If you like to fish, you owe it to the sport to give back — through donations, membership or sweat equity. Here are some organizations and efforts worthy of your help.

We surf the web so you don’t have to – and also because we’re addicted to the process. Yes, we spend lots of time watching YouTube fish porn and reading fishing articles, but many pieces that ostensibly have nothing to do with angling or travel prove meaningful because they reflect our values, goals and interests.

The biggest hindrance to becoming a happier angler is ego. Once you realize that it’s OK to suck at the outset, your learning curve will spike upward and you’ll enjoy your time on the water more.

Every angler has his or her favorite gamefish. Perhaps it’s the one they chase the most, or one they’ve never even chased but dream of capturing. I think that the mahi mahi may be the greatest. I’ve caught quite a few, in several different countries, and hope to chase many more before I make my last cast.

There are thousands of books about all facets of fishing available to the consumer — if you know where to look. Here are some places to start your search.

Hanna and I got our first taste of South American exotics when we fished the Miami Airport canals in 2010 with guide Alan Zaremba and that’s what inspired us to make multiple trips to Brazil. If for any reason – cost, fear, logistics – you can’t make it to Brazil, Florida remains an amazing option for all kinds of illegally-introduced-but-fun-to-catch-species.

Our second trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge scratched my roosterfish itch a bit, after a 26 year lag between Pez Gallo captures. If you too are fascinated by these inshore brawlers, there are plenty of hats, shirts and artwork depicting them. Here are nine more examples that have caught my eye recently.

If you’re compiling a “life list” of fish species, buy a chart so that you’ll know exactly what you’ve seen or caught. Here are some we found for fishing in Panama.

I like it when the Bassmaster Classic visits Lake Hartwell. Not only is it a great tournament venue and one of the closest Classic locations to home (just an 8 hour drive), but it also gives me an opportunity to visit one of America’s great local tackle shops: Lake Hartwell Fishing and Marine.

The Dallas Safari Club convention was at times overwhelming – the biggest trade show I’ve ever attended, with all sorts of exoticism pulling me in 12 directions at once. More than anything, though, it was the taxidermy that stood out to me. Here are some of the ones that stood out.

If you like to fish and you like jewelry, why not combine those passions? I’ve picked up fishy pieces (both pricey and inexpensive) all over the world to remind us of our travels and our on the water exploits.

The Robbins households are all havens for immaturity. Every family member, from the youngest to the oldest, laughs when the ketchup bottle “farts.” We’re all veterans of the “pull my finger” routine. I may have taken it to another level, barely managing to stifle a laugh whenever my fishing partner says “stick it in that bush.”

I had so much fun writing about Cliff Outdoors fly boxes adorned with roosterfish that I’ve continued to spend hours upon hours combing through Instagram. Not surprisingly, a great number of angling artists have used these perfect palettes to paint or draw their favorite species. Many have chosen peacock bass at their subjects.

If you’re looking for a quick and clear book on where and when to fish the Pacific side of Central America, Ray Rychnovsky’s “Fishing Guide to Central America’s Prolific Pacific” is a good place to start.

I’ve already outlined some of the big-ticket, non-negotiable rules that’ll help you get more work and complete it more efficiently, but here are seven more that have really helped me build my outdor writing career. They’re not exactly secrets, but ignore them at your own peril.

In Panama, some of the charter boats work together with the commercial boats, making use of makeshift fish aggregating devices to catch monster yellowfin tuna.

In my search for fishing art, I’ve repeatedly come across the yellow fly boxes made by Cliff Outdoors. Their yellow exterior lends itself particularly well to artwork. Normally that consists of trout or tarpon or redfish or some other more widely-spread species, but I’ve also found plenty with great renderings of Pez Gallo.

Part of the fun of tuna fishing is that you later eat the suckers, but getting there requires that you stick a gaff in ‘em and then bleed ‘em out – and bleed they do, a seemingly endless red stream. Several clothing companies have recognized this and have taken both lighthearted and practical ways of dealing with it.

Leroy Boss booked four days of fishing with Hill Country Hammer Guides and was rewarded with the trip of a lifetime – a 13-03 largemouth on Day One, and a 12-10 on Day Four. He commemorated the experience with an unbelievable table mount of the two bass, along with myriad other critters and habitat.

During our most recent trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge, Hanna and I both caught bluefin trevally. Pictures do not do justice to their vibrant blue streaks, spots and splotches. They may not be a “bucket list” species for many anglers, so I was surprised to find that you can nevertheless get clothing that replicates their colors.