Redesigned for 2018, REI’s iconic Half Dome 2 tent now has more floorspace not only for campers, but all of their gear, too. The gear retailer also updated the poles that it uses with this tent, allowing the walls to stand more vertically. The result is a more open design that increases ventilation and headroom. 

Interior pockets help to keep important items – such as a headlamp or smartphone – close at hand, while two doors and two vestibules add to the overall convenience. Best of all, the Half Dome maintains its high level of quality and durability, ensuring that it will be a camp shelter you can use for many years to come. 

Therm-a-Rest’s new Space Cowboy sleeping bag is specifically designed for camping in warmer weather. The bag carries a temperature rating of 45ºF, which makes it perfect for cool spring and summer evenings. And since it weighs just a shade over one pound, it doesn’t add a lot of bulk to your back either. 

Need a bit of extra warmth? The Space Cowboy comes with built-in blanket and quilt loops so you can add one of Therm-a-Rest’s camp quilts when the mercury starts to drop. 

For 2018, Therm-a-Rest took its popular NeoAir Camper SV sleeping pad and added its SpeedValve to make it faster and easier to inflate than ever before. The aptly-named SpeedValve inflates three times faster than a traditional sleeping pad valve with a minimal of effort. The pad will keep you comfortable and warm even when sleeping on rough terrain, and packs down surprisingly small for easy transport and storage. It also integrates nicely with the Space Cowboy sleeping bag for a complete sleep system.

Over the past few years hammock camping has really taking off, giving those who like to sleep outside an alternative to curling up on the sometimes-damp and unforgiving ground. Kammok has been at the forefront of this movement for quite a while now and the company’s Roo Double is a great option for those who want to give it a try as well. 

The Roo Double can comfortably hold two people (up to 500 pounds of weight), although it only weighs 23 ounces. It is also water resistant, durable, and comes with a gear pocket to keep important items within easy reach. Pair it with a the Dragonfly insect net ($79) and the Kuhli rainfly for a complete sleep system.

Getting plenty of light at the campsite has never been easier thanks to the new Crush Light solar lantern from Goal Zero. Weighing just 3.2 ounces, this lantern offers up to 60 lumens of light and as much as 35 hours or runtime from its rechargeable battery. A built-in solar panel helps keep the lantern running throughout your entire trip, while a handy detachable handle makes it easy to hang the light inside a tent or from a nearby tree branch. The Crush Light even collapses down flat for easy transport, making it a convenient option for use when camping in the backyard or the backcountry. 

Just because you’re camping outdoors doesn’t mean you have to settle for mediocre food. On the contrary, modern camp stoves are light, powerful, and versatile, allowing backcountry chefs to create some truly tasty meals. 

The new WindBurner Stove System Combo from MSR includes an efficient stove and two cooking pots, all of which weighs less than two pounds and conveniently nests inside one another for easy storage. This stove heats up very quickly and both pots are designed to sit neatly on top of the burner, even when resting on rough terrain, making this a great cooking system for use just about anywhere. 

Want to take your favorite beverage with you to the campsite? The new Trooper LT 30 soft cooler from Otterbox makes it easier than ever to do just that and keep your drinks cold in the process. The cooler features 30 liters of storage, a wide-mouthed opening for easy access to its interior, and a waterproof pocket for stashing fragile gadgets. 

The Trooper 30 converts from a shoulder bag to a backpack in a matter of seconds and can keep ice frozen for more than three days. It even comes with a bottle opener accessory at lash points for connecting other gear like the Otterbox Drybox.

Finding and transporting fresh, clean drinking water in the backcountry can be a challenge at times, but HydraPak has come up with a solution that makes things much easier. The Trek Kit 3L includes the company’s three-liter Seeker bottle ($22), a silicone drink tube, an easy-open lid, and a dispensing valve, that makes it easy to not only collect water, but carry it to the campsite as well. 

The system is also compatible with Katadyne filtration systems, which automatically remove harmful items from the water, making it safe to drink. The bottle can hold both hot and cold beverages, is dishwasher safe, and is made from 100% BPA and PVC free materials. 

For spring 2018, KEEN has updated one of its most popular hiking boots by releasing the new Targee III WP. The boot now features a durable leather upper that is both waterproof and breathable, keeping the foot comfortable and dry in a variety of conditions. 

The Targee III also comes with KEEN's All-Terrain rubber sole for added traction and a specially designed footbed that offers good arch support while still managing to protect and cradle the foot at the same time. Despite these substantial upgrades, the boot still features the fit and performance that we’ve come to expect from the Targee line, making it a great option for light hiking or just hanging out at the campsite. 

We all know that even in the spring and summer, the weather can be unpredictable and rain showers can make any camping trip a challenge. Outdoor Research’s new Interstellar Jacket can help, though, offering one of the lightest, most breathable hard-shells on the market at the moment. 

The jacket weighs just 11.6 ounces, but somehow manages to offer the same level of performance as much bulkier storm shells. It comes with a helmet-compatible hood, pockets that are strategically placed for access even while wearing a pack, and an athletic fit that doesn’t inhibit motion while on the trail. 

Here are five ways for you to determine the best times to head out for a day of fishing where you live.

Generally speaking, the warmer the weather, the better the fishing. No matter where you fish, the two best seasons to fish are spring and autumn. Spring is when bass shake off their winter doldrums and fatten up for spawning season. In postspawn, they pack on the pounds for their annual growth spurt.

In the fall, bass take advantage of the presence of young-of-the-year prey and add some weight to help them survive the lean times of winter.

Additionally, aquatic vegetation, such as hydrilla and water lilies, become way stations for fish moving shoreward. This is the peak time to fish such cover with soft-plastic frogs and toads.

Early morning and late evening are regarded as prime times for fishing during the warm-weather months, but why? A number of factors are at work:

Morning

• Various aquatic insects hatch at sunup and activate the food chain for everything from minnows to muskies.
• Shad gather and spawn at daylight, too.
• Phytoplankton and algae photosynthesis get a boost from the rising sun. This process both stimulates the daily feeding cycle and enhances dissolved oxygen content, which also energizes fish.

Evening

• As the day wanes, the water temperature is likely optimal and fish metabolism is still conducive to feeding.
• The cover of darkness makes fish such as bass feel more secure moving around in the open and in shallow water where baitfish tend to gather.
• Then, too, nightfall is one of the environmental allies that help predatory fish ambush prey. Conversely, times when the sun is high in the sky cause fish to reposition in deeper water, get under the cover of aquatic vegetation, bridges and docks, or move into submerged trees and brushy cover. Bass go where they have to in order to find food and feel safe.

