By John Merwin

A kayak is one answer to crowded trout streams. Last week, while camping and fishing in northern New Hampshire, I was discouraged to find three or four vehicles at every riverside access. So Mrs. Merwin and I loaded our kayaks in the truck and headed into the backcountry.

It was a great choice, despite--or perhaps because of--some rough woods roads we bumped along on our way to various remote ponds. Being able to soak up the September sun while casting for brook trout (which is what I’m doing in the photo) was pure pleasure. And best of all, there was nobody else around.

By Joe Cermele

A few weeks ago I shoved off to Minnesota to achieve two goals: Fish with my old buddy Dave James who lives in St. Paul and who I haven't seen in over a year, and top the 36-inch muskie (my first ever) that I caught in the last "Hook Shots" episode of 2011. The plan was to set up camp on Mille Lacs Lake with guide Steve Scepaniak, who had been slaying muskies all summer during the crazy heat wave Minnesota had been suffering through. Of course, I show up and so does a cold front, which turned what I'd hoped would be a slamfest (meaning like 6 fish in a few days...we're talking muskies here) into yet another bout of working lures until your arms went numb and hoping and praying for an eater. So did I top my 36-incher despite the conditions? As a matter of fact I did, but not without some nerve-racking shifting on the fly and a lot of luck and some help of wild card guide Josh Stevenson. Enjoy the ride. 

By John Merwin

Very often when I write about various fishing tackle items, some readers comment that they wish the item in question were made in the U.S. They’d be much happier buying a domestic-made product. They’d like to support American jobs in the tackle industry. So this morning I’ll give you a chance to put your money where your mouth is.

American-made fishing tackle is far from dead. To be sure, giant, global-tackle brands such as Daiwa, Shimano, Rapala, and more depend, for the most part, on overseas (usually Asian) factories. But look around a bit, and you’ll find plenty of quality gear that’s made here at home--hook, line and sinker. Here are a few examples.

Fishing lures are the toughest, but there are still notable examples. One is Dardevle spoons (pictured here). Michigan’s Eppinger Manufacturing is in its third generation of family ownership and still stamping out spoons by the millions every year. Want to support American-made? Buy more Dardevles.

By John Merwin

Welcome to the fishing-tackle graveyard, a place where old gear goes to die. The photo shows a shelf in my basement with various reels, long out of service, that I can’t bring myself to throw away. And throwing away is the problem. I can’t do it. So stuff accumulates beyond all reason.

This gets pretty silly as I think of it, but that silliness still won’t take me to the dumpster. Someday I might want or need something from that shelf. Or I might decide to refurbish one of those old reels. A little cleaning, some grease, maybe a few spare parts and any one of them would be fishable again. You never know.