No matter where you’re fishing, no matter when you’re going, there are certain items that should remain permanently packed. Here are eight that I don’t leave home without.

When I go on a fishing trip, it’s about more than catching fish. It’s about finding products that work for me and for my readers. To quote Bryan Adams: “Everything I do, I do it for you.” Prior to our recent trip to El Salto, I wrote about a few items I planned to torture test. Now I’m reporting back, on those and some others that also passed with flying colors.

The rod that excited me most before our recent trip to Mexico was a Dobyns Rods Champion XP DC 795 SB, 7’9” and rated for 1 to 5 ounce lures. While I certainly hadn’t dialed in the big bait game in Mexico, I reasoned that part of the problem was not having the right gear—with the proper equipment I’d be more apt to confidently and efficiently chuck the big stuff around.

We’ve already provided a list of the lures that did or did not work for us on our June 2021 trip to Anglers Inn Lake El Salto. It was an exceptional trip, with I believe more 3- to 6-pound class fish than on any prior visit. Of course, being a confirmed tackle junkie, I can’t just leave it as a simple list – each additional trip provides revelations, discoveries and slight differences that I find noteworthy. Here are 10 of them.

The number one question Hanna and I get before and after every trip to Anglers Inn in Mexico is “what are they biting on?” Everyone wants to know the hot bait or secret bait to squeeze in on that last express-mailed Tackle Warehouse order. Because we have no real sponsors or advertisers, we’re able to tell it like it is.

I want to try some new things on our upcoming trip to Anglers Inn El Salto. We’ve proven again and again down there that the Gary Yamamoto Senko is magic, but we always use the same colors. I wanted to test out if some different colors could help me get an edge. These are the three that I chose.

The concept of “match the hatch” has been drilled into every angler’s head since they first picked up the sport, so when bass fishermen head to Mexico many of them seek out lures that replicate tilapia. It makes sense – even though bass at lakes like El Salto and Picachos feed on other baitfish, it’s the prolific tilapia fisheries that make them grow so big.

After many Google searches, I decided to purchase the Pelican Black 1510 case with TrekPak dividers and mesh lid organizer. It took a while to convince myself. Did I need something so expensive and “professional”? After pulling the trigger, setting it up and traveling to Panama the answer was clear: “Why didn’t I purchase this sooner?”

Sometimes at El Salto you can get more and bigger bites by having different lures than everyone else. You can also maximize your landing percentages in various ways. Here are three tweaks I may try on our next trip South of the Border to maximize my catch-and-land rate.

In addition to the peacock choppers that we’ve used so successfully in Brazil, Kermett also makes cup-mouthed poppers for species including Golden Dorado and tuna. After a couple of conversations, I ordered one each of two sizes: one with the flag of Panama and the other with the Half Past First Cast logo. Should we fish them????

Confidence is a a huge part of fishing success and you can’t gain confidence in a lure until you’ve caught a pile of fish on it. Here are two lures that I’ve used successfully in various places, and two that I know will work but still need to get better to gain true confidence.

We’re headed back to El Salto shortly, for our close-to-annual May/June offshore slugfest. My understanding is that the water is at unusually low levels, even for a time of year when it’s normally at its lowest. I’m hoping that bodes well for us. Despite my pledge to keep it basic, I can’t go South of the Border without at least trying a few new tackle items. Here are three of the ones I’m most excited about.

Tidal rivers in general and the James in particular often befuddle anglers used to lakes. Not only do the water level swings create navigational issues, but you can be on the best spot at the worst tide and think that it is barren. Fortunately, my friend Lin Bell, owner of Toano, Virginia's Fishing Pro Tech, knows what the bass on these waters chew over other options.

The captains we’ve fished with in places like Guatemala and Panama have a device in their boats specifically aimed at keeping big bait fresh – so whether you’re chasing marlin, big tuna, roosterfish or some other salty creature, you’ll always have the proper temptation.

On this June 2021 trip to El Salto, Anglers Inn, I am going to make it my goal to fish with all types of different swimbaits while others are cranking. I’ll be back in touch to let you know how my research turned out. Now it’s back to the garage to load a Plano tackle box with an assortment of swimbaits.

Hanna and I weren’t going to miss out on the opportunity to stock our freezer with tuna, so prior to our trip to Panama we obtained a Yeti Hopper M30 Soft Cooler. It seemed to get the best overall reviews and have the greatest versatility and functionality for our purposes. Here’s how it fared.

In order to “listen” to your guide effectively, sometimes you need to know what questions to ask. They’ll often recommend specific lures in particular colors. Having the right lure is of course key, but if you don’t put it in the right places you’re just wasting your time. That’s why before making my first cast, I always ask, “Which way?”

Just six months ago I described my quest to find the perfect women’s fishing shorts. It’s something that shouldn’t be too hard – they just need to be flattering, durable, functional. Unfortunately, it seems like an endless search.

We went to Panama hoping that we’d get into some topwater tuna and our piscatorial prayers were answered with some exceptional popping action. Even for an over-optimistic topwater junkie like me, it exceeded expectations.

Raised on a TV diet of Roland Martin hooksets, I knew that you had to try to drive steel through their brains, but apparently Hanna hadn’t watched the same shows and I wasn’t very good at explaining what to do. We both had to relearn setting the hook when we ventured to Guatemala and Panama.