I grew up a tackle shop rat. Wherever my family lived from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Racine, Wisconsin, I’d always be at the local store, hanging out and spending my allowance money. Call me ...

I’ve met every kind of fishermen imaginable, and the one I like the least is the guy who insists that everything he has—from his socks to his sunglasses strap—is the most expensive money can buy.

I think it’s fair to say that the average angler gravitates toward the latest and greatest developments in tackle. Don’t get me wrong, I do too. I’m always eager to try a new lure on my home waters, ...

A hook, line, rod, and reel. Those four components are the minimum gear requirements for catching a fish. Unfortunately, it gets a lot more complicated than that. While the bare essentials might get ...