutRoutes DOES NOT receive commission on any of the included products. 

Rod: Scott Centric

Let’s start the gift guide with the essentials. This past year, the rod that was deemed our “company rod”, open for use by all, was a Trout Unlimited edition Scott Centric 905. The usual reaction that employees came back with after a day on the water was simply “Wow, what a rod”. The Centric is a well balanced, well constructed rod that offers a soft tip that proves great for casting light tippet but also maintains fairly quick recovery for a rod of this style. If you are looking for a rod that will not only last a long time but will also assist in pushing you to be a better caster, the Centric is a great choice to add to the arsenal this year. ($945)

Reel: Ross Evolution LTX

We got a chance to fish the Ross Reels lineup this summer and came to love the LTX series. These machined beauties are built in CO, and the 5/6wt was perfect for our trips to the Rockies and hitting our local Driftless waters. Ross added some anodized color options this season, and we’re pretty partial to the (almost TroutRoutes) blue finish. ($475)

Line: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout

We fished this line in Montana (early spring and late summer), outside of Atlanta, at home in the Driftless, and just about everywhere in between. This line excelled at long-distance accuracy and handled many fly setups. We felt as confident turning over hopper droppers as we did laying down micro caddis patterns and it responded well to all kinds of casts. Bonus points for the recyclable cardstock spool that the line comes spooled on. ($99.95)

Tippet: Airflo Tippet System

New for 2023, the new Airflo line of nylon tippet was an easy addition to our fishing packs. The color-coded bands made it easy to find more 6x after another snag, and each spool clicks together making access and storage extremely easy. Also available in fluorocarbon. (50mm from $12.99)

Bonus Stocking Stuffer: Loon Outdoors Tippet Post

It’s hard to imagine room for improvement on something as simple as a tippet holder, but this new post design from Loon is minimal, easily adaptable, and a perfect companion to your new set of Airflo spools. ($14)

Net: Fishpond Nomad Native

It’s hard to travel with a net, but we were just able to squeeze the Nomad into our carry-on. On our DIY walk/wade outings, we were glad to have this net along to keep fish wet and minimize handling time. ($135.95)

Accessory: Loon Outdoors Floatant Double Barrel Caddy

Here’s another simple accessory that didn’t seem like it could be improved upon, but Loon Outdoors delivered with this simple silicon floatant caddy. Designed to hold two bottles of floatant, this made it easy to stay organized while having dry shake and fly sip conveniently at hand. ($15)

Unnecessary Necessity: Riversmith Short-Cut Rod Holder

On the quick trips we took to the MN and WI Driftless, the Riversmith River Quiver made it easy to keep rods rigged and ready for action at the drop of a meeting or a canceled Zoom call. Erik rigged up his own truck bed mount but thanks to Riversmith’s design and engineering team, there’s a convenient and sleek truck bed mounting solution for the rest of us. ($499)

Camping Gear: Seek Outside Courthouse Tent

Take your sand bar adventure to the next level with one of the hot tents from Seek Outside Handmade in Colorado, these tents are incredibly versatile, and will take your fishing base camp to the next level. We highly recommend the Courthouse, but Seek makes it easy to customize their tent options. ($1,315)

For The House: MB Meeks Block Prints

We marveled at MB’s block prints at the Atlanta Fly Fishing expo, and her positivity and enthusiasm for all things fly fishing made us immediate fans. Her prints and originals are something to be treasured, and are a great choice for the angler who is already swimming in gear. (Prices vary)

Shameless Plug: TroutRoutes 1 Year Membership Gift Card

Give the gift of confidence to your friends and family members who enjoy exploring new water with a TroutRoutes PRO membership. Available on iOS and Android devices, our 1-Year Membership card unlocks PRO access across the entire lower 48. Whether you’re looking for the perfect Secret Santa gift for a co-worker or a stocking stuffer for the angler in your family, look no further. ($58.99)

Staff Favorites –

Matt’s Pick: Oros Indicators

The Oros crew started in our home state of Minnesota before moving out west, and we were early adopters of the no-fuss two-piece indicator system. “I always have a stash of these in multiple sizes just in case the tricos aren’t popping off. Get in with your fly shop, though, because these don’t last long and you might need to warm up the shop staff into holding a few for you.” Bonus points for their work on making their indicators biodegradable! ($9.99 for 3-pack)

Erik’s Pick: Skwala RS Jacket (really the whole Skwala lineup)

“After years of putting it off, I finally upgraded my jacket system this past January as soon as I got a feel for the Skwala RS jacket. Paired with the Fusion 3/2 insulating layer, I wore this combo on and off the water for the rest of the winter. It’s an incredibly well-thought-out jacket: pockets right where you need them, convenient pass-through, wrist cuffs to keep out water, and an oversized hood. Plus it has a slight amount of stretch to accommodate a full day’s worth of casting.” This is an investment, but well worth it for gear that will last. ($499)

Zach’s Pick: Fishpond Switchback Belt System

Keeping your gear organized is key. TroutRoutes founder Zach found the simplicity of the Switchback pack system a perfect go-to this season: “It’s basic but I’ve really fallen in love with the Fishpond Switchback System. Very roomy, lots of pockets, still sleek and stays out of the way. I have tried multiple different bag systems from chest to full backpack in the past and this one takes the cake amongst them all for my simplistic style on the water.” ($119.95)

Gages’s Pick: Fishpond Thunderhead Chest Pack

For even more simplicity, our R&D Director Gage went with the Thunderhead chest pack. “While they may not be for everybody, I became a big fan of chest packs this past year. They keep the essentials at hand and can integrate with other Fishpond packs for more versatility when I need to expand my storage capacity.” ($179.95)

Jeremy’s Pick: Sitka Jetstream Jacket

For those out there who may be hunter/anglers, there’s nothing better than a piece of apparel that can be utilized for both activities. For Jeremy, this past year that was the Sitka Jetstream Jacket. “This jacket is 100% windproof thanks to the Gore-Tex Windstopper technology and is basically waterproof. It is a game changer for early spring or late fall breezy days and offers plenty of mobility for casting and has become a staple for both days on the water or days hiking through the backcountry.” ($379.00)

Think there’s something we need to add? Feel free to drop a comment, or send us an email at hello@troutroutes.com if you’d like to chat more about this gift guide!