Hanna Robbins and Jennifer Combs with a cooler full of crappie from Lake Sam Rayburn

The Outdoor Gear We Recommend

We may have a little bit of a hoarding problem. Good gear need not be expensive, but it has to improve the experience in some way. Whether it’s the right rod, a certain bait, or the world’s best rainsuit, we’ll give unfiltered opinions on what we use and why we use it.


No tackle shop on earth provides more specialized gear for bass than Tackle Warehouse. If you want it, they've got it in stock — whether it's a proven winner or the newest items on the market — and their service is exceptional.

Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Three “Warriors” for Big El Salto Bass

Hanna and I keep a healthy stash of tackle at Lake El Salto. It gets subsidized and replenished on every trip, but certain staple lures never leave – and by “staple,” I mean not just the particular models, but specific baits that have caught hundreds of bass apiece. Here are three of my long-time favorites.

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Gear Hanna Robbins Gear Hanna Robbins

What They Bitin’? – El Salto May/June 2023

Our most recent trip to Lake El Salto spanned May and June 2023, and the lake was on fire, with ridiculous numbers of 4- to 6-pound fish. Despite all of that, our lure choices were very simple. You couldn’t throw any lure in any color and expect to get bit. There was a narrow selection that seemed to work consistently.

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