Getting to Casa VIeja Lodge from the United States is remarkably easy but there have been slight wrinkles and differences on each of our tree trips. Learn from our experiences so your next journey will be flawless.

I believe that every red-blooded fan of the sport should attend at least one Classic. It’s our Super Bowl and Woodstock rolled into one. For one snapshot in time, a (usually) mid-sized city becomes entirely consumed by the relatively fringe sport of bass fishing. If you’re going to go, here are a few things to consider.

I had heard the word “Nubian” before, and knew that it had some connection to Africa, but I’m not embarrassed to admit that beyond that I was clueless about the place. My only prior knowledge of Sudan was through the late Manute Bol, who played for hometown team when I was in high school, and later worked as an activist for Sudanese refuges. But now I know it’s a flats fishing hot spot.

We know that many of you come here for original hardcore fish stories and gear recommendations, and we try to provide plenty of that, but we also scour the web for fishing-related news every day – and in particular, news that will inspire or help traveling anglers. Here’s a list of links we’ve found recently that might get your ass out of the chair and on the water.

In approximately 20 fishing trips South of the Border, we’ve had approximately 10 that were “trips of a lifetime,” maybe seven that were very good to exceptional, and three where we had to work for our bites. I hope that your next trip to Mexico is as good as or better than one of our best ones, but in case it’s not – here’s how to turn unmet expectations into a successful trip.

We’ve now made two trips to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge and we’ve been amazed by the incredible fishing and scenery in the Gulf of Chiriquí. The many islands and rock formations give you a sense of why this fishery is so good. It has a wildly changing topography that creates currents which bring in baitfish. A few islands are particularly well-known.

The travel industry is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are a lot of great sites around the web that document and opine about travel trends. Few of them are fishing-specific, but many of their articles talk about issues that affect globetrotting anglers. Here are some recent ones worth sharing.

The best time to go on a fishing trip is “any time you can,” but that maxim doesn’t tell the whole story. Our plan has always been to fish “the best places at the best times.” When that’s not possible, how do you know whether it makes sense to spend your hard-earned cash (and energy and vacation time) to go during an off-peak period?

In case you cannot tell by now, I am obsessive about managing my vacation time. With a little bit of creativity I can take more trips than the average person, and that’s what I intend to do. Of course, 2021, like the year before it, was not normal.

I had no idea what to expect prior to attending the Dallas Safari Club Convention in Texas this past weekend. Hanna and I were given an opportunity to help a friend’s business at the show, and we jumped at the chance to enjoy this new experience. In many ways, it was an absolute eye-opener.

On our two trips to Panama we’ve purchased a package deal that includes “VIP” treatment that includes expedited passage through customs, drinks in a private lounge while you wait for your luggage, and transportation to and from the hotel. Everything they can control runs like a Swiss watch, with no hiccups. But they truly proved valuable when a problem occurred.

It’s been a tough couple of years for the airlines, and even worse for anglers headed to Mexico. Between route reshuffling, delays and cancellations, no trip is safe, and few have been easy. American Airlines has taken the brunt of the blame, fairly or not. There may be a slight bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

When we returned from Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge in April, I was generally on a high, but a tad bit depressed because I did not land a roosterfish. Others in our group had accomplished that task, including the petite redheaded woman I live with. I’d caught roosters in Costa Rica in 1995, but that felt like it was so far in the past as not to count.

American Airlines flight options to Mazatlán have remained more or less stable since we started traveling to Anglers Inn, they’re far from ideal, and other carriers have been in and out of the space. Therefore we’re always looking for good news for our fellow traveling anglers. There may be an option coming from Allegiant and Viva Aerobus.

Given how populated and developed it is the Sunshine State still offers traveling fishermen and women a lot of bang for their buck: great bass fisheries are scattered throughout the state; there are peacocks in several counties; and of course the inshore and offshore options are numerous. Now there are new flights, too.

If you’re as anal and compulsive as I am about scheduling, you probably have some big trips planned for the long term future. I don’t mean the deposits-paid-written-in-ink kind of plan, but rather a general expectation of something to come.

After nearly 20 trips to Anglers Inn El Salto and Picachos, we tend to take some of the most basic details of the trip for granted. Nevertheless, we’ve used this website as a means of answering the most likely queries that you might have. Remember, there’s no such thing as a “dumb question” if it helps you have a better vacation.

I spent last weekend around Table Rock Lake, observing and writing about the Bass Pro Shops US Open National Bass Tournament. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the region, starting in 2011. I’ve also attended lots of bass tournaments over the years. Each one is different in its own ways. Here are 10 notes about the event:

The VIP travel schedule to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge puts you at the five-star Hilton in Panama City overnight so that you can leave for David bright and early the next morning. So, what do you do until then? You eat! This is where Half Past First Cast comes in handy. We bring a little fun and excitement, the little extras to help you remember your trip and make it more special.

One of the complications of exotic fishing travel is both the cost and difficulty of getting to your destination country. One of the nice things about our trips to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge is that there are loads of direct flights to Panama City’s Tocumen Airport (PTY) from the United States (plus Toronto) every day.