Female fly fishing guides at Bear Trail Lodge in King Salmon Alaska with three-time TTBC Champion Keith Combs of Huntington, TX
 

The People Who Inspire our Adventures

Through fishing we have met some unforgettable characters, and we want you to know them, too.

people Tiffanie Palaniuk and Hanna Robbins people Tiffanie Palaniuk and Hanna Robbins

Tiffanie Palaniuk’s Long Haul RV Fishing Travels

Tiffanie Palaniuk is an integral part of the Palaniuk family fishing team — and a big part of that is her ability to tow, set up and maintain their 5th wheel camper. Here’s her story, with lots of good tips on the camping lifestyle.

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people Jennifer Combs people Jennifer Combs

An El Salto Birthday Celebration With My Sister

The staff at Anglers Inn makes every trip special but this time they went over the top for us. They had a cake to celebrate our birthdays and we smashed our face into it at the same time and then laughed hysterically. It was also my best trip to El Salto so far from a fishing perspective and I was thrilled to share it with my sister Janet.

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people Hanna Robbins people Hanna Robbins

Kristine Rygas Commands the Front Deck

On her fourth trip to Anglers Inn, Kristine Rygas and I finally got the chance to catch up on some tea and fish together. I won't bore you with our girly talk, although you might find it tantalizing, but I will share the details of our amazing morning on the water. I was thrilled to get her out of her angling comfort zone with new lures and strategies.

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

Rooster Tales

The third member of the Half Past First Cast team takes lots of blame and gets few perks. Rooster doesn’t get to go to Mexico or Alaska or Guatemala, but he does get to go to camp. Then again, why would he need to take a vacation – he’s on PERMANENT vacation.

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

Guides Who’ve Gone Above and Beyond

Fortunately, there are people for whom guiding is a way of life, and Hanna and I have been lucky to fish with a handful who’ve checked off all of the boxes for excellence. We’ve also been spoiled in terms of how much effort they put in.

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people Hanna Robbins people Hanna Robbins

Steve Yatomi: The Man Who Taught Us How to Travel the Right Way

Steve Yatomi of Adventure Travel Alliance has been a huge influence on the development of this website. Steve has guided us through two trips to the Amazon and a magical three-week adventure to Africa that changed our lives. There are lots of outfitters and tour guides out there, but the reason that Steve is so special is because just about everyone he meets becomes his family.

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

Kermett Adams: Bulletproof Baits for Toothy Fish and Other Exotics

Many of the exotic fishing travel specialists I follow – guys like Steve Yatomi, Larry Walker, Steve Ryan, Art Weston, Joe “Sparky” Bullock and Bob Daly – all rely on K Lures from Kermett Adam. Indeed, several of them also work with him on his constantly-evolving product lineup as they search for lures that cannot be destroyed by peacocks, golden dorado or GTs. Here is Kermett’s story in his own words.

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

George Robey: Our Fishing Guru in Africa

Gentleman George insisted on treating us like royalty with the few spare hours we had in Johannesburg. First, he arranged for a fantastic dinner with much of the top brass of South African bass fishing, and then the next morning – as Hanna went to a local handicrafts market — George took me on a whirlwind tour of the area’s tackle shops. He knew everyone and everyone seemed to rely upon his counsel and friendship.

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people Hanna Robbins people Hanna Robbins

Kayla Jocumsen — Fear HER Heart

How many people are at the intersection of two famous fishing families? Kayla Jocumsen is one of the few that fits this description and the families she represents hail from two of the most unlikely locales – Coeur D’Alene Idaho and Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. She may typically operate behind the scenes but it’s time to put this multi-talented woman’s story out in the open.

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people Hanna Robbins people Hanna Robbins

Meet Mrs. Ike — Becky Iaconelli Runs the Show

If Becky Iaconelli isn’t pulling a trailer, hanging out on the back of her son’s boat, chasing after her “moose,” digging in her garden, concocting a batch of something in her kitchen, getting fashion advice from her daughter or running her husband’s company, then perhaps she might be getting some shuteye.

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

“Hey, You Scratched My Anchor”

If you’ve read my writings for any period of time, you likely know that “on steroids” is one of my least favorite phrases. As in: “Redfish are just bass on steroids” or “This swimbait is like a Keitech on steroids.” No. Just no. A deeper dive into the fishing canon reveals another contender for the crown of fishing clichés: “The Rodney Dangerfield of….”

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people Hanna Robbins people Hanna Robbins

What’s For Dinner? Cooking with Chef Kevin

Since changing my eating habits three years ago I have become Sally Albright, consistently asking chefs to change their dishes to meet my needs. Before visiting Bear Trail Lodge I wrote an email to owner Nanci Morris Lyon and briefed her on my restrictions. She said that would be no problem, thanked me for letting her know in advance, and told me that she would speak with the Chef. The results were incredible!

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

Reuben Hastings: Bristol Bay Renaissance Man

I knew about Reuben Hastings even before I got to Bear Trail Lodge in 2019. My friend Robb Yagmin had mentioned a young, extraordinary guide from another part of Bristol Bay, and how much all of the clients loved him, so when Keith Combs and I got in the boat with Reuben on our first day on the Naknek I was immediately at ease. Yes, we were on his turf, but not only were his skills immediately evident, but it was also clear that he shared our same sense of humor. It was like being in a boat with your longtime best friend.

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people Hanna Robbins people Hanna Robbins

Julia Kennedy, Road Warrior

Julia Kennedy, the mastermind behind team Kennedy (Elite Series pro Steve is her assistant) does more than most, and has seen more than most. If you want proof, just ask her kids, who can tell you more about geography, marine biology and American history than most PhD candidates.

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people Pete Robbins people Pete Robbins

Chad Morgenthaler: A Guide's Guide to Table Rock

For most of his two decades as a professional angler, Chad Morgenthaler’s bio indicated that he called Illinois home, but a few years ago his mailing address changed to Kimberling City, Missouri. The veteran of six Bassmaster Classics and one Forrest Wood Cup has experienced several of his career highlights in Florida – a 2013 win on Okeechobee and a 2015 victory on Toho – but when it came time to move he selected the lush Ozarks over the palm trees of the sunshine state.

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