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 Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Jerkbait Storage Boxes

Jerkbait storage was simpler when there were fewer options and most anglers thought they only worked during the winter and pre-spawn months. I keep fewer of them in the boat than many of you, but they can still be a mess to pull apart when you really need them. Here are storage options that streamline the task.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Follow-Up Baits

More lures and rods come out every week, so rather than update past columns about tackle trends, here’s a catch-all following up on some of those surveys. What do you think of this new gear at Tackle Warehouse?

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Hello Dolly! In the Flesh!

Our best tool for big Alaskan rainbow trout this summer was a “flesh fly,” in particular the Dolly Llama. Why do trout bulk up on fleshy meals and why was it our favorite presentation?

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Don’t Fear the Fly Rod

If you love to fish, but you’ve purposely avoided fly fishing, it’s time to try it. Follow these simple steps and you can experience success and enjoyment almost from the start.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

JDM Vibrating Jigs

While there are dozens on vibrating jigs in U.S. tackle shops, the Original Chatterbait and the Jack Hammer take the largest market share of them all. If you’re willing to go travel to Japan, or enter the “gray market,” there are plenty of JDM options that tend to be high-end and different from what we see stateside.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Lucky 13 Topwater Articles in One Place

Topwater fishing has more or less been the demise of my bank account. From big largemouths, to bigger peacock bass, to tuna that can eat them both, if I can get a bite on the surface I’m generally happy. Therefore it should not be a surprise that in the 3 years this website has been in existence I’ve written quite a bit about the topic.

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Pete Robbins Pete Robbins

Big Squarebills for Thick Cover Beasts

Squarebill crankbaits have always been great tools for extracting big bass from heavy cover, especially shallow. Now we have a variety of models that are much bigger than normal to fit different bites and conditions.

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Pete Robbins Pete Robbins

Simple Senko Storage Solutions

Whether you’ve never caught a bass or you regularly compete for six-figure checks, the Yamamoto Senko should be a part of your arsenal. I’ve probably caught more of them using it wacky style, but its uses are far more extensive than that, Under certain circumstances it’s possible to go through dozens in a day, and if you waste time you can miss the best bite. Check out my Senko storage pet peeves and solutions.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Crankbaits With Big Bills

By now, all dedicated crankbait anglers have become used to a semi-standard bill-to-body ratio. Once in a while, though, a manufacturer comes out with one where the bill looks outsized. Done properly, it allows for a small profile lure that gets down in a hurry.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

My Favorite Brovarney Baits Swim Jig Colors

I have extreme confidence in Dan Brovarney’s Wisconsin Swim Jigs, and while I can’t completely pare down my color selection, I’ve narrowed my confidence colors to a limited array. What are your favorites?

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Ringworms for River Bass Fishing

The Ringworm — made popular by companies like Rebel in the 1970s — remains a killer lure on tough fisheries, especially rivers. It’s getting tougher to find them, but a few options remain in tackle stores.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Swim Jigs for Lake El Salto and Lake Picachos

We’ve had some tremendous days in Mexico with spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits, but one lure category that we haven’t discussed nearly as much is the swim jig. Sometimes we even forget about them, but they’re really valuable mop up tools.. Be sure to pack a handful on your next trip.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Bunker-Busting Big Tungsten

For a while, a 1-ouncer was the gold standard for getting through thick mats, but trash mats were too thick even for that. Slowly we started to get bigger weights, usually up to 1 1/2 ounces and your favorite brand likely runs to that size. However, if you need something beefier, there are even heavier options.

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