Charlie’s Gift Guide: 5 Picks I Actually Fish (2025/2026)

These aren’t catalog blurbs—I’ve fished or lived in this gear. If you’re shopping for someone who swings flies, hikes banks, or sneaks trout after work, start here. — Charlie

1) Winston AIR 2 TH (Spey Rods)

“Spectacular feel, feather-light, huge range”

“Winston has been knocking it out of the park the last few years. They have the best lineup of rods they've ever built, and the addition of Air 2 TH is a HUGE cherry on top. I've had the pleasure of fishing these rods a ton this fall and they are absolutely spectacular! Ultralight with unparalleled hand-to-line feel. Slim grips. Great size run to cover everything from smaller one salt steelhead on up to chinook. This may very well end up being one of the best series of Spey rods ever built.”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Modern Winston feel with true two-hand finesse.

• Sizes to cover summer steelhead up to Chinook.

• Light swing weight = less fatigue, more fishing.

Who it’s for: Spey anglers who appreciate feel and feedback (not broomsticks).

Charlie’s quick tip: Match with a balanced Scandi for summer, Skagit + T-11/T-14 for winter.

 

Purchase Now

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2) Grundéns Boundary Zip Stockingfoot Waders 

“Articulate better than anything”

“I've been running these waders hard for a few years now and love 'em! I'm not a Deschutes wet wader as I like something protecting my legs out in the ledges and walking through the blackberries. These waders manage to keep me as cool as possible in the summer heat. Plus, they articulate better than anything on the market making climbing out of boats and over logs a breeze.”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Front zip = easy on/off and quick ‘nature break’.

• Great articulation for step-overs and steep banks.

• Cool enough for summer, tough enough for brush.

Who it’s for: Boat hoppers, bank scramblers, and anyone who values a zip front.

Charlie’s quick tip: Size for girth/boot first; length is forgiving.

 

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3) Fishpond Thunderhead Chest Pack (Eco Shale) 

“Finally the right size”

“Sometimes you need something small to carry the bare essentials. Historically speaking, I've had a love/hate relationship with chest packs. They were either too small to hold anything or so big they're always in the way. The Thunderhead Chest Pack is the ideal size to carry what you need yet stay out of the way when casting. This is a great option on the flats when you jump out of a boat to wade a spot for an hour or two and want to have enough spare flies and terminal tackle. Also good for all types of road fishing when your rig is never too far away.”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Submersible main pocket keeps essentials dry.

• Minimal bulk; still fits a couple boxes + leaders.

• Crosses over from trout to flats.

Who it’s for: Wade-light anglers and travel/road-fishing folks.

Charlie’s quick tip: Add Fishpond’s bottle holder or rod holder to the lash points for a tidy kit.

 

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4) Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity 

“My personal favorite”

“You can't keep a good line down! S.A.'s Amplitude Smooth Infinity is right at the top of the list for the best all-around trout line and happens to be my personal favorite. A shiny new line always makes the angler in your life smile!”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Half-size heavy taper loads fast, carries long.

• Real “one line does most things” for trout.

• New line = instant rod upgrade.

Who it’s for: Any trout angler with a 4–6 wt who fishes a bit of everything.

Charlie’s quick tip: Pair with a 9–12 ft 4X–6X leader; wipe the line clean every few trips for max slickness.

 

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5) RIO Elite Skagit Pickpocket 

“Slow that swing to a crawl”

“I love these heads for winter Steelhead. At 20', they cast very well on shorter rods and really slow your swing down to a crawl. And do not be afraid of the Sink 3/Sink 5/Sink 7 dredger. When you really need to get down and stay down, this head does the job. It casts surprisingly well for how heavy it is.....just don't let your anchor settle too long before you go!”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Compact 20' head = easy load on modern, shorter speys.

• Multi-density options keep flies down and in the lane.

• Winter steelhead confidence booster.

Who it’s for: Two-hand anglers facing cold flows, ledges, and pushy seams.

Charlie’s quick tip: Don’t let the anchor marinate—lift and go; start with 10' T-11 and adjust.

 

Purchase Now

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Need sizing or line pairing?

Call us at (541) 386-6977 or email—tell us the rod, water, and flies, and we’ll rig it right. We can even spool backing/line and ship ready to fish! 

 

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Christmas Island Pictures from the Crew

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Charlie's Gift Ideas

Stocking Stuffer 

Deschutes River Boater's Guide- $15.99

The boater's guide is a must-have item for anyone that floats the Lower Deschutes. It contains a detailed map of all the named campsites, significant white water and mileage. Beyond that, it's just a great read. The Lower D has a long and interesting history, and the guide offers a great cursory view of its notable events. Perfect for reading with a headlamp during a beautiful night on the river! 

