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

Kyle Patrick’s Money Colors -- Missile Baits Magic Worm

Bass pro Kyle Patrick is exceptionally disciplined about using lures that he knows will work, especially in high pressure situations or on tough fisheries. That’s why he just about always has a Missile Baits Magic Worm on the deck of his boat If you’re looking to make an initial investment in his go-to lure, try some of these colors.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Bass Tackle for Yellowfin Tuna

While the gear at SFPIL stom tailored to the species that are in the Gulf of Chiriqui, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to bring “bass tackle” down there. Could it stand up to the test of these fish, all of which pull harder than any bass you’ve ever caught?

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Gear Hanna Robbins Gear Hanna Robbins

Melinda Mize’s Favorite Bajio Sunglasses for Women

When you hear Melinda Mize talk about Bajio Sunglasses, it is clear that she shares in the vision and passion that is behind the brand. I saw her in the Bajio booth at the Bassmaster Classic and asked her to tell me about three popular Bajio sunglasses for women.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Best Baitcasting Rods Under a Hundred Bucks

I’m not convinced that more expensive always equals better. In fact, I have quite a few baitcasting rods that cost under $150 and several under $100 that regularly make the cut. I don’t have to use them – I choose to use them.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Daiwa’s Premium Kyoya Fujita Rods

In order to celebrate and commemorate the first of what will likely be many Bassmaster Classic appearances, Daiwa introduced a very limited edition set of Kyoya Fujita rods at the 2024 Bassmaster Classic.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

What Bryant Smith Throws on Clear Lake in April

Bryant Smith is continuing to chase his dreams around the country this year, a quest that’ll keep him away from his home state for much of the spring, but there are few places he’d rather be in April. Here’s what he’d throw on Clear Lake in April.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Are Your Marine Electronics Ready for a BeatDown?

As our sonar and GPS options have increased, the risk associated with having them stolen or broken has also become potentially much more costly. Additionally, aging eyes have trouble seeing distant screens. BeatDown Outdoors has some solutions to these potential problems.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Crickets for Combs

Most bass fishing fans know Keith Combs for his prowess with a crankbait, but they sometimes overlook how good he is with other techniques. Increasingly in recent years, particularly when bass are shallow, he’s put his faith in Strike King’s Thunder Cricket vibrating jig. 

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Yeti’s GoBox Tied Our Booth Together

As we built our booth in anticipation of our first trade show, we needed to find a waterproof, dustproof and uncrushable storage box to preserve valuables between events. We found the perfect vessel in Yeti’s 60 GoBox Gear Case.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Two Underappreciated Lipless Crankbaits

The Rat-L-Trap and Red Eye Shad are proven winners in the lipless crankbait genre, but they’re not the only game in town. I have dozens and dozens more, including some that have produced big catches around the country.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Scuppernong Soft Plastics

While I’m not an expert in bass fishing history, I’m old enough to remember some things about the sport that have become inexplicably forgotten or passe. During my childhood, the “grape” patterns were a big deal, not just the classic “black grape” but also lesser known shades like Scuppernong.

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Gear Pete Robbins Gear Pete Robbins

Daiwa Saltiga Premium Travel Rods for Saltwater Combat

Imagine you get to the Seychelles or Costa Rica or Baja and the outfit you've chartered has crappy rods not up to the task of subduing your quarry. Toting a full-sized rod tube is also often a pain in the butt. Daiwa offers a solution -- travel rods built to take on the beefiest brawlers in the ocean.

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