In a year when many didn’t do much other than binge watch a lot of TV, I had a really extraordinary time at home and on the road.

Thankfully Pete nor I got sick. During our annual checkups the doctor was pleased with our numbers although Pete was told that oatmeal should be his breakfast of choice.

The amount of time Pete spends at the computer writing about his passion just amazes me which in turn has truly inspired me to start thinking more out of the box. He continues to teach me things, and I’ve also been mentored by other people we’ve met in person and virtually.

We took calculated risks several times this year to explore our passion for travel. Half Past First Cast helped us enhance that effort, bringing likeminded people together virtually and to travel to places they might not have even known existed.

Here is my good and bad review of my 2021:

THE GOOD

Became Noticed

Everyone knows Pete Robbins, Bassmaster senior writer, blogger at Yamamoto’s Inside Line, fishing savant and industry semi-insider. So far I have written around 100 blogs for HPFC, but that’s NOTHING compared to the almost 500 (holy shit) blogs Pete has written (with 30 more already lined up to go).

I’m not trying to feel sorry for myself. It is nice to hear that when I don’t travel with Pete he gets asked “Where’s Hanna?” Still, as part of our venture I want others to reach out to me, see me, as an individual, not just as part of a team.

Well, this year that happened. A representative of Salt Life reached out to both Pete and me and wanted us to both to test items for the water. That’s right, they wanted MY OPINION (thank you Melissa). That truly validated all of the effort that I’ve put into this (and I loved the clothes).

Panama on the board

How is it possible that Pete sits behind his keyboard producing more writing and more writing and MORE writing and never gets writer’s block? Well, apparently he surfs the internet for amazing fishing locations and helps us fulfill bucket list adventures and fish catches

This year we made it to Panama to fish with Captain Shane Jarvis at Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge. To make a long story short (normally I am not good at that) Elliott Stark, our new and now forever colleague and friend, met Pete, online (I told Elliott that Pete was all mine) and one thing led to another and bass fishing led to saltwater fishing and soon we were popping for tuna, eating our catches and once again checking off another box on the list.

OK, this next part is going to sound terrible, although everything worked out in the end. Two friends weren’t able to make it on the April trip to Panama because COVID struck one of them. Thankfully his symptoms were minor and he recovered quickly. That gave us a chance to go back to Panama to do it all over again. And that we did! We took another group, two friends and four strangers, who we now call friends. Based on how great both trips were, it’s not surprising that four of us have already rebooked for next November 2022.

The best part of our November trip and the reason I forgive Pete for not taking out the garbage (his job) most weeks is because all this hard work led me to hear, from Pete, music to my ears. As we were driving back after an epic day of fishing, Pete tapped my foot, looked at me and said, “I’m so happy!” and stared back off at the horizon. Mr. Mellow found his perfect medicine.

Our retirement plan underway

Retirement for Pete and Hanna – possibly scheduled for as soon as five years from now -- only means saying goodbye to the 9 to 5. We’ll still be working just as hard, just exclusively on Half Past First Cast. This year opened my eyes to so much of what and where Pete and I could take HPFC and actually seeing things come to fruition is so rewarding. We met and traveled with some of our followers. We took people on their bucket list trips. We took people out of the country for their first time. I see our success in others’ happiness.

More trips to Guatemala

I just can’t stay away from Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala and I am so very excited to share this special place with a group of our friends/followers this February 2022.

One of the most special parts of this past February’s trip was fishing with CVL’s owner, Captain David Salazar, on “The Hooker” and finding out the boat’s incredible history and its future.

On our second trip, I learned much more about precision trolling. I was even able to catch a few sailfish on my own with the encouragement of the captain and the teaching abilities of the guides.

Guatemala reminds me of Pete’s 50th birthday, his mom’s first fish at age 76 (just under 100 lbs.), his dad’s new favorite wardrobe (Columbia Blood and Guts shirts), new friends and fireworks! Those are memories I will have forever and an experience I want others to share with us in years to come.

Dressed for success

Others wear couture -- I wear AFTCO, Gill, Salt Life and 5.11 Tactical. On my quest for “the right fit” in women’s fishing clothing I have really stepped up my game and found a balance of clothing that fits right but also looks good. It’s taken years of trial and error but I am very happy with my selection of brands, styles and colors. Of course, I will never stop looking, I can’t wear the same outfit in every picture, puh-lease. 😊

Casa Vieja Lodge produces double digit sailfish raises daily

THE BAD

Pete caught his personal best smallmouth

I didn’t realize how competitive I am until Pete caught his personal best smallmouth. Back in 2013, I caught two smallmouths over five pounds (5.24 and 5.42). The Robbins family goal for a trophy and art for the wall was one over 6, and I assumed that I would be the one to hit this goal first.

Before Pete’s trip to Michigan in October all the hype was about the big smallies in northern Michigan. In my experience, usually talking about catching a giant produces dinks. Well, gosh darn it, this time the lake lived up to the hype. Pete’s smallie was well over six pounds and I was envious, happy, depressed, jealous and bitter. That’s right, man vs woman, husband vs wife, him vs me. I lost and I’m sour. What makes it worse is the fact that I got the invoice for the Advanced Taxidermy replica coming to remind me of my defeat.

Hey Pete……………….nice job, if I didn’t actually ever say this to your face.

Couldn’t have people over for a Tuna extravaganza

In April we brought tuna home from Panama but it was much less than the bounty of salmon we’d flown home from Alaska last summer. I can admit it now: We were very stingy with sharing as we were unsure when we would get back to catch more.

As you read above, we went back in November and brought more tuna home. While on the island I learned how to prepare my favorite tuna recipe of Chef Eddie, tuna poke. The unfortunate problem is that we haven’t been able to have people over to help eat the fruit of our labor cause of this damn pandemic.

As soon as things are back to normal and you receive an invitation for dinner you obviously know what we are having for appetizers and dinner. I promise there will be no tuna sorbet or tuna cake.

Didn’t catch significant fish on swimbaits

One of my 2021 goals was to fish more swimbaits in order to catch larger fish. There were three reasons that this didn’t come true: First, I gave up. I know it takes time with a large swimbait to get it looked at and get a hook up. I didn’t have the patience so I just went back to old reliables like the crankbait, the Carolina rig and of course the Senko.

Second, at El Salto, we either ran out or I wasn’t confident enough that I wouldn’t lose the bait and get the stank eye for the rest of the trip.

Third, they just weren’t eating what I was throwing.

Roosterfish art still in the making

On our Panama trip in April, we caught a handful of Roosterfish, but no true wall-worthy trophies. When we returned in November, it seemed that every tenth cast was a rooster fish and the size kept getting bigger and bigger.

So how big is big and what kept me from calling the taxidermist?

Thanks Samantha Sukupcak, now that I know a 60-pound Roosterfish exists I may never get one up on the wall (don’t get excited, her gigantic rooster was not caught on this trip and isn’t normal by any means). BUT if I catch one that is nice size and has the coloring of the one that Mike Yee caught in November, the taxidermist will be my first call upon getting through customs.

Not enough time to fish

Isn’t this everyone’s “bad” news? No matter how much time you get out, everyone wants “one more cast.”