I thought we were the only angling family crazy enough to have an Australian Shepherd (we didn’t learn the first time), but there are several of them out on the bass tours. Here are their thoughts on the breed.

If you want to get a gift for the angler in your life (or for yourself) that they can eat in the boat, there are many options. One is to go to Costco and get the biggest box of beef jerky or candy bars or protein shakes you can fit in your vehicle. Another, more memorable choice, is to get them something more personalized.

There’s no question that the Ned Rig catches fish – and not just numbers of peckerheads but some true giants. It seems to elicit strong reactions, both pro and con. Fortunately, now there’s clothing available to advertise your true feelings about this finesse-oriented fish catcher.

I’ve been to Hawaii twice, but despite spending a lot of time in and around the water, I did not fish at all. Until that happens, I’ll have to looking forward to the next trip. If you are into both fishing and Hawaii, here are some fishing clothing options that might get you in the mood.

Among the many things that make America amazing is the fact that we’re big enough for not just one, but at least TWO Nutria Rodeos. The original was in Mobile, Alabama. More recently, Venice, Louisiana added one of their own, offering up prizes for the largest nutria killed and the most nutria per boat. There is also a nutria toss.

Every time I think I’ve put Ascension Island in the rearview mirror, Google tempts me with factoids, reopenings and souvenirs. Here’s an update to our list of ideas and souvenirs.

Back in the 1990s my brother bought me a t-shirt from Stroud’s Restaurant in Kansas City which read in large letters, “We choke our own chickens!” I thought it was pretty funny until some woman in the airport took offense. That shirt has been lost to the ravages of time, but if you want something similar you can get the one seen above from Skinner Baits.

While there are threats to sharks in some areas due to practices like “finning,” in many sport fisheries they have become an uncontrollable nuisance. They’ve learned that hooked fish are easy prey, and hooked fish tend to be in close proximity to fishing boats. Beware of the Tax Man.

While Giant Needlefish are not a species that we’ve ever targeted, at least partially because they’re a pain in the ass to handle, truth be told they fight hard, jump a lot and grow fairly large.

Outdoor writing doesn’t really pay well, and it doesn’t get much glory, but it can be immensely rewarding. Here are five mistakes I’ve made (plus a bonus category) so aspiring writers won’t have to repeat them.

Half Past First Cast, this joint project with my lovely wife Hanna, is not my first entry in the world of fishing blogs. I started blogging at Yamamoto’s Inside Line in late 2008. If you’re creative, or want to boost your fishing industry career, consider starting one of your own.

If you like big ‘buts and you cannot lie, we have the perfect apparel for you, fresh from Buttwhackers on the Spit in Homer, Alaska. Great stuff from true fishing town.

After recently exploring the intersection of pinup art and fishing gear, I learned that there’s an Australian company that has some long-sleeved shirts that fit the bill. They don’t just include “normal” species like marlin and tuna, either, but also some species you don’t normally see on shirts, like barramundi.

Salt Life is contributing to the restoration and rebuilding of Maui, a place I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice. They’ve partnered with the American Red Cross, and gross profit of $18 from the sale of each “Maui Strong” t-shirt will work to provide aid, food and shelter to the community affected by the wildfire.

I’m a sucker for a good pinup picture. While they have a long history in the US, they’re most closely associated with the WW2 era. If you can add in something fishing-related that just makes it better. Here are a few examples.

I’m not a grammar expert, but I strongly believe in avoiding the avoidable mistakes. Here are a few that I regularly see in fishing magazines, websites and blogs that make me think the writer is either unschooled, uncaring or an idiot.

With the end of our 30+ year careers possibly approaching, Hanna and I have begun planning the next chapter of our life. We call it “retirement,” although we’ll continue to work in the fishing industry. We haven’t spent a ton of time in Panama, but we’ve liked what we’ve seen.

Our seventh replica took a while to get here, but it was worth the wait. The fiberglass smallmouth bass from Advanced Taxidermy looks like it could flick its tail and swim away — and reminds me daily of that incredibly special catch.

As I’ve written many times before, the late development of my writing career has paid countless dividends and I feel like it’s just getting started. I’ve had some great mentors, and most of the learning experiences have been relatively painful. I don’t know precisely what the future of fishing media holds, but I can tell you that there’s still tons of opportunity for savvy, hard workers.

Is the Arctic Grayling the Rodney Dangerfield of Alaskan sportfish? They’re beautiful, they fight hard, they’re prolific and it seems they get absolutely no respect. That’s reflected in the amount of swag with grayling represented prominently. Grayling gear is limited – here are a few pieces I could find.