Mid-Priced

Grundens Deviation Ankle Boot- $139.99

These boots are my standard footwear from about the middle of October until it quits raining in the spring. They're waterproof, comfortable and the bottom provides plenty of grip on wet and icey terrain. This is the ideal boot to slip on after fishing or for a snowy run to the grocery store. 

Top of the Line

Bauer RX Series Reels- $545-$925

RX reels absolutely set the bar for smoothness. They are beautifully machined and have a minutely adjustable drag. Available in trout sizes on up to saltwater big game, the RX is one of the finest reels out there today. Not to mention, the green color option pairs perfectly with a Winston rod!

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Product Highlight: G.Loomis NRX+7110-4

Switch rods have become a critical part of my winter steelhead arsenal, and my go-to model is the NRX + 11’ 7 weight. This rod paired with a short Skagit head, like the Airflo Skagit Scout, opens up so much swing water that is awkward to fish with a full-length rod. Much of Oregon’s North Coast comes to mind. If you want to change gears and fish an indicator rig, the rod handles heavy metal with ease. Check this one out if you’re looking for an ultra-versatile winter fishing tool.

Skagit

This NRX loves a 480 grain Skagit Scout. The pairing is perfect for tight quarters with your back against the brush. When needed, you can still send it across the river with 10 feet of T-14 and a weighted fly. It’s a comfortable rod to cast all day long and the light weight doesn’t cause shoulder fatigue on multi-day outings.

Indicator

My favorite indicator line on this rod is the Scientific Anglers Great Lakes Switch 6/7. It has all the punch you could ask for and a 50 foot head that mends easily at distance. This setup is equally at home when wade fishing, or in a boat. Pulling with the bottom hand allows for extra long roll casts and the 11’ rod length makes managing your line a breeze.

Shop NRX+ Switch Rods
Shop Skagit Scouts
Shop Switch Lines        

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Charlie's Gift Picks - 2022

Team Member Charlie Piette

Big Ticket:

Winston Air II 596-4 - INCLUDES FREE FLY LINE

It’s time to get serious about winter trout fishing! On many days, indicator nymph fishing is the best game in town. The Air II 596 gives you a little extra reach for managing your line. It has enough power to combat the wind with a weighted rig, but a soft enough tip to double as a great dry fly rod when the hatch comes off. It’s a home run gift for the trout angler on your list.

Shop Winston Fly Rods

Price Point:

Simms G3 Guide Jacket

We’re in the thick of the rainy and snowy season. Quality rain gear is a must. I recently picked up a G3 Guide Jacket and have gotten to put it through the paces in some all-day soakers. This jacket is a winner. It has a great hood that offers plenty of coverage without blocking your view. The cuffs put a tight seal around your wrists keeping your arms dry when rowing a boat. The stretchy fabric is ideal when you have to bulk up with extra layers.

Shop Outerwear

Stocking Stuffer:

Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Pouch

People are always struggling to find a safe place to keep their valuables when fishing. Look no further! The Thunderhead Pouch is fully waterproof/submersible and comes with convenient die cut loops for securing to a bag or raft frame. It’s perfect for storing your keys, wallet, phone and other small items you want to keep dry.

Shop Fishpond Packs

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Charlie's Deschutes Fishing Report - 11-3-2022

Deschutes Steelhead

They’re out there, folks! The mild weather this past week made for some pretty good fishing for those putting in the time. We are, however, right on the edge of the first major cold front of the fall. The water temps are going to take a serious nosedive. This won’t eliminate the possibility of catching fish on the swing, but presentation is going to become much more important. This means slowing your swing speed and getting the fly down. Think winter tactics for late summer fish. When the water gets really cold, try switching over to an intermediate or multi-density Skagit Head. These lines slow your swing speed to a crawl and can convert cold fish into biters. 

Shop Intermediate Skagits 

Shop Multi-Density Skagits

Shop Dry Line Flies

Shop Sink Tip Flies

Deschutes Trout

Standing out in the cold rain isn’t on everyone’s to-do list, but it sure makes for great trout fishing on the Deschutes. The recent rainy days gave way to some massive afternoon B.W.O. hatches. These hatches should continue to go off and improve with the impending sporty weather. Keep your eyes open for risers in the early afternoon and be sure to have at least one B.W.O. nymph going on your indicator rig. Even if there aren’t many rising fish, they will be keyed in on the active nymphs. 

Bugs aside, the streamer fishing has been very good and will remain a solid bet as the water cools. Vary your presentation until you figure out what peaks their interest. Sometimes they like the fly stripped aggressively and sometimes they don’t care for that at all. Most of the action I had on the Trout Spey this week came on just a steady swing with no stripping. But that could be totally different today. Mix it up until you crack the code. Fish your streamers on heavy tippet. The possibility of a steelhead encounter is there, especially if you’re just swinging the fly.

