Most of our HPFC hats are one-offs, and while we love them the price tag makes it hard to produce them in larger quantities. Nevertheless, we’re still looking for additional options, and may occasionally surprise friends of HPFC with some swag to make your trips extra special.

After three trips to Panama, we’ve been so busy celebrating yellowfin tuna, roosterfish and cubera snapper that we’ve made scant mention of Amberjack and Almaco Jack, hard-pulling reef-dwellers that have attacked our baits and lures. While they have unfairly been denied our full respect, others throughout the world target these so-called “reef donkeys.”

While there are some quality bass fishing reservoirs in the Mid-Atlantic, most of our best fisheries are rivers – and specifically tidal rivers. If you fish around here you’re going to need to learn to deal with the tides, or else you’re going to struggle. Here’s the gear to get it right and look good doing it.

For some people, fishing is just an excuse to sit in a boat and drink beer. I’ve never felt that way – the fishing always comes first – but I do enjoy a libation on occasion. On every visit to Anglers Inn I have a few and they keep them coming. If you’re up to the challenge, your glass or hand will never go empty. Whether you want to celebrate a new personal best, or mourn the loss of a true giant, they’ve got an app for that.

Sometimes it seems that no one wants to be an outdoor writer anymore. That’s a mistake if you love to fish because it opens up worlds of opportunity — as long as you’re willing to make certain sacrifices and play by certain rules.

When we're out on the boat on a fishing trip, more than anything else I dress for function over style. I’m mostly concerned with protecting myself from the sun and not sweating to death. However, at some destinations, it feels nice to look a little dressed up in the evening. There’s no dress code, but I like to go to the bar area for a gourmet dinner and look fresh and trendy.

It doesn’t matter where you are in the country or around the world -- on the way to the beach, in the grocery store or driving through Nebraska, far, far from the ocean -- you are almost guaranteed see a SALT LIFE decal on multiple vehicles. Salt Life is not just a brand. It’s not a place. It’s a state of mind. We’re headed on several salty adventures in ’23, starting with Guatemala in February, and I wanted to make sure that I was properly outfitted.

I’ve already made it clear that I think that the mahi mahi is one of the world’s greatest gamefish. They’re beautiful and often live in beautiful, sunny places. Fortunately, many manufacturers have picked up on this and embraced the colorful fish in making bucket hats, straw hats and other shade-providing devices that celebrate this amazing fighter (and meal). Here are a dozen of my favorites.

With the world nearly fully opened up for the first time in a couple of years, it’s been a banner period for going places, seeing things and catching personal bests. Here are some fishing and travel links we’ve found lately that you might find useful, intriguing, curious or downright weird.

We’re just a short time away from the holidays and you still haven’t bought gifts. Maybe you’re indecisive, or lazy, or simply broke. If that’s the case, or Prime can’t get what you want in time, then take a lesson from your grade school self: Make a coupon book. In many cases, these gifts – despite being effectively free – are more useful than the 800th crankbait or hat.

Since Islamorada, I’ve come to understand why so many people like to catch and cook tripletail. While they’re not as pretty or majestic as a sailfish, tarpon or rainbow trout, plenty of people seem to find them art-worthy, because when I conducted a search for tripletail shirts, I was surprised at how many cool ones I found.

Of the many places we’ve traveled to fish, Mexico is the one that feels most like home. Through 20 or so trips, we’ve grown fond of the people, the culture, the fishing and the food. Nevertheless, we have comparatively few reminders of our many trips South of the Border so I set out to find some gear that might provide a fun reminder of our many trips to Mexico.

Last year our new friends Carl and Lisa Vicars joined us at Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge to chase all sorts of crazy saltwater beasts. Afterwards, Carl put together a great video of the experience. Apparently they weren’t lying when they said they had a good time because they came back for another shot.

Our travel in 2022 hasn’t been entirely effortless or free of complications, but overall we’ve been pretty lucky. That’s something to be thankful for, because oftentimes trips are marred by things outside of your control. Here are a handful of links that will remind you that your travel life is surprisingly boring.

I’ve already waxed semi-poetically about the fish known as mahi mahi. They’re also called some other things, including “dorado” and – quite confusingly – dolphin. The capture of a leaping, colorful and tasty fish certainly merits a beer or three. Fortunately, there are quite a few named after the fighter.

I wish I had someone to send a letter from Guatemala. What would make it even sweeter is to stamp it with a piece of postage emblematic of the experience – pez vela. I could not find a Guatemalan stamp with a picture of the fish that we’re there to target, but apparently lots of other countries have decided that bringing the mail should have a sailfish licked in place.

Unfortunately, in between tuna trips, the only reminders I have of this incredible species are my pictures, my souvenirs and the occasional tuna steak or bowl of poke. Accordingly, I spend a lot of time on the internet chasing down tuna ephemera and memorabilia. I already have more fishing shirts than I can ever wear, yet I’m always on the hunt for more. Here are some great tuna versions I’ve found lately.

Just like last year’s trip to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame induction dinner, my first stop this year after the rental car counter was the nearby Bait WrX tackle shop. I probably would have chosen that route anyway, but at the recent Swimbait Universe Gathering, Brad Vanderpool asked if I’d ever been there. When I responded that I’d visited in October of 2021, he replied, “It has changed a lot since then.” Challenge accepted, my friend.

Whether I am fishing for bluegill (where the descriptor is wholly appropriate) or marlin (where it is most definitely not), I almost always refer to my lure as “my cricket.” Truth be told, I haven’t used a live cricket as bait in possibly as many as 40+ years. Back then, I couldn’t legally drink, but now I can and I’m going to try to celebrate the cricket era of my life with a beer.

If you can’t be in Springfield, Missouri this week for the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame’s 2022 induction ceremony, you can still participate in the unbelievable online auction that will accompany the event. It’s chock full of all sorts of fishing tackle, but on top of that there are many one-of-a-kind items where if you snooze you’ll never have a shot to get it back.