
Stuff We Like Inspired by our Travel
Fishing should be fun. Part of that is art and food and other things that don't put fish in the boat, but nevertheless make you enjoy the process more.
Brandon Palaniuk’s “Welcome to the Big Leagues” Moment with Zell Rowland
Brandon Palaniuk says he was never hazed during the 2011 Elite Series season, when he finished 37th in the points as a rookie. In fact, he said everyone was friendly, bordering on encouraging. Even when they played the “veteran card” on him, it was to help him be more efficient – as in this story with Zell Rowland.
Dogs of Lake Atitlan Guatemala
My love of fish and fishing is second only to my love of dogs, especially our dog Rooster. After our last amazing Casa Vieja Lodge sailfish trip we traveled to Lake Atitlan, the volcanic lake in Guatemala and I fell in love -- with the villages’ dogs.
Beer of the Week – Jungle Love (RIP)
How is it possible that we never tried Tucunaré Premium Lager from Cervejaria Geada Negra (Black Frost Brewery), a beer that celebrates one of our favorite fish — the peacock bass?
Check Out our New Testimonials Page – PROOF. TRUST. EXPERIENCE.
We’ve added a Testimonials page to our website so you can see what our travel companions think about our services. We want to give you the best fishing experience possible — and thought it would pay to hear what we can give from unbiased travelers.
How to Tie the Bimini Twist
The Bimini Twist creates a double line with the loop at the end – and retains a substantial amount of the line’s strength. It’s not an easy one, but there are a wide variety of tutorials on the internet to guide you through the process. Here are some of my favorites.
We All Like to Be on Top When We Drink
I’ve recently determined that my favorite sort of fishing doesn’t involve a particular species, but rather a particular way to catch them – topwater. I also like beer. Here are a few that combine those two thrills.
Dotting the “I” – A Fish Story
Jack Wollitz recently told me about efforts to organize the Ohio Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, which should announce their first class of inductees on May 30 of this year. The nominating committee consists of Wollitz, Mark Hicks, D'Arcy Egan and Doug Clifford along with veteran anglers Ray Halter, Bill Byers and Rich Carter.
Fish Replicas on Ice
I often think we should get a replica of the 31” brown trout that Hanna caught through the ice in Milwaukee. If we were to get a reproduction made, I’d like it to somehow show that we pulled her through a hole in the ice. Fortunately, there are lots of taxidermists who create such scenes.
How to Safely and Properly Land and Release Billfish
Now that we’ve been bitten by the offshore fishing bug, we want to fully partake in the experience. We’re not quite ready to release the fish solo in a safe manner. Part of the issue is that they are so much bigger than fish like the bass we catch at home. Furthermore, as their name suggests, they have sharp bills that can be used as weapons.
9 Pieces of Fishing and Travel News to Start off 2025
As we enter a new year of fishing travel and get set to conclude five full years of blogging, we remain committed to helping you plan for and enjoy trips of your own. We scour the internet daily to find information that we believe might help – if it inspires you or helps you avoid a mistake then we’ve done our job.
Top Ten Posts in the History of Half Past First Cast
Since launching this website early in 2020, we’ve posted nearly 2000 articles, snippets and gear guides aimed at helping people with their fishing travel. Yesterday we outlined the top ten posts of 2024. Here are the top ten performers of all time.
Our Top Ten HPFC Posts of 2024
The popularity (or lack thereof) of certain HPFC posts continues to amaze me. Sometimes we’ll write something that we expect to resonate with our readers and it flops, while other times an expected “throwaway” post goes gangbusters. Here are our ten top-performing posts from 2024.
Be the Bait Ball
As we’ve gotten more involved with offshore fishing, we’ve learned of the power of bait balls. Species including sailfish and yellowfin tuna herd up various forage species and then strategically feast upon them until they’re full. Plenty of clothing manufacturers give you a way to wear that obsession.
My 2024 Writing Record
After two decades of writing outdoor writing, I remain passionate about the creation process. I often still go to bed thinking about the last piece I wrote and wake up ready to write the next one. It’s a constantly-changing industry, but I’m proud of the fact that I’ve bobbed and weaved effectively, such that I’ve yet to be knocked out.
Death Row Meals of the Megabass Pro Staff
When I got together with some of the Megabass team, I asked their pros about their “Death Row Meals.” Their answers are in this video. What they all have in common is that they all gravitate to a taste of home.
Do Fish Eat Boogers? Digging Even Deeper
Recently I asked “Do Fish Eat Boogers?” in order to list a bunch of lures with “booger” or “snot” in their names. Suddenly my feed was filled with all sorts of suggestions at the intersection of snot and fish. I had no idea how much research and inquiry had been done into more in-depth explorations of mucophagy.
Celebrate Fish Tacos Any Day of the Week
We travel to Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala largely for the unparalleled sailfishing, there’s another species that plays a critical role: the mahi mahi. Most of the boats have kitchens onboard where the mates will prepare a hot lunch. If you catch a mahi early in the day, that’s what you’ll get.
Get Gaffed
Gaffing is surprisingly satisfying, and only slightly harder than it looks. If it's something that you like to do, there are plenty of shirts to express that passion.
T-Bone Steak, Cheese Eggs and Welch’s Grape
I’ve previously blogged about the connection between Brooklyn, the Notorious BIG, and fishing, apparently the obviousness of it all extends all the way to New Zealand. OTL Lures came up with the “Big Popper” t-shirt and as the website says, if you don’t know…now you now.
You Don’t Know Jack (But You Can Wear One)
I’ll admit, when we hook a jack crevalle in Panama there’s a tinge of disappointment. That’s unfair because they’re aggressive biters and dogged fighters. So if you are a late-to-the-party fan of this underrated fighter, you can show your love with a shirt.