Scientists aren’t exactly sure what it is about current in a lake or river that activates feeding among predators, but there’s no question that it improves fishing. Depending on how strong it is, current tends to gather forage fish together in tighter schools and makes it more efficient for bass and other species to feed on them.

Current – whether caused by hydroelectric generation, flooding or wind – causes bass to move to ambush points such as wood cover, shady banks, current funnels and seams, eddy edges or bottom structure including points, humps or sandbars. The steady water movement also generates more dissolved oxygen, which stimulates feeding action.

Dial in the Best Times to Fish With Solunar Predictors

The jury is still out regarding whether the position of the sun and moon in relation to the earth directly affects fishing success. One thing is certain: Local factors such as the weather, hold the trump card.

Many anglers rely on solunar prognostications such as John Alden Knight’s Solunar Tables, which are found in magazines or newspapers as well as on various websites. Certainly, when the moon and sun rise and set has an impact on fish as it relates to light duration and visibility. For instance, some fishermen believe that an early moonrise in the evening prolongs feeding activity.

Photograph Courtesy of Datasport, Inc.

Many anglers are convinced that the position of the sun and moon relative to the earth influences bass movement and feeding. One thing is for sure: such positive reinforcement makes us fish harder and with more diligence at the peak fishing times.

 

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Make up your own mind. Keep a journal that includes water and weather conditions on the best and worst fishing days you experience. Make note of when you catch fish and the circumstances, and how they match up with “best fishing times” suggested by solunar predictors such as The Original Doug Hannon Moon Clock. Over time, keeping such records will provide useful fishing information and help guide expectations.

Abrupt or gradual changes in the weather affect fishing for better or worse. For instance, barometric pressure drops as a summer thunderstorm approaches. As a result, fish become more active and feed aggressively.

Conversely, as a front moves on, the barometric pressure rises, and fish tend to sulk or become less active. Typically, they move offshore or into heavy cover such as aquatic vegetation. When the barometric pressure is more or less stable, it plays a reduced role in fish activity.

Bass and inshore saltwater fish, such as redfish and flounder, flourish in coastal areas where river deltas create a smorgasbord of freshwater and saltwater forage. Typically, incoming tides allow fish to roam areas that are normally too shallow and feed in emergent bank cover such as reeds, and submergent vegetation such as eelgrass.

Conversely, outgoing tides “pull” fish away from the banks into bottom depressions or channels. Either way, feeding opportunities also create fishing opportunities for anglers.

When the tide is flooding, fish closer to the bank; when it’s running out, fish deeper areas offshore. Fish generally become lethargic during periods of slack tide. 

The National Water Trails System details more than 20 official paddling trails across the U.S. Their mission is to protect, restore and increase access to some of America’s best waterways.

The individual state sites for each trail (below) offer everything from maps to well-marked access points and campsites, making multi-day forays into the wilderness easier than ever. Whether you’re a neophyte or seasoned veteran, they leave logistical headaches in your wake. Just remember to tell your boss you might be a little late coming back to work.

Running through six state parks, the 170-mile-long Suwannee River Trail divides Florida’s panhandle from the rest of the state. Extending from the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center Park to the Gulf of Mexico, it’s perfect for canoeists and sea kayakers of all strokes.

You’ll paddle its black, tannin-filled waters past three river camps spaced between eight access points, each with restrooms, showers and campsites. You’ll also retrace the wake of the 16th century Timuccuan people who used to live along the river’s banks.

While they named it Suwani, meaning “Echo River,” you won’t resist creating echoes of your own as you belt out “Old Folks at Home,” the state song of Florida, to the cadence of your strokes (rumor has it that no one’s ever paddled the Suwannee without breaking out into song).

For some of the most pristine paddling on the planet, dip your paddle blade into the Maine Island Trail, the country’s first water trail. Established in 1988, the Maine Trail established the precedent for all others in its wake. The 350-mile-long waterway extends from Cape Porpoise Harbor on the west to Machias Bay on the east, with its namesake Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) the largest group of its kind on the continent.

Camp at one of 150 island and mainland sites along the route, each accessible by kayak, sailboat or other watercraft. Campsites on state land are free, while those on private islands are available with MITA membership ($45/year individual; $65/year family). July, August and September typically offer the best weather, with September offering the bonus of lobster-red leaves. The Maine Department of Tourism also has some excellent paddling information their site.

Paddle Safe

Photograph Courtesy of Maine Office of Tourism

Personal safety is the most important part of any paddling trip. The following are some excellent suggestions from the American Canoe Association.

Research the area: Study the trail’s pamphlets, web sites and other information sources on topics such as logistics, potential hazards and isolation. Guidebooks and topographic maps are valuable references in trip planning. Plan alternate routes in case of winds, changing weather, or unexpected paddler limitations.

Prepare for weather: Be prepared for all conditions, including paddling in everything from temperatures that can cause heat stroke and hypothermia.

Be ready for change: Waterways are dynamic systems; even the most detailed route descriptions can’t account for seasonal changes due to fluctuations in water level, downed trees, recent floods, geological disturbances, storms and rainfall. Conditions are ever-changing. Be smart: plan for unexpected situations, and stay alert. Make sure your equipment is appropriate to help you rescue yourself.

Plan each day’s itinerary. Set up locations for put-ins and takeouts along with possible lunch break stops. Consider time, distance, and the abilities of your group. Arrange for a shuttle.

File a float plan with someone who will notify others if you don’t return on time. This is especially important in the Northern Forest, where cell phone coverage is spotty, so you cannot rely on being able to phone for help.

Clarify participant responsibilities with paddlers beforehand. Each participant should take responsibility for the decision to participate, the selection of appropriate equipment, and the decision to run, scout, or portage rapids. More experienced paddlers should assist those with less experience in making proper decisions.

Don’t overreach. Paddle within both your own and your group’s limits.

Use this Paddler’s Checklist, which can be applied to almost any route you take.

If the Maine trail has an equivalent out West, it’s the Cascadia Marine Trail, which stretches more than 140 miles through Puget Sound from just outside Olympia, Wash., to the Canadian Border. Since 1993, thousands of paddlers have traversed this inland sea trail, designated as one of 16 National Millennium Trails by the White House.

More than 50 campsites are accessible from a variety of public and private launch sites and shoreline trailheads; some are free, others require nominal fees and reservations, and still others are self-service pay as you go. Wherever you stay, expect a whale of a good time (and to possibly see them as well).

Sea kayak the world’s largest freshwater lake on the Lake Superior Water Trail, which extends from the St. Louis to the Pigeon River. The trail’s concept was born in 1991, with legislature making the trail official two years later. Maintained through a partnership of more than 100 individuals, families, businesses and organizations, the trail is open to all non-motorized craft, with new campsites added each year.

