The captains we’ve fished with in places like Guatemala and Panama have a device in their boats specifically aimed at keeping big bait fresh – so whether you’re chasing marlin, big tuna, roosterfish or some other salty creature, you’ll always have the proper temptation.

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.

In order to “listen” to your guide effectively, sometimes you need to know what questions to ask. They’ll often recommend specific lures in particular colors. Having the right lure is of course key, but if you don’t put it in the right places you’re just wasting your time. That’s why before making my first cast, I always ask, “Which way?”

Raised on a TV diet of Roland Martin hooksets, I knew that you had to try to drive steel through their brains, but apparently Hanna hadn’t watched the same shows and I wasn’t very good at explaining what to do. We both had to relearn setting the hook when we ventured to Guatemala and Panama.

Not everyone who travels to Lake El Salto or Lake Picachos has been fishing their entire lifetime. I know that it can be terrifying to think that everyone else will be an expert, and they’ll laugh at your lack of skills, but these lakes are actually the perfect vacation spot for any interested angler, whether they’re a pro or have not yet caught their first bass.

Historically, each new fishing trip has an opportunity or perhaps an excuse to go a little bit crazy at Tackle Warehouse. Even when I don't need ANYTHING, there's still an opportunity to shop productively for fishing clothing and accessories.

We’ve left tackle at Anglers Inn for several years and it has consistently been safe, well-kept and available upon arrival. Here are some strategies to ensure that’ll continue to be true – and also to be certain that it’s ready to fish when we get there. With a little bit of extra planning and effort, we save myself a lot of heartache and wasted time.

There are times at Lake El Salto when the fish are so thick and so hungry on a given spot that you can take your time casting to them and you can experience success with any casting angle. It’s not always that easy. Many times you have to hunt and peck to get things done.

As I’ve tirelessly researched the Japanese travel rod market, I’ve continued to unearth new brands and products – some exceptionally purposeful, some decidedly odd.

I’ve already written more than I ever thought possible not only about multi-piece fishing rods, but also about how to get them from Point A to Point Z. Whether you’re backpacking, flying, driving or riding a mule, if you arrive at your fishing destination with broken sticks it can be an absolute disaster. For most of us, a standard, non-descript, one-color tube or case will suffice, but if you like a little bit of style in your carrying mechanism – and you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars – there are higher-end options available.

We’ve fished in temperatures up to 114 degrees, and while you can adjust to that extreme by hydrating obsessively and wearing moisture-wicking clothing, I find fishing in freezing temperatures much more challenging. I’m not talking about relatively sedentary varieties like ice fishing, where you can sit in a heated ice house or shanty, but rather open-water fishing, often in a boat.  As a result of my experiences, here are 10 strategies I’ve learned for maintaining the maximum amount of body heat and comfort. 

In my search for travel rods able to handle swimbaits that I came across the Cast Division Beaststick, a 6’9” rod made specifically “for the most brutal fishing you can get all over the world.” After watching a number of their videos, I acquired one, and I’ve been testing it out over the past few weeks.

Obviously fly fishermen figured out a long time ago that various species of fish eat bugs – it’s kind of their raison d’etre – but that doesn’t mean that they have the market cornered on insect-imitating baits. Indeed, within the bass world alone there are lots of lures that would tickle an entomologist’s fancy, and they’re all castable on “normal” tackle.

Part of our collective prejudice against rods with two or more pieces no doubt stems from childhood memories of ferrules that underperformed. If you had one of those old school bargain basement combos, then at some point you likely had one come apart at an inopportune time – either while making a cast or fighting a fish.

Rods and reels certainly matter, but the most meaningful link between you and the fish of a lifetime is a thin strand of fishing line. Whether it’s mono, fluorocarbon, copolymer, braid, or a combination thereof, it’s critical that you make sure it’s perfect. That means fresh, high-quality, and the proper type and strength. While I don’t respool every combo I use every night like some pros, I prefer to change my heavily-used lines frequently, especially the non-braid varieties. That includes times when I’m on vacation.

If you’re going to the Andamans or Christmas Island or the Galapagos, there’s not a Tackle Warehouse next to your your lodging, and some outfitters require you to bring your own gear. You’ll need more than one rod, too, not just because you might be using varying techniques, but also because otherwise if you break your rod early in the trip you may be out of luck.

When picking line for Mexican bass fishing, as far as I’m concerned you should go with what you’re comfortable with, and err on the side of keeping it heavier rather than lighter. On the latter point, I don’t use anything under 17-pound test.

As I get ready to pack my clothes for my trip to El Salto, Mexico, in 10 days, 22 hours and 45 minutes (but who’s counting) I need to make sure to pack the right undergarments. You guys may not understand this, but having the wrong bra for any activity can make for an uncomfortable day.

How do you protect your most expensive rods for a trip to the lake or as you board your private jet? It’s not necessarily a rhetorical question. As more hedge-funders and other members of the international elite discover angling, they want the best of the best.

Only recently have clothing manufacturers started seriously catering to female anglers. While it seems that guys can just grab a “medium” or “large” or “3XL” and slide into them, female bodies are more complicated than that. We have totally different combinations of butts, boobs, torsos, legs and shoulders. That makes us interesting, but it also makes it hard to find universal fits.