We’re excited to head to Canadian provinces we’ve yet to visit. Those include Alberta. In order to feel local we’ll want to throw spoons like the Len Thompson Five of Diamonds. As long as we’re going native, we might as well enjoy a Blindman Brewing Five of Diamonds Pilsner.

My friend Chad Hallett wandered into a tackle store in upstate New York and just about got poked in the eye by the hat pictured above which represents multiple things that make this world great.

We’re coming up on Fat Bear Week, when you can vote for the bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, trying to select the epitome of pre-hibernation gluttony. The contest has become a worldwide phenomenon in recent years, with iconic winners like Otis and last year’s motherly champ 128 Grazer.

I’ve only fished in Maine for bass with conventional gear. Next time we’ll have to chase some native trout with fly rods and then cap off the day with Gifford’s Fly Fishing Fudge. It’s vanilla ice cream with M&Ms, chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate chunks and heavy ribbons of fudge.

Roosterfish fight like the devil and they’re visually arresting, which makes them prime candidates for celebrating on stickers and decals. Check out some of our favorite renditions of Pez Gallo.

On our tuna trips to Central America we have used gaffs to subdue yellowfins at boatside and then haul them aboard. Elsewhere, though, both recreational and commercial tuna fishermen use a harpoon with a “dart” at the end. Check out the t-shirt from Outside Set in Massachusetts.

Many people think that beer and fishing are inextricably linked. That’s not the case but I enjoy a few on vacation, when it doesn’t impact my abilities. I particularly like to imbibe if it’s something local and perhaps different than what I have at home. Here are all of the articles we’ve written about fish beers, fishing beers, and fishing-adjacent beers since 2020.

All five senses will help you on the water, but your eyesight is particularly critical for angling success. Here are ways to preserve, protect and train your eyes to give you the clues you need.

I find it cool that there’s a company wholly dedicated to celebrating smallmouth bass – The Achigan Brand. Explore their offerings, everything from an ode to MJ to the old-school Smallmouth Magazine lettering and beyond.

If Baja is on your must-visit list, check out these shirts from Pura Baja Clothing Company — not just El Gallo, but the full range of finned critters.

We like collecting knowledge about different quality fishing knots and then seeing which ones hold up best on the water. Which is your favorite?

Sometimes giving up control of certain aspects of fishing allows you to focus more intently on other parts of the process — and that provides a long-term benefit.

I spend lots of time daydreaming about fish from around the globe. So long as my time is constrained by certain obligations it’s just not feasible yet to try for many of the most remote options. That’s why I was thrilled to see that one of the coolest species I’ve discovered lately lives close – the tilefish.  

Do you believe that bananas are bad luck on a fishing trip? These two shirts laugh at your silly superstitions.

I’ve seen a wide variety of sharks in my travels, but whale sharks have evaded them – despite the fact that I’ve fished and swam in some of their habitats. Until we have opportunities in Panama or Cabo, here are some ways to celebrate the gentle giants.

There are plenty of largemouth bass themed t-shirts out there, and more than a handful of smallmouth shirts. If you truly want to go “whole hawg,” though, Hank’s Fish Art has a one-stop shop for the entirety of the group.

When we visit Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala, the sailfish are our primary target, but the most important catch of the day may be a morning mahi mahi (AKA “dolphin” or “dorado). If you can’t remember how to clean one, this shirt may be for you.

Flasks would generally seem to be the bailiwick of golfers and Scottish salmon anglers, but if tuna or billfish drive you to drink, and you need to keep your alcohol at arm’s length, consider one of the following flasks.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of a very critical date in my development as an outdoor writer. July 30, 2004, was the first day of that year’s Bassmaster Classic on Lake Wylie, and I was the media observer for Aaron Martens.

Melting yet? While I love the outdoors, I still believe that air conditioning may be the greatest invention in the history of mankind. We’ve traveled and fished quite a bit this summer, but we’ve also stayed on top of the news. The following is a select group of fishing and travel links that you might find helpful or amusing.