Groups of six can camp at official water trail sites, available for free on a first-come first-served basis, or you can pay a nominal fee per night to bed down—and enjoy a fire whose flames match the reds and yellows of nearby Pictured Rocks National Seashore—at any number of state park campsites en route.

Completed in 2006 as the longest inland water trail in the nation, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a 740-mile water trail from Old Forge, New York, to Fort Kent, Maine. Following traditional travel routes used by Native Americans and settlers, the paddling pathway links together 23 rivers and streams, 59 lakes and ponds, 45 communities and 65 portages totaling over 70 miles.

But don't let its size sway you; it’s easy to paddle portions in as little as one to three days, with endless paddling opportunities and services easy to find. Find a day trip, weekend getaway or week-long vacation, or quit your job and paddle it end-to-end. You can overnight anywhere from Adirondack lean-to’s and historic hotels to Bed and Breakfasts and established or primitive campsites.

The organization offers maps, books, and an online Trip Planner to help you pick your route and connect you to local services (or explore the trail with Google Earth). You can rent or buy equipment from outfitters nearby or hire a guide. 

By August, the post-spawn feeding frenzy is over and bass that have been constantly bombarded with lures are warier. Fish that were out in the open last spring and easy to catch are gone, and most of the rest have gotten smarter and less susceptible to any old bait that comes along. In lakes with open-water forage, such as shad and blueback herring, fishing offshore humps and ledges is a summer staple. On the flip side, however, fishing docks and weed beds can be just as productive. Read on to learn how.

Shady docks provide excellent cover for bass and their prey. By late summer, pressured bass have moved into the most remote reaches underneath docks and overhanging trees along the bank, and traditional overhand or sidearm casting won’t reach them.

Skipping a soft-plastic bait or jig under a dock or nearby shoreline cover as one would skip a flat rock across a lake’s surface is a proven presentation. Typically, a rod of about 7 feet long with a light tip is employed. The trick is to keep the rod tip parallel to the surface. Otherwise, the bait will sail up and lose momentum, or splash down short of the mark.

Baitcasting or spinning tackle can be used, with the latter being the best choice for beginners. Lures might include light jigs or lightly weighted plastic worms and swimbaits, tubes or wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senkos.

If skipping lures isn’t among your fishing skill sets, try pitching baits underhand with spinning tackle into the tightest nooks and crannies that others might not have been able to reach. Be patient and quiet, without banging a bait against pontoon floats or the dock itself. Let the bait fall slowly, twitch it or hop it a time or two, reel it in quickly and present it to the next target. 

All docks aren’t equal in their appeal to bass; some hold fish, while others are barren. Here are a few factors that might help you narrow down the possibilities:

• Water Depth: Some docks could be standing in water that’s too deep, or not deep enough. Floating docks might have 6 feet of water under them, or 60 feet. The most productive docks usually are those that are built on pilings in relatively shallow water over a sloping bottom, rather than floating docks over deep water. Look at the shoreline. Is it relatively steep or flat? That topography is probably repeated under the dock.

• Dock Location: Is the dock on a point or tucked away in the backend of a feeder creek? Is it standing in water that’s swept by current or wind? Moving water often pushes roving schools of baitfish, such as shad and blueback herring – assuming they’re present in a lake – and creates another feeding opportunity for bass. The dock itself makes an ideal ambush spot. On the flip side, a dock standing in the back of a quiet cove might also harbor bass, especially if there are crawfish and juvenile bream in the neighborhood.

• Less Is Better: As is the case with wood cover, single docks or a few docks scattered along a fairly lengthy stretch of shoreline are more likely to be productive than several clustered together in one cove. That’s not necessarily because there are more or less fish on solitary docks, but rather because an angler can cover a single dock quicker and more thoroughly.

• Other Factors: If night lights, chairs and clamp-on rod holders are present on a dock, it’s likely the owner fishes from it and perhaps has added brush piles or similar fish-attracting cover to the bottom in front of, and under, the dock. This is especially true in lakes where crappies are among the main attractions. Also, avoid busy docks. If jet skis and boats are almost constantly coming and going, chances are bass aren’t going to set up there.

Try Something They Haven't Seen Before

Photograph By Colin Moore

Gene Larew Bait Company (genelarew.com) recently introduced an innovative soft-plastic swim bait for fishing under docks and other cover. It’s called the Bass Shooter, and it’s designed to skip or “shoot” beneath a dock (or beneath overhanging shoreline cover) with an underhanded bow-and-arrow cast. Spinning tackle is the best way to bomb a dock with the Bass Shooter.

Available in tackle stores and online merchants, the Bass Shooter is 3 ¼ inches long and shaped like a flattened shad or sunfish. It has an enticing darting action when paired with an unweighted or belly-weighted wide-gap hook. A package of eight costs about $5.

Docks are great hot-weather targets for bass anglers, but so are weed mats. By late summer, aquatic vegetation has reached its peak growth and thick mats of emergent weeds become darkened cafeterias for fish of all kinds.

Bluegills forage for insects, small crustaceans and minnows. Young-of-the-year shad and other minnows feed in the nutrient- and oxygen-rich water generated by hydrilla, watermilfoil, elodea, water lilies and the like. Closer to the bank, emergent vegetation such as water willow, alligator weed, and water primrose provide temporary havens for the smaller fish being hunted by bass. Frog-fishing season might extend into late fall in Southern lakes. When the weed cover begins to die off due to cooler weather, the decaying process robs the water of dissolved oxygen, and fish will slowly leave.

Depending on the level of growth, there are three ways to fish aquatic vegetation:

1. If weeds haven’t reached the surface yet, topwater lures, buzzbaits, swimjigs, weightless worms and lizards are good options to try. ChatterBaits , spoons, such as the Johnson Minnow or Dardevle Rex Spoon, and various lightly weighted swimbaits can be used successfully.
2. For vegetation, such as hydrilla, that has topped out and is laying over on the surface with scattered openings, frogs and “toads” are top choices. Frogs are hollow renditions of their natural namesakes and usually have legs made of skirt material on either side of their rear ends that emulate legs, as well as a pair of hooks that cradle the body. 

Toads are solid-body renditions of frogs that are Texas-rigged by the angler. Most manufacturers of soft-plastics offer them, and they’re equipped with paddle-like legs that kick up a fuss when they’re retrieved.

