Section
Hunting & Fishing
Seasons, techniques, and the kit that actually helps you stay out longer.
Shimano SLX 150 vs Lew's Speed Spool LFS
Buy the SLX150HG if you crank with your right hand. Buy this Speed Spool if you crank with your left. Confirm 7.2:1 and 6.8:1 before you spool line.
Daiwa BG2500 vs PENN Battle IV 2500
Buy the BG2500 for a long morning of casts. Buy the Battle IV 2500 when the reel lives on a boat. Confirm the 2500 size. Rinse salt.
Vortex Ranger 1800 vs SIG KILO CANYON
Buy the Ranger 1800 for HCD and VIP after a drop. Buy the KILO CANYON for a red LED and HyperScan. Sit to hold 6x. The rifle stays a dealer.
Vortex Diamondback HD vs Nikon Monarch M5
Buy Diamondback HD 10x42 for a hunt and a warranty you will use. Buy Monarch M5 10x42 for ED glass and a close-focus walk. Sit to hold 10x. 8x is the timber.
Glass a Tuesday public scrape at equinox dusk
First full day of fall: last-light public scrape after the weekend walks the field edges. Glass the branch, wear orange, rifle stays at a licensed dealer.
Sit a Monday public oak after weekend pressure
First weekday of fall: sit the mast ridge after Saturday’s trucks leave. Glass the crown, wear orange, and keep the rifle at a licensed dealer.
Bugle a Sunday public elk ridge
The last Sunday before the equinox still has bulls talking. Walk slower, glass the dark timber, wear orange, and keep the rifle at a licensed dealer.
Saturday squirrel when the acorns drop
Late-September mast puts squirrels on the first real acorn rain. Walk slower, glass the crown, wear orange, and keep the rifle at a licensed dealer.
Late September stream trout when nights cool
Cool nights slide trout off the sunny bank into the first honest riffle. Fish smaller flies, wear merino for a 40-degree lot, and walk around spawning gravel.
Baitcaster vs spinning combo for fall bass
Buy a baitcaster for fall cranks, chatterbaits, and wind. Buy spinning for wacky rigs, light jerkbaits, and a first bass rod. Most October days want both.
Early archery whitetail on public edges
Early archery on public edges is a first-and-last-light sit on an oak or cutover. Walk the nasty edge, glass until the deer is a sentence, and buy the bow at a licensed shop.
Early teal on public marsh the third week of September
Early teal on public marsh is a first-light hunt on shallow water. Scout the afternoon before, keep the spread small, and wear a wader that will still be dry at 9 a.m.
Public-land grouse the second week of September
Mid-September public grouse are still in leafy aspen and family groups. Walk the nasty cover, carry a vest and a paper map, and slow down until a flush is at your feet.
Late-Season Public-Land Ducks: Hunting Pressured Birds When It's Hard-Frozen
Late-season public ducks are call-shy and pressured. Scout the afternoon before, find the last open water, cut your decoy count, and dress for standing still, not walking.
Spring Creek Trout After Runoff: Fishing the Window Most Anglers Skip
High, off-color runoff water is not dead water. Fish the clearing seams and inside bends with a heavier nymph rig, and you will find some of the least-pressured trout of the season.
What Kind of Waters Can You Use a Fish Finder On?
A fish finder is a sounder for a real water column — lakes and deeper holes first, salt if you rinse, not a puddle you can pole.
Fishing in Austin, Texas: What To Know and Where To Go
Pick one Austin water, buckle a jacket, and fish a stick you already know. Do not try the whole metro in a Thursday.
Equipment You Need for a Deep-Sea Fishing Expedition
Zip a vest at the dock, roll a dry bag, cover the glare, and open a pouch at home — the charter and the rods stay at the slip.