Pete Robbins

Fishing Writer

Pete Robbins is a contributing writer for Field & Stream. He has covered the bass tournament scene for nearly two decades, with an emphasis on treating the once-humble pastime as part art, part science and part spectator sport. He is particularly interested in tackle trends and has an obsessive need to acquire more gear, particularly high-end Japanese lures and discontinued garage baits from around the country and around the world. He’s also a globe-traveling angler, and would consider giving up bass for a chance to pop for tuna and other saltwater beasts more regularly.

Highlights

Major interests and skills include, on-the-water bass tournament coverage, travel blogging, and obscure lures
Writer for several television shows on the Outdoor Channel.
Board Member, Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
Senior Writer, Bassmaster Publications, blogger at Gary Yamamoto’s Inside Line since 2008. Once published in Goat Rancher Magazine.

Experience

Robbins has covered Bassmaster Classics from the water for well over a decade and has frequently been the closest person to the action when the champ caught his winning fish. Robbins has developed a rapport with industry insiders, including many of the top pros. He is also on the Board of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

In recent years he’s taken his show on the road, traveling everywhere from Alaska to Brazil to Zambia to knock bucket list fish off the list. (The only problem is that the list keeps getting longer.) His latest obsession involves both inshore and offshore angling off Central America—the more obscure the better. His primary goals right now are to chase Giant trevally in the South Pacific and to catch a South American arapaima on a swimbait.

Education

Robbins has both a BA and a JD from Columbia University. He has practiced law for 26 years and currently works for a cabinet level federal agency.

F&S Lightning Round

Favorite Place to Fish: Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama (saltwater) and Amazonas, Brazil (freshwater),
Favorite Fish to Catch: Largemouth and smallmouth bass will always be my true loves, but lately yellowfin tuna have been making a move on my affections,
Bucket List Adventure: Definitely the Seychelles or Maldives for giant trevally. I’d love for the plane home to get indefinitely delayed—as long as I still had braided line and poppers left,
Best Piece of Outdoor Advice: I can’t decide if the best fishing advice I ever received was, “Start early and stay late,” or, “Get the best rainsuit you can afford,” but in hindsight I see that they’re inextricably linked. Despite what the “great sunrise” folks will tell you, a huge part of fishing satisfaction comes down to landing fish. You can’t catch fish if you don’t put in the time, and you can’t put in the time if you don’t have the right gear to stay comfortable. I’m a cheap SOB, but when it comes to fishing gear, I’ll spend what I have to in order to give myself any possible edge.,
Favorite Piece of Gear: My Bass Cat boat. It’s ridiculously fast, but that’s not why I love it so much. Instead, it’s because it has consistently gotten me back dry and with my spine intact in unexpected conditions not suitable for a 20-foot boat.