Hard-body lures cast well and trigger reaction strikes. Here are five types, from shallow minnows to lipless vibes, and how to choose the right one.

Rods break in the boot far more than on the water. A guide to protective rod bags and cases — soft sleeves, padded holdalls, hard tubes and racks.

The jig head decides how your soft plastic sinks, swims and hooks up. Here is how to match weight, shape and hook to the water in front of you.

The leader takes all the abuse your main line is not built for. Get it right and you feel more bites and lose fewer fish.

A sharp, purpose-made line cutter turns a frustrating fumble with braid into a clean snip, and it costs very little.

A good tackle box turns a tangle of hooks and lures into a grab-and-go system. Here are the main storage styles and five options to compare.

A decent bait board turns the messiest part of fishing into a quick, clean job.

If you keep fish for the table, how you dispatch them matters — for the fish and for the plate.

A good reel is a precision machine, and like any machine it seizes up if you neglect it.

A telescopic rod packs into hand luggage; a multi-piece fishes closer to a one-piece. How to choose action, sections and a case that survives the trip.