As we get ready for Baja in November, I know that I don’t need any souvenirs other than memories of big fish, but I’ll likely try to find something tangible as well. Maybe it’ll be a piece of wall art, or a hat, but there’s a decent chance I’ll add to my ever-growing t-shirt collection.

Various species of tropical wrasses rank high on my bucket list of species, but I had no idea that there’d be beers named after them. Trout? Sure. Marlin? Of course? Tarpon? They drive people to drink. But wrasses seemed like a stretch. Nevertheless, the beer manufacturers have indeed gone there.

We’ve dreamed about Giant Trevally since seeing the video of Geets eating Sooty Terns. We’ve caught some bluefin trevally and learned about other members of the genus Caranx. They’re a known commodity in the areas they inhabit, and many countries have immortalized them on postage stamps.

I’ve gotten paid for my outdoor writing for over two decades. You can debate whether the tax system is fair, but no one can dispute that it’s here and it’s complicated, and if you don’t comply you can get in a world of hurt. Here are tips for freelancers.

For a long time I’ve assumed that my next fish replica will be something salty – perhaps a roosterfish or cubera snapper, but perhaps the answer has been under my nose the whole time. Before we leave Virginia, maybe we should memorialize the northern snakehead.

If you enjoy both pinup art and fishing, there are plenty of options to combine the two, whether in art or apparel. You can also celebrate the two with decals and bumper stickers. Put ‘em on your truck, your boat, your laptop, or on the wall of your favorite bar.

The Palomar Knot might be the most frequently-used knot among serious bass anglers. Even if they don’t use it to affix a lure to the line, they almost certainly use it to attach their dropshot hook. It’s easy to tie and exceptionally strong. If you want something even stronger, consider the Double Palomar.

I’ve always been a big fan of professional fishing, but professional wrestling doesn’t move the needle. Nevertheless, if you combined the two and got “trucha libre” it might be more appealing to those of us who love the outdoors.

Dan Smith has written a fishing travel book that makes me jealous — not just for the amazing places he’s gone before me, but also for his unique attitude and perspective that he brings to the process.

Wherever we fish and there’s aquatic vegetation there tend to be coots. They’re awkward birds, and as Bill Lowen found out, they can also be a hazard to your health, in which case you might be driven to drink. If and when that happens, there are a bunch of coot-themed beers ready to go.

Until recently we did not know about Dip Net Live Bait and Tackle, right on the Detroit River, south of downtown, and almost due east of the airport. They’ve gained some notoriety with their signature gear advertising the city as Pound Town.

Roosterfish have quickly become one of our favorite species to target. We still intend to get Hanna a replica when she catches a true trophy, but if that day doesn’t come soon we might have to invest in some alternate artwork, like these metal pieces.

I’ll admit that it’s an unfair form of fish bigotry that I’ve never considered blue catfish as a desirable species for a replica mount. We typically don’t target them, but one time that we did we had a blast and caught eight of them between 32 and 59 pounds.

When you decide to get a fish replica, there are several decisions you should not take lightly. First, you want to choose the right artist – someone who is reliable, has the right mold, and does quality work at a fair price. After that, however, it comes down to getting the particular piece of art that fits your needs.

De Kromme Haring in the Netherlands offers a Chopique Belgian Tripel – “A big and warming beer with hints of banana, vanilla, almond paste and citrus peel. A perfective digestive after a festive meal or for a cozy night in on a winter night.”

I’m not great at bed fishing, but it’s something I look forward to every year, and I feel accomplished when I manage to fool one. One way to get better is to pick the brain of a sight fishing guru like Elite Series pro Drew Benton.

I’ve taken three Alaska halibut trips. I enjoy it for two reasons: the fish grow huge and they’re my favorite cold water species to eat. If we imbibe when chasing barn doors it’s usually beer, but if you’re looking for something more thematically-appropriate, consider these options.

I really want to shoot a turkey, but in order to make that happen I had to learn some shotgun basics. Todd Wright of Wright Way Shooting got me headed in the proper direction.

Here on the Potomac, snakeheads are here to stay. I find that they’ve become tougher to catch – at least when I’m targeting them – but I see some on just about every trip. If you’re intrigued by old snakey, you should be aware that the news about their various types and locations keeps on coming.

Catching your biggest largemouth bass is nothing short of electric. It’s the kind of moment that makes time slow down — your heart’s pounding, hands are shaking, and for a second, it’s just you and that fish, and you just hope you get her in the boat.