Numerous colors are available, but plain white might be the most popular because it is easier to track. The LiveTarget Frog, Lunkerhunt, SPRO Bronzeye, Strike King KVD Sexy Frog, Booyah Toad Runner, Jackall Gavacho and Kaera, and River2Sea Spittin’ Wa are top sellers.

To fish a frog, simply cast it out and hop it back with short twitches of the rod tip. When it reaches an opening in the pads, weed mat or shoreline moss, pause it a moment or slow the retrieve to give a bass the chance to home it on it. If a bass grabs it, wait a second to make sure the frog is down in the fish’s mouth, then set the hook with a sweep set.

Given that the angler might be several yards away from the fish, with all that vegetation in between, stout braided line of 50-pound test and a stiff 7-foot rod is recommended. The trick is to hold the bass’ head up as much as possible, and keep it moving toward the angler.

3. In the thickest slop, the best way to reach bass in the hollow chambers below the top is to fish with a heavily weighted and Texas-rigged soft plastic.  A “punching” rig is a variation, and basically consists of a Texas-rigged soft-plastic, a bullet weight of between ½- and 1 ounce, a skirt and heavy-wire hook tied to the line with a Snell knot. 

A number of companies offer punching rig kits or components, including V&M and Siebert Outdoors. The idea is to give a bass with limited visibility an eyeful and, hopefully, compel it to strike. Whether it’s a crawfish imitator or some sort of swimbait, the soft-plastic and its hook are pegged to the heavy weight by a toothpick or sinker stopper. That keeps the bait and the sinker together; otherwise, the weight might sink while the bait hangs up near the surface.

Where do you fish in a lake seemingly covered with miles of matted weeds? To narrow the search, look for bass-attracting bottom configurations and start there.

Patches of scattered offshore vegetation suggests the presence of humps and bars near deep water. Curving grass edges might indicate a creek channel ledge. Trees and laydowns in the mats, or mixed vegetation such as lily pads and peppergrass, are bass magnets. In other words, look for the differences, and fish them.

You’d probably think I was blowing smoke, but I’m talking about one of the most neglected and productive hunts in the U.S.—for common tree squirrels.

Squirrel seasons start now, in the lazy days of late summer, giving you time (and an excuse) to get out in the woods to scout for deer while also ground-truthing the gear that you’ll rely on all autumn.

But you don’t need an excuse to go squirrel hunting. The first argument in its favor is that squirrels live almost everywhere, from the leafy hardwoods of the East to the piney woods of the South to the mountains of the West. Squirrel hunting is also a great way to introduce new shooters to small-game hunting. 

The two squirrel species most often pursued by hunters are the largest and most widely distributed: the fox (or red) squirrel, and the gray squirrel.

While peripheral habitats can hold squirrels, you’ll have the best luck finding summertime squirrels in their core habitats of nut-producing hardwoods, especially oak and hickory stands. But here’s the other appeal: hardwoods define a lot of public land east of the Mississippi, from small tracts of county land to larger state game lands and wildlife management areas, to big U.S. Forest Service tracts.

Find hardwoods, and you’ll almost certainly find squirrels. But don’t neglect private land, either. Your chances of getting permission to hunt a patch of farm-country hardwoods for squirrels is orders of magnitude better than getting on that same land for deer.

Now that you know where to find them, how do you hunt squirrels? You’ll change tactics once the leaves drop, but for summertime squirrels, when the critters can be hidden in the dense green foliage, the best approach is to first walk and then sit and listen for rustling high in the branches.

Patience is a virtue with this style of hunting, because not only must you positively identify that the movement is being made by a squirrel, but you must wait for a clean shot.

Try sitting near the top of a steep hillside that drops into a ravine or creek drainage. Your elevation will provide you with a better view of the upper limbs of trees that hold squirrels, and you can look over several acres of trees on the slopes below you.

Another benefit to hilltop stands, especially for rifle hunters, is that your shots will be traveling safely downward, often with a tree trunk or limb behind the squirrel to stop your bullet.

A small binocular—either an 8x24 or 8x32—is useful for this sort of surveillance. Scan areas where you hear or see leaves moving, then be ready to follow up positive identification with a rifle shot. 

The perfect set-up for this type of hunting is a .22 rimfire topped with a 4-power scope. Your shots won’t be much over 50 yards, but the scope enables you pinpoint aim, an important advantage when you often see only pieces and parts of leaf-hidden squirrels. Your goal should be head shots.

If you’re a morning hunter, get in the woods early and sit against the base of a large tree with a wide vantage of the woods around you. Squirrels are often active on the forest floor in the mornings, and you can have good shooting as long as you can move quietly from place to place. Once you’ve shot a couple times, squirrels will get nervous and remain in the sanctuary of the treetops.

This is also a good time to try calling. If you know squirrels are hanging out of sight in the treetops, blow or push a chatter call. You’ll need to experiment with the rhythm and volume (as well as various brands), but the idea is to mimic the sound of an agitated squirrel, causing the real chatterboxes to show themselves, often with their tails puffed out, standing on an exposed limb.

A call is a great device to use with a buddy. Your friend calls, you get ready to shoot. After you’ve bagged a tree rat, switch jobs and call another one.

HOW TO SKIN A SQUIRREL

Photograph by Andrew McKean

Use a knife with a stout blade but sharp drop point for squirrel-skinning chores.

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Especially if you’re hunting in the heat of summer, you’re going to want to field dress and cool squirrels pretty quickly after you add them to your game bag. Here’s a quick way to get rid of heat-trapping hide and cool down the thighs and shoulders of a red or gray squirrel.

The bonus: you don’t have to field dress, or remove the guts, from inside the squirrel, so this is a relatively bloodless and clean way to produce pieces of meat that, after they’re washed, are ready for the frying pan or stew pot.

1. Make incisions around both hind legs, then slit up the inside of each leg to the anus, there your slits should join.
2. Stand on the squirrel’s tail and pull the skin upward from the leg incisions. If the squirrel is still cool, the skin should come off fairly easily; if it’s cold, you may have to encourage the skin by making short cuts as you pull.
3. The skin should come off as an inverted tube. Keep pulling until the shoulders and upper legs are skinless.
4. Then cut the shoulder bones at the first joint and the neck just below the head. You’ll now have a skinless carcass with the tail attached.
5. Remove the tail by cutting it at the first joint behind the rump.
6. Spread the thighs until the hip bones pop out of their joints. Then cut behind each thigh, detaching the hip ball from the socket, and cut through to remove both thighs.
7. Cut from the neck back along each side of the backbone, and then down and around each shoulder to remove each front quarter.
8. Put each skinless quarter inside a breathable bag (don’t use plastic, because it will trap bacteria-causing heat), and keep hunting, knowing that you’re gaining tasty, healthy meat with each “chicken-of-the-tree” you add to your bag.

