Keith Combs built his dream house just a short distance from Lake Sam Rayburn because he wanted to have easy access to what he considers consistently the best big bass tournament lake in the country. Here are five lures he’s likely to have on the deck when May rolls around.

You can easily get by with a $99 or $199 baitcasting reel but if you want to know what it’s like to buy the most refined baitcaster Daiwa has ever produced, you need to check out Daiwa’s Steez SV. It’s 5.6 ounces of buttery, rocket-fueled smoothness and power.

If you regularly travel to the same places to fish, prepare a “go bag” that’s filled with the tackle you need, all in one place. Check out the one I’ve packed for El Salto and Picachos.

OK, if you’re reading this now and haven’t bought your Mother’s Day gift, don’t despair – it’s not too late. There are plenty of readily-available options, especially if she likes to fish and travel.

Whenever we have a question not just about JDM gear, but about forthcoming trends and tactics, Matt Paino is our go-to source of info. His booth at the Bassmaster Classic was brimming with gear that’ll catch pressured bass on any continent.

Jen Kravassi continues to bring the heat every time she picks up the paint brush, whether it’s on the newest creation from Mike Bucca’s Bull Shad Swimbaits, or one of her own Jekyll Bait Company products.

Jockey Outdoors stepped up for bass anglers in a big way by sponsoring the 2024 Bassmaster Classic. I’ve been wearing the clothing I got there ever since we got back. Here’s a quick video explaining the company’s vision.

The 2024 Bassmaster Classic Expo is particularly memorable for me because it marked the “mainstreaming” of swimbait culture. The Clutch Swimbait Company was mobbed all three days, but I weaseled my way in to get some info out of Josh Pladies and Justin Kimmel.

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.

When the Deps Cover Scat first came out, there was a mad rush for them. We caught up with Matt Paino – our guru on all things JDM – at the 2024 Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa and he gave us the scoop on the new Slender Scat.

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?

Despite the fact that I could probably rely on the proven winners that have helped me in my past trips to Lake El Salto and Lake Picachos, I’m always looking for new options. Here are some big baits and new terminal tackle items from Tackle Warehouse worth checking out.

Jesse Simpkins is one of the handful of people who’ve visited Anglers Inn’s properties more than we have. That’s good news for customers because it means you’ll have reliable, high-quality rods without the hassle of toting a rod tube.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If you’re headed on a distant trip, you don’t want to break the bank on a spinning reel, but you don’t want it to fail at an inopportune moment, either. Daiwa has some value propositions.

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.