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.

Pete Robbins Pete Robbins

“Customize” the Outside of Your Rod Tube

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and writing about how to properly pack your rod tube to maximize the chances that your sticks will arrive at your locations unscathed. What I’ve overlooked, however, are detailed instructions on things you can do to the OUTSIDE of your tube to minimize heartache.

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Pete Robbins Pete Robbins

Travel Rod Calamity Averted

I’ve flown with a 33-inch travel rod tube to Alaska, to Brazil, and to five countries in southern Africa without incident, but on my most recent trip to El Salto I ran into a situation that required some quick action to avert what otherwise could have been a disaster.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Travel With Confidence: Choose the Right Rod Tube

While my preference would always be to use rods provided to me at my destination or sample from the variety of travel rods I’ve accumulated, sometimes that’s simply not feasible. Many times if you want to have the right tool when you get there, you’re going to need something that’ll hold one-piece rods

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