Visibility in hardwoods improves greatly once fall arrives and trees drop their leaves. Squirrel hunting can be red-hot for the first few weeks of the bare-branch season.

This is the nut-gathering season for squirrels, and they’re working overtime to store acorns, hickory nuts, and chestnuts for winter consumption, so they’re often visible and vulnerable.

If summer was .22 season, the fall is a better time for a shotgun. Walk the woods and look for snap shots on the forest floor as squirrels run from tree to tree and scamper up trunks. But if you prefer a rifle, then sit on a hillside, wait for the forest to settle down from your intrusion, and then take longer shots at squirrels pausing from their nut-gathering mission.

This can also be a wait-and-listen game, only at this time of year, you’re listening for the loud rustle of squirrels moving through dried leaves. You’d be amazed how often a 2-pound squirrel can sound like a 200-pound whitetail buck moving through the woods.

The most effective all-around squirrel gun is a scoped .22. You want a rifle that can repeatedly stack shots inside a 2-inch bullseye at 50 yards. Good options include the durable Ruger 10/22, Browning’s T-Bolt, or Marlin’s Model 60 or 795. 

An accurate .22 pistol, such as Browning’s Buck Mark, topped with a red-dot sight is another great squirrel rig. If you want to opt for a little more range, consider a .17 rimfire; the light, fast Savage A17 in .17 HMR is a good choice. 

A suppressor is a smart addition, because its blast-taming muzzle keeps you from announcing yourself to squirrels with every shot you take.

For shotguns, there’s no need to go heavier than a 20 gauge, and a 28 gauge or even .410 is a better choice. In fact, the introduction earlier this year of Federal’s Heavyweight TSS (Tungsten Super Shot) is a wonderful squirrel load. Designed for turkeys, the size 9 shot delivers great penetration and range and is a good choice for a walk-about squirrel hunter who doesn’t want to lug around a heavy shotgun.

A vest with a bloodproof game bag, a good knife, some snacks, water and a binocular round out your gear needs.

Here’s one more: a good shooting stick to settle your gun for longer shots. Look for a telescoping monopod or tripod with a head that fits the forend of your rifle, and then use it on different pitches of slope or any time you can’t find a tree trunk or other support to stabilize your gun.

We’ve found a handful of places  where families can have it all – outdoor recreation, excitement, shopping and shows with a bit of Americana mixed in. It’s summer, so you’ll want to visit a place where the heat isn’t too oppressive, and other water sports offer great ways to cool off. These places check those boxes and, depending upon which destination you choose, they may also include great beaches, places to canoe or kayak or a giant water park for a splash-filled afternoon.

Here are 10 places around the country that make great family fishing vacation destinations. To make your getaway even more memorable, we’ve even suggested some local guides that will help guarantee some rod bending action for everyone. Read on and start planning your getaway today.

If the number of bass tournaments held on a lake is any indication of how good the fishing is there, then Table Rock Lake, near Branson, MO, ranks among the best. Not only is the fishing good in this Ozark gem, but it’s close enough to one of the vacation meccas of the Midwest to keep everybody in the family happy.

Largemouth and plump spotted bass are the main course on the lake, whose name is derived from the large rafts of flat rock that line its banks in places. Finesse fishing with downsized soft-plastics in deep water or skipping baits under docks is the key to success in this clear, 45,000-acre lake.

Trout fishing in area streams and on nearby Lake Taneycomo is as good as it gets. Fortunately, the trout are always looking for an easy meal and don’t mind mixing it up with fly-fishing newbies.

Bonus Attractions: In addition to all of the music halls that make Branson an entertainment crossroads, Branson is home to one of America’s most popular waterparks, so be sure to check out 13-acre Silver Dollar City White Water Park while you’re there.

• The History of Fishing Museum houses the vast lure collection of Karl and Beverly White.

• The original Bass Pro Shops is about 60 miles to the north in Springfield.

• The hugely popular Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium, which was chosen as the top new outdoor attraction in a national poll last fall, adjoins the store.

Key Contacts: Table Rock Chamber of Commerce, Eric’s Elite Guide Service (mostly bass), Anglers Advantage (trout), Wonders of Wildlife, and History of Fishing Museum. 

It’s hard to focus on fishing when eye-popping English Mountain and the dark peaks of the Smokies are in the southern backdrop, but this lake’s feisty bass are likely to jar an angler back to the business at hand. If none of the lake’s largemouths, smallmouths and spotted bass are biting, then the abundant crappies, white bass, catfish and stripers usually figure into backup plans. Fishing and water sports on the 28,000-acre lake should keep you occupied, but Cherokee Lake to the north and Norris Lake to the northwest offer even more fishing opportunities. Trout fishing in any of several area streams is another option.

Bonus Attractions: Trail hikes, drives through the Smoky Mountains National Park (the country’s most frequently visited national park).

• Visit nearby Dollywood (home to Splash Country Water Park) and the shops of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. 

• Kingsport Speedway, 75 miles away, hosts NASCAR races throughout the summer.

• Dandridge, which is about 33 miles east of Knoxville, is a great town to use as a base camp. It’s one of the oldest towns in Tennessee and historical sites radiate out from there. 

• Jonesborough, the state’s first European-American settlement (1779), is about an hour’s drive away.

• Davy Crockett’s Birthplace State Park near Limestone is also an easy hour’s drive away. 

• For those who like to golf, Morristown, 30 minutes away near Cherokee Lake, has four courses.

Key Contacts: Tennessee Tourism, Smokies Angling Adventures and Douglas Lake Marina Boat Rentals.

Big muskies, huge bass and lots of islands characterize the region where Lake Ontario funnels down into the St. Lawrence River. It’s not uncommon to catch 20-pound-plus muskies by trolling lures on one of the many charter boats available in or near the towns of Cape Vincent, Clayton and Alexandria Bay. A few years ago, a 60-inch musky was caught and released in the upper river. By comparison, the current International Game Fish Association world record musky weighed 67.5 pounds and was 60.25 inches long.

Clayton has been the site of numerous bass tournaments as well, beginning with the 1980 Bassmaster Classic, and a trip to sample the awesome smallmouth fishery there is not to be missed. Fishing for largemouth bass, jumbo yellow perch, northern pike and walleyes is likewise impressive.

Bonus Attractions: The Antique Boat Museum in Clayton houses all types of wooden boats from yesteryear; Boldt Castle and Heart Island are a couple of places to see at Alexandria Bay.

• Farther down the river, the Frederick Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg is well worth the 50-mile drive.

