Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits makes a wide variety of soft plastics in tons of effective colors, but if we’re forced to get down to five it requires a little bit of effort. Here’s what we chose. What would you bring to El Salto or Picachos?

Here are five lures from Strike King Lure Company that will be in my Mexican tackle bag for the foreseeable future, with my favorite color of each listed. Let us know your Strike King favorites for South of the Border.

With two trips to El Salto on the calendar for 2022, I’m already starting to think about techniques I’d like to try and new lures to bring. I check the “New Items” tab on Tackle Warehouse just about every day, and here are some of the newish lures that have attracted my attention. Some may already be in my go-bag, while others are in my online cart ready for purchase.

Chad Morgenthaler knows that a jig is a key tournament tool, and he’s dialed in sizes and colors for Ozarks region lakes like Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Lake of the Ozarks and many others. If you’re headed that way, pay attention to the following video to narrow down your choices.

When do you find out that your waterproof rain jacket isn’t waterproof any longer? Unfortunately, it takes a good soaking rain to make that realization. When it recently came time to replace my green Marmot rain jacket that has been around the world, I went with a surprising model from Gill.

It makes sense to buy gifts that are not only practical but also protective. Fishing and boating gear, as well as outdoor-oriented clothing, has become much more refined in recent years. Whether you’re trying to protect your skin, your valuables or your boat, there’s something good on the market, often for a surprisingly reasonable cost.

On our recent trip to Panama, Captain Juan Diego opened this mini-Pelican case took his morning video, put the phone back in the foam slot and snapped the case back together before getting on the boat and throwing the case on the console. Guess what came in the mail this weekend? That’s right, two Pelican Go G40 cases.

Believe it or not it’s the holidays again and if you are like most you haven’t purchased all your gifts yet. Let me help you with some great ideas for any fishing fanatic, frequent traveler, or any Joe Bag of Donuts, including yourself. Here are some travel-tested recommendations that you might not have considered.

There’s something particularly gratifying in learning about a lure from a trusted friend or confidante. Much of what we’ve lost in the decline of club-oriented fishing is the role of mentorship, so I value it greatly when someone I know tells me “You really need to buy some of these as soon as possible.”

Each time we go to Anglers Inn I try to take new lures, either baits we don’t get to use on our home waters or baits where I need to improve the presentation so I can catch more fish. We’re headed back to Lake El Salto in January. Come with my on my pegboard shopping spree.

If you really want to “match the hatch” on Lake El Salto or Lake Picachos, you might want to find lures that imitate tilapia. Whether it’s a swimbait, crankbait, wire bait or jig, we’ve got you covered.

Daiwa’s JDM travel rod options include a neon green rod that’ll knock your socks off — plus a handful of other big bait options that globetrotting anglers should check out. Supplies may be limited.

People often ask about the best swimbaits to bring to Lake El Salto and Lake Picachos. I’m not a true big bait expert, so I can’t give you the most exciting answers, but I CAN tell you the ones that have produced for me, both deep and shallow, throughout the year.

I always thought that painted blades on spinnerbaits were for two extreme situations – either super-clear water or super-dirty water — but through a happy accident I found out that they work extremely well at Lake El Salto and Lake Picachos. Here are some of our proven winners.

The ICAST show always has a deep bench of products that might not win awards but nevertheless demonstrate staying power. Here are four more from the 2021 show in Orlando that I believe will benefit the traveling angler.

One of my favorite parts of heading to Mexico in May and June is the opportunity to load the boat with big, deep-diving crankbaits. When fish gang up on offshore structure at El Salto and Picachos, there’s no better way to fire up the school and keep them biting than a big diving plug. By “ultra-deep,” I mean something that’ll consistently get down past 20 feet.

We’re returning to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge seven months after our inaugural visit. I have some new gear to wear and otherwise test out, and I’m looking to get better at both the inshore and offshore popping bite.

As you get older your feet may start to betray you. Despite the popular notion that fishing is a lazy person’s activity, standing on one leg to run a trolling motor is tough on the body. So is fighting a big tuna in bucking waves. On a wet deck, if you don’t have adequate traction you can end up cracking your head open or in the drink. Don’t forget to consider your “wheels” when you plan a fishing trip.

While perusing the “Summer Release” tab on Tackle Warehouse recently I came across the 1st Gen FlashX Swim Jig, a lure that literally turns those bladed swim jigs on their heads – instead of a wire protruding from the chin of the lure, it emerges from the top. I suppose in the loosest sense of the word that makes it more of a spinnerbait than a swim jig, but the small #3 blade and titanium wire place it squarely in the jig category for me.

The Alabama Rig can be deadly on northern smallmouth. It’s a great way to catch GIANTS, and few people know more about catching giant northern bronzebacks than television host Mark Zona. He’s an unabashed fan of this multi-wire “home wrecker” and offers several key tackle tips for getting the job done.