Shop Trout Flies

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 2.19.2021

Yesterday on the coast with Harris Anglers

Like so much of Oregon, the North Coast experienced substantial precipitation in the last week. Most rivers are currently high, but on the drop. A couple became fishable in the last few days. The good news is that peak fish numbers are yet to come. Another bright light of the season thus far is that the fish have been running on the larger side. It’s shaping up to be a great winter to catch the steelhead of a lifetime! 

If you’d like to spend some time on the coast this winter, reach out to Charlie Piette of Harris Anglers. Current available dates are: March 2-4, 29-31, April 1-3 

Charlie Piette 

Harrisanglers.com 

920-379-8517

Trout - Deschutes River:

Trout fishing has remained pretty decent all winter long. As long as the clarity is good, the trout are responding to well presented flies. The river is a little high from the snowstorm but is fishable. Around Maupin the fishing has been fair to good the past week. Trout are stacked in their normal winter holding water and will feed on nymphs throughout the day. Their metabolism slows down in the winter so they may not be gorging like they do during the summer, but they will take advantage of a nicely presented rubber legs that floats by them. 

Standard two fly nymph rigs are working for folks, as well as European style nymphing techniques. I’ve had some of my best trout days on the Deschutes in February believe it or not. Way less crowded and fish that are not as heavily pressured can make for some good days with lots of hookups. I generally run 4x fluorocarbon tippet to my lead fly and 5x fluro to my smaller dropper fly and that seems to work great.

Shop Trout Flies

Lake Fishing:

Pretty snowy and cold up at the lakes. Until the spring...

Shop Stillwater Flies

Summer Steelhead - Deschutes River:

Deschutes steelhead will be going into spawning mode here pretty soon. You should not be targeting them now even though it is not technically illegal to. Leave them alone now so they can spawn and make future generations of steelhead. Besides, chrome winter fish are swimming to their home tribs on the coast and valley area as I write this report.

Shop Steelhead Flies

Winter Steelhead - North Oregon Coast + Portland Metro area 

This weekend is shaping up to be a good one in terms of river levels. Fish are consistently being caught throughout many systems on the coast as well as inland rivers that get a winter run. This year, fish numbers do not seem to be as high as they were last year. We are really having to work for them this year, so enjoy them a little more if you are lucky enough to bring one to hand. 

Both swung fly techniques as well as dead drifting beads are working well. The key to swinging winter steelhead is to be persistent and keep going to the spots you know they like to hold in and keep that fly in the zone swinging as much as you can throughout the day. It will happen eventually. People fishing under indicators will hook more fish but the thrill of getting a winter on the swing is unbeatable. 

Good luck out there!

Winter Steelhead - Hood River: 

Slow start, but I have heard of a handful of winter fish caught. The Hood River generally see’s the bulk of its winter steelhead arriving a bit later than other rivers with the peak arriving in late Feb through the whole month of March and into April.

 

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Smallmouth fishing has remained pretty tough recently. Fish are still fairly spread out making them tough to find. Sinking lines with streamers and crayfish patterns are getting it done down there. People gear fishing have a better advantage of getting their presentation down in their face quicker.

Shop Carp Flies

Shop Bass Flies

-Zach Parker

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North Coast Steelhead with Charlie Piette of Harris Anglers

It’s that time of year again, folks. Winter steelhead season is here! The heavy January rains have settled

in and fish are on the move. With the peak of the run yet to come, now is a great time to book a guide

trip and secure some prime dates.

Many of you have met Charlie Piette at the shop, or talked to him on the phone. He is a traveling fishing guide from Wisconsin and joined the Gorge Fly Shop Team this past fall. His steelhead affliction lured him to the Northwest in his early twenties, which eventually transpired into an additional guide season. Charlie now spends his winters working with longtime friend, Todd Harris, of Harris Anglers, out on the Oregon’s North Coast. Here’s what he has to say about the fishery:

“Steelhead fishing on the coast is one of the greatest fishing opportunities the Northwest has to offer.

Thanks to the diversity of river systems, there’s a little something for everyone. Though the coast is

known as the place to be for dedicated swing anglers, it’s also ideal for those just getting into the sport

and interested in learning a variety of techniques. Whether you are an experienced steelheader, or

hoping to catch a glimpse of one for the first time, I will plan our day accordingly to put you in position

for success.”

If you’d like to get in a boat this winter, reach out to Charlie at email or phone listed below.

Email: charliepiette@gmail.com

Mobile: 920-379-8517

Web: www.harrisanglers.com

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