• The Dwight Eisenhower Visitors Center in Massena (85 miles from Clayton) tells the story behind the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which expanded shipping to and from the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River.

Key Contacts: 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, Sign Man Charters, Antique Boat Museum, and Frederic Remington Art Museum.  

Water, water everywhere: Summer is the best time here to fish any of the several area glacial lakes, Grand Traverse Bay and its adjacent bays, and Lake Michigan. Lake trout, king salmon, coho salmon, walleyes and brown trout are mostly targeted in the big waters, while smallmouth bass, walleyes and yellow perch are the most numerous species in the region’s inshore waters and lake system.

Small wonder Field & Stream magazine named Traverse City as the third best fishing town in the country, and Fly Rod & Reel magazine put the city on its top 12 list of fly-fishing retirement towns. Understandably, there are plenty of guide services in the area, ranging from those that head offshore for a day of trolling, to those that specialize in bass and walleyes.

Bonus Attractions: Traverse City has an extensive shopping district plus lots of downtown art shops, museums and historical sites.

• The popular Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with its great views of Lake Michigan, isn’t far.

• There are plenty of vineyards and wineries on the peninsula that splits Grand Traverse Bay.

• Historic Mackinaw City Island is about three hours to the north on Highway 31, and much of the drive is along the scenic lakeshore.

Key Contacts: Pure Michigan Tourism, Traverse City Tourism, Mega-Bite Fishing Charters, 231-218-5381, Traverse City Charter Fishing, Traverse City Bass Fishing Guide Service and 45 North Vineyard & Winery .  

Some of the best trout fishing in the eastern states can be sampled in the quiet nooks and crannies of the southern Appalachians, which is why Fannin County bills itself as the “Trout Capital of Georgia.” Whether you’re a fly-fishing expert or a novice who can handle a spinning outfit, the streams in the 750,000-acre Chattahoochee National Forest offer secluded getaways for the family that likes to get away from it all.

Blue Ridge, GA, makes a good base of operations. The town shares its name with a 3,300-acre lake outside of town where it’s possible to catch bluegills as well as white and black bass, or go after the Blue Ridge Lake grand slam: walleye, smallmouth bass and rainbow trout. There are lots of trout streams in all directions, with native brookies sharing the water with rainbows and browns. You can make it as easy on yourself as fishing the well-traveled Noontootla Creek or as tough as Jacks River, which requires a 5-mile hike into the hinterlands.

Bonus Attractions: Beside various outdoor activities in the national forest, there’s a slew of attractions nearby in Blue Ridge, Dahlonega, Blairsville and Helen.

• The Appalachian Trail cuts through here and there are scenic highways and even railways.

• Mountain craft shops, as well as farmers’ markets and mountain music festivals galore, await here and there along the byways you’ll travel.

Key Contacts: Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia’s Blue Ridge and On the Fly Excursions.

Thanks to the foresight of a few savvy charter boat skippers decades ago, Alabama boasts one of the most extensive inshore reef systems in the country. Basically, what it means for visiting anglers is that they can spend more time fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and less time riding in a boat.

All the favorites of the northern Gulf Coast are available to anglers fishing out of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL including red snapper, grouper, king mackerel, ling (cobia), amberjacks and various other reef fish.

Inshore, Mobile Bay, Wolf Bay, Perdido Bay, Terry Cove and Big Lagoon are popular fishing holes for flounder, speckled trout (spotted seatrout), redfish and sheepshead. For landlubbers, there’s the Gulf State Park Fishing Pier, where whiting, pompano, Spanish mackerel, redfish and the occasional king mackerel are available. Surf fishing is generally good along the beach, and watercraft of various types can be rented from any of several venues.

Bonus Attractions: Alabama’s Gulf Coast boasts some of the best seafood in the country, whether you eat it in a restaurant or take it back to the condo or campsite to cook.

• Bon Secour (“safe harbor” in French) is shrimp and oyster headquarters for carry-outs, and world-class seafood restaurants are strung out from there east to Orange Beach.

• Mobile, settled in 1699 by French explorers, is just up the road. Tours of antebellum homes and the USS Alabama, a WWII battleship, are among the sights.

• Fort Morgan in the southeastern corner of Mobile Bay is a popular destination for Civil War buffs.

• Fairhope is known for its boutiques

• Foley is a shopping outlet mecca.

Key Contacts: Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, Alabama Tourism, Island Girl Charters and Gulf State Park. 

You’ll see red when you lay eyes on the Green River’s Flaming Gorge area, which owes its name to the gorgeous red sandstone cliffs that line its waters. The reservoir straddles the Utah-Wyoming state lines and is home to some of the biggest lake trout, kokanee salmon and smallmouths in the West. However, it’s the trout fishery below the dam that is the big attraction here.

The 30 miles of river support one of the best rainbow and brown trout fisheries in the country, with a few native cutthroats in the mix. It’s estimated that there are between 10,000 and 15,000 trout per river mile, with browns predominating, and the highest concentration is between the dam and Little Hole.

There are a number of fishing guide services in the area and wade fishing is permitted where practical. Some trout fishing is available downstream – most notably Jones Hole Creek – where the river returns to Utah out of Colorado and passes through the Dinosaur National Monument toward Moab.

Bonus Attractions: Historical markers detailing important waypoints of the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails can be found in all directions.

• The Wasatch National Forest features the usual outdoor attractions common to the Northwest.

• Dinosaur National Monument, the John M. Browning Firearms Museum in Ogden and various stops along the Interstate 15 corridor draw a lot of visitors.

Key Contacts: Utah Tourism, Travel Wyoming, Old Moe Guide Service, Red Canyon Lodge and Flaming Gorge Resort.

Chances are you won’t be crowded by other fishermen in this 304,000-acre impoundment on the Missouri River. As might be expected of the fourth largest reservoir in the country, Oahe supports several species of sportfish, but is most noted for its walleye fishery. Otherwise, there’s the usual Midwest mix: smallmouth bass, northern pike, salmon, catfish, yellow perch and white bass.

Although there are guide services and resorts up and down the lake, also consider staying in Pierre. The second smallest state capital in the nation with about 14,000 residents, Pierre nevertheless loomed large in the early days of the fur trade and opening of the West. Consequently, it’s at the hub of number of historic sites.

Bonus Attractions: South Dakota is a hidden gem for travelers interested in the Old West and American history in general.

• For starters, there’s famous Wall Drug Store and the Badlands National Park Badlands, the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, the Corn Palace in Mitchell and Deadwood.

