Now that I’ve caught a few fish on swimbaits and glide baits I’m fully committed to learning more about the technique. I know that there will be a window when my “seat time” pays off, although I suspect that there will be some frustrating hours before that happens. With each additional cast I learn something new, but sometimes it feels like “one step forward, two steps back.”

It was only after attending the Swimbait Universe Gathering that I truly realized how much I wanted to break into the world of low volume glide baits. I’m still pretty green, but eager to learn, so I did something that I’ve been vowing to try for 30 years whenever I’ve wanted to learn a new technique – I committed fully for a day.

Today Brandon Palaniuk has just about every piece of fishing gear necessary and possible, but it wasn’t always that way. He didn’t have much growing up, so he knows the value of a buck. Here are four items he recommends as presents if you simply don’t know what to buy the bass angler in your life.

For years, I just fished with the rods, reels and other gear that was handed to me, but now I have definite opinions about what works and what does not. Therefore, I feel qualified to tell you to buy the following products for the anglers on your list. Most are aimed at either bass fishermen (fisherwomen too!) or travelers.

Despite her inexplicable love for Carolina Rigging, my wife redeems herself with an equal-if-not-greater passion for topwater fishing. Whether it’s a Rico at El Salto, a Kermett Adams chopper in the Amazon, or a mouse-imitator on a remote Alaskan stream, she knows that sometimes it’s better to persevere with a surface lure than something “easier.”

There are plenty of gift options for bass anglers. But what if you’re cash-strapped? Or you just want a little inexpensive something to show someone you care? Perhaps you just need an item or two to hit the free shipping mark. Here are a few items that just about any bass fanatic either needs or wants or could easily use. They won’t break the bank, either.

I realize that not everyone can afford to gift their favorite bass angler a bass boat, a trip to El Salto, or even a Livescope system. Maybe you’re cash-strapped or you don’t know the person too well, or you just need a simple item to fill out your list. Fortunately for you, there are plenty of high-quality items that won’t break the bank. Here are 10 we can recommend.

Put me in a bass boat and you’re going to have a hard time surprising me with any sort of accessories. In a saltwater boat, however, just about everything is new. Even if I’ve seen an item before, I don’t always know the “how” or “why” of the design and construction. Luckily I have Shane Jarvis to give me the straight scoop. Here’s what he had to say about his Tigress Outriggers.

We’ve loved our 3 trips to Casa Vieja Lodge in (with another on the books for February) and our 3 trips to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge. Nevertheless, one complication is that you don’t need anything new to go. Nevertheless, I try to get a few new things each time for “testing” purposes. If you know someone headed offshore, here are gift ideas that are sure to please.

I’m a topwater addict, whether it’s chasing smallmouths up north or peacock bass south of the equator, but I’d never seen anything like acres of herding dolphins, diving birds, and rampaging yellowfin tuna converging in a tornado of chaos. On our three trips to Panama we’ve landed some finned freaks of nature on top. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Traveling to fish to in different conditions you need specialized gear. That’s especially true if it’s going to rain – because if you’re wet it can be uncomfortable, or even unsafe, and can impact your ability to hook and land the fish of a lifetime. Through trial and error, I’ve built up an arsenal of some of the best gear for wet weather conditions.

On our first of what will likely be many trips to Ballard’s Black Island on Lake of the Woods, we absolutely wrecked the giant smallmouths, but as Hanna has chronicled previously our packing process was a little bit subpar. We had everything that we needed, but not necessarily in the right quantities. When we head back, we’ll tweak them a bit to improve an already-great trip.

Buying gifts for swimbaiters is tough for several reasons. First, it’s a very personalized niche, and most of the addicts I’ve met have very specific tastes. Second, the items tend to be on the expensive side, so if you make a mistake it’s especially costly. Finally, some of the really good stuff is produced in small quantities, and distributed through hard-to-win “drops.” These items are all readily available.

Most serious bass anglers headed to Lake El Salto or Lake Picachos likely have a pretty good idea of the tackle they’ll need. Nevertheless, even after 20 or so trips of our own we still find ourselves adding to the stash. The best gift you can give the angler in your life is a trip to “Bass Fishing Disneyland,” but if they’ve already got it booked here are some failsafe options that will ensure that they maximize their chances of success.

The first lure I bought at the Swimbait Universe Gathering 4 was the LFOD Munk painted in the unmistakable chipmunk pattern depicted. I’m not sure if it will produce better than the rat baits I already own in black, white and gray but I had to have it. I’ve also learned that some smaller-scale baitmakers have expanded their lineups further into the rodent section of Noah’s Ark.

Whether you want a squirrel, a gerbil or some other pest that might otherwise belong in a trap, there’s a fishy option out there. Unfortunately, many of them are hard to obtain or downright pricey. If for some reason you can’t or won’t get one of the custom models, you’re in luck. Here are some mammalian lures (both shapes and colors) that are widely available.

I’m ashamed and disappointed to admit that I’ve probably ruined more good fishing tackle than many other people will ever own. Between bent tails and broken hardware and rusted-out hooks, I’ve been forced to trash lots of gear that never even saw the water. Accordingly, I try to take care of my stuff. Here are a few things to consider of your rapidly-expanding collection is becoming unwieldy.

Even after nearly 20 years of fishing there’s a ton I still need to learn, including a lot of basics. When should I use certain lures? How do electronics work? Why this? What that? So many questions! Learning from your husband is difficult, so I got Chad Morgenthaler of FutureCast Academy to teach me to fish a football jig.

One way that I normally cope with my anticipation between fishing adventures is through retail therapy. When it comes to chasing tuna and cuberas and billfish, however, I wouldn’t even know where to start. Shane Jarvis provides everything we need so you could show up with just a few sets of clothing, your toiletries, and a cooler to take home some tuna. Nevertheless, I’ve managed to accumulate a few items that will make the trip to the Panama with me.

After 17 years of affiliation with Yamamoto Baits – and many more before that using their products – I’ve gone through tons of plastics and figured out what I like and need. I try to make one big order at the end of each season to restock what I’ve gone through and what I expect that I might need. Here’s what recently came in.