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 Hanna Robbins Gear Hanna Robbins

Pelican Brief

After many Google searches, I decided to purchase the Pelican Black 1510 case with TrekPak dividers and mesh lid organizer. It took a while to convince myself. Did I need something so expensive and “professional”? After pulling the trigger, setting it up and traveling to Panama the answer was clear: “Why didn’t I purchase this sooner?”

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Maiden Voyage of our Yeti Hopper M30 Soft Cooler

Hanna and I weren’t going to miss out on the opportunity to stock our freezer with tuna, so prior to our trip to Panama we obtained a Yeti Hopper M30 Soft Cooler. It seemed to get the best overall reviews and have the greatest versatility and functionality for our purposes. Here’s how it fared.

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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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Gear Hanna Robbins Gear Hanna Robbins

Organized Hoarding: My Search for a Camera Bag

I am not a professional photographer. Still, if you saw my equipment you may think differently. To make sure that I could lug all of it all by myself, I had to find just the right bag that would hold my other carry-on items as well, including but not limited to my laptop and GoPro.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

No Reel Damage

If you’re flying to an exotic fishing trip, I strongly recommend that you do whatever you can to bring your reels in the airplane cabin with you. Many lodges, guides and outfitters provide rods, so If you lose your sticks, you can probably borrow some. If your lures get misplaced, you should be able to buy or grab a few from a sympathetic friend. I can tell you from experience, however, that borrowing reels is often a nightmare.

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