• The remains of the Sioux leader, Sitting Bull, are buried near Mobridge and it’s believed that Sacajawea, the Shoshone woman who helped Lewis and Clark explore the Louisiana Purchase, is interred near there as well.

• If you’re in the neighborhood, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place in August.

Key Contacts: South Dakota Tourism and Adams Guide Service.

Running water and scenery galore characterize central Oregon’s outdoors. The storied Deschutes River, which flows out of the Cascade Mountain Range, is one of those streams that most serious trout fishermen want to sample at least once. The salmonfly hatch and steelhead run are two good reasons to book a guide trip out of Bend.

If you have time to wander a bit, the state has approximately 12,000 waterways of various sizes and lengths – including 58 designated as Wild & Scenic Rivers – and all of them are full of fish. Among the best bass destinations is the John Day River, the longest undammed river in the state at 284 miles long. The river is especially famous for its smallmouth bass fishery.

Bonus Attractions: After you’ve done all the tourist things with the Cascade Mountains and the coastal towns, visit the Ochoco National Forest northeast of Bend for some of the best Western scenery in the land.

• The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway through the Deschutes National Forest is another popular waypoint.

• Bend itself has some interesting sights including Pilot Butte, a landmark near the Deschutes River; the High Desert Museum; and the Lava River Cave in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

Key Contacts: Travel Oregon, Little Creek Outfitters, River Runner Outfitters, John Day River Fishing and Oregon River Experiences (rafting trips on various rivers).

In a manner of speaking, there are two Maines: the rough-and-tumble northern region that’s largely owned by timber companies with large expanses of public land, and the southern section that’s more urban in nature. North or south, the fishing is fantastic for a variety of species in the state’s major rivers.

Prime time for trout on the Penobscot is July through the end of summer, but landlocked salmon and smallmouths the size of overinflated footballs are the biggest draws. Guided trips are the best way to sample the trout and salmon fishing in the West Branch, but there also are lots of access points to fish from the bank or by wading.

The rock-bound waters in the upper stretches require some deft footwork, so be advised. The lower stretches of the river attract more smallmouth anglers who fish from the bank or canoes, typically, with the usual assortment of bass lures. Canoe and kayak rental outfitters are abundant, and some offer tents and much of the gear necessary to set up a riverside camp.

If northern Maine doesn’t seem suited for your family vacation, head south. There you’ll find more of the traditional tourist attractions, including the Maine Beaches region near Portland. Some of the best largemouth, smallmouth and striped bass fishing on the East Coast is nearby in the Androscoggin River, and adjacent waters offer a variety of angling opportunities.

Bonus Attractions: If you’re looking for boat bargains, visit the Old Town Factory Outlet Store in Old Town.

• Bangor, home to author Stephen King and downriver from Old Town, is the third largest city in the state (population 32,000) and has the usual supply of small museums and shopping outlets.

• It’s about 60 miles from Old Town to the popular shopping mecca of Bar Harbor where you can rent sea kayaks by the hour, and Acadia National Park isn’t far from there.

• L.L. Bean’s flagship store is in Freeport along with great outlet store shopping.

• Inland, the Appalachian Trail and the northernmost peaks of the Appalachians – including Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park – await hikers and sightseers.

Key Contacts: Maine Tourism, Penobscot River Cabins, Maine Bass Fishing Guide Service, Twin Maple Outdoors, Tracewski Fishing Adventures, Penobscot Guide Service, Maine Outfitter (canoe and kayak multi-day trips), New England Outdoor Center (rafting trips) and Penobscot Adventures Whitewater Rafting.

As an example, a couple of years ago my buddies and I stumbled on a few brook trout streams in northern Wisconsin while bowhunting for deer. We’ve fished them nearly every month of the season since and have almost never run into another angler. It seems as if all of the lakes and larger interior rivers soak up most of the pressure, and the knee-deep trout streams are largely left untapped. 

This isn’t the case everywhere, of course. And even if it is where you live, there is still the necessity to find decent water. This starts with a bit of research, whether you’re looking to fish by yourself for an afternoon or take a couple of youngsters out for their first trout-fishing adventure. Here’s how to find the best trout waters near you along with some simple strategies for anyone interested in catching a few trout for fun or the frying pan.

How you can access rivers and streams for opening day varies widely by state, so you need to understand the laws before setting out. Some states are very angler- and public-access friendly when it comes to moving water, while others are not so inclined. Generally, if you have trout streams (especially a concentration of trout streams), in your area, there will either be easements or some other access programs in place. In some areas, trout haunts flow their way through vast tracts of public land, which are open to anyone. 

To find good trout waters, start with the state game agency’s website where you want to fish. Simply search for the trout section on their website. Most of them have all of the rules and regulations in place, along with interactive stream maps. These will show which streams are open to access and what kind of access is available. Step Outside’s own interactive fishing map is another good source for those searching for great places to wet a line, as is Trout Unlimited’s map. 

Attention to detail is important during this step, especially if you plan to take youngsters with you for the trout opener. Wild, deep-in-the-wilderness streams with overhanging brush and plenty of streamside obstacles might not work so well for six-year olds. But, you might also find a stream that meanders through a pasture (or a city park) that allows easy access, easy casting, and a more pleasant fishing experience. 

You don’t need to be an angling expert to catch trout but knowing some of the basics will help you get into the action more quickly. Trout generally live in clear water, which means you’ll want to consider how you present your lures and bait. Monofilament line in the four- to eight-pound category will work just fine, as does fluorocarbon line, which disappears even more readily in the water than mono. 

Spool up a spinning reel and mount it on a six - or six-and-half foot medium-action rod, and you’ll be good to go. Six-foot-plus rods might seem like overkill for catching 10-inch fish, but they’re not. You’ll be trying to cast small, lightweight lures as far as possible, and the extra leverage a longer rod provides is a major benefit.

As far as a simple fishing strategy, the best bet for not spooking fish is to work upstream and retrieve your lures or let your bait float back toward you downstream. The trout will be actively looking upstream for food to come down the current toward them, so you’ll spook fewer fish with this approach and your presentations will look much more natural. 

Where to Fish: Generally speaking, even during peak feeding times in the mornings and evenings, the deeper and faster the water, the better. If you see a set of rapids that dumps into a deeper run, you’ll probably find fish. The same goes for river and creek bends where the current has undercut the bank. Trout love having overhead cover and some depth to work with, so consider this when you’re trying to read the water. 

Baits: The simplest way to catch fish is to pick up a dozen nightcrawlers and float them downstream into the deeper holes. If you can get away with using a small hook and maybe only a single split-shot sinker, your presentation will drift through naturally. Watch your line for a twitch or a jump and get ready. Just be sure the waters you want to fish allow bait to be used for trout fishing.

