I was a little bit nervous about bringing bass tackle to Panama. Even though I was prepared to sacrifice the gear to the tuna gods, I simply wasn’t sure how it would hold up in the heat of battle. I’m thrilled with how the experience turned out.

If your father introduced you to fishing, then you owe him a special debt of gratitude. If somehow you found the sport on your own, then why not bring him into the fold? Seriously, dad put up with all of your crap over the years, so demonstrate that you’re thankful by going over and above with a fishing-related gift.

Tackle Warehouse has historically been diligent about stocking premium products, including a long list of multi-piece rods ideal for travelers at any budget. That has included sticks from Megabass. Recently they added the Megabass Valkyrie World Expedition travel rods – two spinning rods and six casting rods including several lengths and strengths that are otherwise hard to find in multi-piece tools.

Despite a pledge to do so, I have not yet conducted the rigorous test travel rod testing that I discussed late last year and early in 2021. I simply haven’t fished enough at home to give meaningful analyses, and I did not bring any multi-piece rods when we visited El Salto in June. That doesn’t mean I’ve stopped my travel rod acquisitions, though.