Paul Fisler seems to pop up everywhere there is something bass-related going on. There are plenty of people who would like to marshal Elite Series events, attend seminars and mingle with the top pros, but Paul is one of the few who’s actually out there getting it done.

Since meeting Pete back in 2003 my life has changed in so many ways. I never thought my life would be so focused on fishing, or that we’d have met so many incredible people from around the country and around the world. Of course we combined friends initially, but we’ve added hundreds more through our fishing adventures -- some are as close as family.

As one of the wives who is not on the road full-time, a lot of fishing fans probably don’t know much about Jennifer Combs. It’s a good story, and while they’re better together even without Keith in the mix she has a lot to say about the fishing life.

The third member of the Half Past First Cast team takes lots of blame and gets few perks. Rooster doesn’t get to go to Mexico or Alaska or Guatemala, but he does get to go to camp. Then again, why would he need to take a vacation – he’s on PERMANENT vacation.

The only criticism that I might be able to lob at Trey Reid is that his interests and talents are so varied that no single publication or assignment can contain them all. He’s a shining example of a fishing life well-lived.

Pete had caught more bass before I met him than the total number of times I have changed my mind. I knew that I couldn’t catch up to his head start there, but there were other places where we were more equal.

While Salazar’s fishing skills can’t be questioned, what really amazed me was his passion for the sport. He’s seen thousands of billfish come to the boat, and yet he was every bit as excited for each additional one as we were. He’s an exceptional teacher, and coached us through the bait-and-switch with remarkable patience.

When I first joined a bass club in 1995, I was in awe of my new friend Lee Byrd. He’d won the Wrangler Angler title (now the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship) to qualify for the 1990 Bassmaster Classic and had also competed in the Red Man All-American.

This year we finally fully valued our neighbors. That lesson came not through one-on-one contact, or through some shared activity, but rather through the much-maligned platform of Facebook, where we encountered a group known as “Vienna Foodies.”

Clifford is a gentleman and a terrific house guest. Since his first visit he has introduced me to a lot of people in the industry and some of them have become good friends. He seems to know everyone and everyone knows him.

While there are certainly some members of the fishing industry who consider their vocation a “job” that they leave behind when they’re off the clock, there also exists a solid contingent who live for their gigs. If they can’t actually be out fishing, they’re talking about fishing, thinking about an upcoming trip or planning their next innovation. Leading that latter group is Jesse Simpkins.

Singapore – and the nearby countries like Indonesia and Malaysia – have fascinating histories and vibrant angling cultures. Indeed, is a highly developed market economy and the country’s residents enjoy a very high level of education and wealth as well as one of he world’s longest life expectancies, all factors conducive to building an informed fishing elite.

Hanna and I have plenty of friends, and plenty of friends who fish, but few couples where both members of the team are equally devoted to the sport. It’s part of what makes Sam and Mike fun to fish with, and we’re thrilled that they’ll be joining us in Panama in April.

Ultimately, if your “10 lb. bass” (or your 20 pound peacock, or your 30 inch rainbow or your 50 inch muskie) would not actually meet that mark on a certified measuring device, that’s on you. You have to live with yourself. I will tell you that at least in the bass world, there are exponentially more eights than there are nines, and exponentially more nines than tens. Even on the world’s best bass fisheries, a true double digit is a rare prize. Don’t let anyone get you down because you caught an 8.22, or an 8.99, or a 9.79.

My love of fishing started 16 years ago, in 2004, when I was already well into my thirties. Thank goodness I loved it or I might never have seen Pete on the weekends and this website would have no contributions by yours truly. I think we can all agree that would be a huge loss.

“I can see if my friend Tim is available,” Joe said. Indeed, Tim was available, and despite being the editor of one of the fly industry’s leading publications, he’s also a bass freak and a closet “gear head.”

If you don’t plan properly, you’ll never be able to fully enjoy your time away. I’m a list-maker, even when we go away for just a short weekend, but on longer trips it’s even more important to cover everything. I use a list so nothing gets forgotten. Number one, at the top of our list, is to make sure your dogsitter is available at the time you will be away.

Fortunately, there are people for whom guiding is a way of life, and Hanna and I have been lucky to fish with a handful who’ve checked off all of the boxes for excellence. We’ve also been spoiled in terms of how much effort they put in.

Pete and I often dream about our perfect retirement home, which will no doubt include all sorts of fishy furniture. Al Swanson’s creations — both practical and artistic — have crept into those dreams.

Steve Yatomi of Adventure Travel Alliance has been a huge influence on the development of this website. Steve has guided us through two trips to the Amazon and a magical three-week adventure to Africa that changed our lives. There are lots of outfitters and tour guides out there, but the reason that Steve is so special is because just about everyone he meets becomes his family.