Lures: If you prefer artificial lures, you’ll see plenty of options using small spinners, crankbaits and jig/twister tail combinations. Classics include in-line spinners, like Panther Martins, spoons, like the original red-and-white Dardevles and stickbaits, like floating Rapala’s, that imitate baitfish. All will work but remember that trout are meat eaters and they don’t necessarily shy away from larger lures. In fact, sometimes it can be better to buck the typical trend and either downsize your lures from average-sized offerings or upsize them to lures more typically associated with walleye or bass fishing.

Match and Catch: It’s also important to remember that the flashy lures that might litter the deck of a typical bass boat will be too gaudy for most stream-dwelling rainbow or brown trout. Subdued natural colors, like black and gold or black and silver are good choices. The trout in your neighborhood creek are probably eating young chubs, shiners, suckers and other trout, none of which will be too colorful in the minnow stage. Try to match your lures to what the fish are most likely eating and you’ll have better success.

It’s almost viewed as a crime to keep and kill a trout in some fishing circles, but that’s a holdover from when a lot of our streams weren’t as healthy as they are now. If you want to eat a few fish in most places, you shouldn’t feel guilty about that. 

You should, however, check the regulations. Trout limits vary by state, species, stream and timing of the season. Before you slip a 12-inch brown into your creel, make sure it’s perfectly legal to do so. Many states have catch-and-release seasons, while some bodies of water don’t allow any fish to be taken. 

The same advice applies to what type of lures and baits you use. Some streams are under barbless hook regulations, while others might stipulate the use of only one hook (no crankbaits or jerkbaits). This may sound daunting, but it’s not. Oftentimes, in addition to the regulations being readily available online, there will be signs posted at public access points that will outline individual-water regulations. 

Trout fishing is simply fun. It’s fun on the opener, and even more fun as the season progresses for a few weeks and the crowds die down. If you’re into taking kids fishing, or simply want to spend a few hours trying to catch a couple of brookies for the frying pan, there are many options out there just waiting for you. 

There is no one more qualified to advise a newcomer on the best locations, presentations and tackle choices than a knowledgeable resident. With their help, you should be able to find amazing fishing opportunities wherever you go, which is just what happened to me earlier this year when I traveled to Florida’s Space Coast with my family for vacation.

Here's how I was able to tap into local residents and resources to turn what might have been a busted fishing day into an angling adventure my twin girls will remember forever.

I’d packed one travel rod, a spinning reel, and a small assortment of lures for our trip. The day before I wanted to take my girls to a local beach to fish I’d even stopped in at a local tackle shop to get some much-needed advice. The shop owner was helpful and I left with some 3-ounce sinkers, pompano rigs, and a package of frozen shrimp.

These worked great and I caught a few fish right away, but my enthusiasm drained away the first evening as I watched the waves grow from manageable two-footers to well over my head in a matter of a few hours. I knew the fish I’d found staging on a sandy shelf were going to be within reach, but impossible to work with my setup, which wouldn’t hold in the waves, or allow me to cast far enough into the surf to reach any of the productive water. My twin seven-year-old daughters were ready to catch their first saltwater fish, so I needed a new strategy. 

The young man working in the tackle shop closest to our Cocoa Beach hotel told me about several spots that might be just out of the wind enough to fish with my setup. He then showed me the smallest jigheads, hooks and sinkers they sold. I left with the ocean equivalent of panfish tackle and drove north until I found a private beach with paid access. Using my phone to check some aerial photography, I could see a pier and a jetty, and it looked like the best fishing might be shielded from the big waves. 

My first spot was a bust, but farther out on the pier I started to get bites. Pinfish were the first takers, but then I caught a blowfish that the girls would have found fascinating. A few small hairy blennies bit as well, so I drove back to the hotel to get the girls and their Uncle Dave, who didn’t want to miss a chance to see what the fishing was like. 

We’d just started to pluck a few hairy blennies from the rocks when a bikini-clad local with a cast-net and a fishing rod walked up. She surveyed our setup and said, “Honey, you’re all wrong. Everything you have is wrong.” She didn’t even let me respond before she walked off. 

A few minutes later we walked up the pier to see if we could find an open spot when another fishermen approached us and said, “Come on down. They’re biting at the end of the pier. All you need is a crappie jig.” 

When I told him my crappie jigs were 1000 miles away, he opened his tackle box and pulled a white marabou jig out and then unspooled three feet of 40-pound fluorocarbon for a leader. I watched as he set us up and when he finished he said, “Tip the jig with a piece of shrimp, cast it straight out and let it hit the bottom. Then, pop it back in.”

On the first cast I did just that and within a few cranks of the reel a whiting bit. I handed the rod to Lila, who landed it while fisherman down the entire length of the pier cheered. The next cast produced the exact same results for her twin sister and it was smiles all around. We fished under a double rainbow while birds of all varieties tried to snatch our bait. The local who had set us up told us stories about fishing and offered up tips. 

It was one of those evenings when you pray to whoever might be listening to delay the sunset for a few more minutes just to wring the most out of the experience, but eventually we packed it in and thanked our new friend. 

As we walked off the pier, the bikini-clad rod critic who’d stopped us earlier was leaning hard against a fish that had some weight to it. Her fishing partner clambered down on the rocks with a net and when he popped up, a three-foot shark bowed the bottom of the net. 

The woman let fly with the mother of all swear words, which sent my daughters into a giggling fit. But that ended when she told the girls to walk on up and touch the fish. They were wide-eyed and surprised at the shark’s rough skin. It was a perfect ending to the most fun we had during eight days of theme-parks and beach fun in Florida. 

The shore fishing opportunities we found on our latest trip were no accident, even though we leaned heavily on local help. Here are some of the ways we made the trip a success.

Carry A Pack Rod: I always travel with a collapsible rod and just enough tackle to hit the water wherever we end up. The rod is a $20, whippy six-footer that is better than nothing and has been good enough for a wide variety of saltwater fish over the years.

It’s too small for a lot of fish, but good enough for a seven-year old or an adult man with the fishing enthusiasm of a seven-year old. The idea is to be able to fish any time an opportunity comes up, and if you’re looking, it usually does.

Buy A Time-Specific License: Pretty much everywhere you go you’ll probably need a fishing license, but most states will sell you a time-specific license that is usually good for a few days and is often cheaper than the fee to check one bag at the airport.

Tap The Local Tackle Shop: Aside from that, you’ll probably need a little help. I always do some internet research on the fish that might be available and the public spots I can visit, but there’s nothing that replaces local knowledge. I can remember strolling into a tackle shop in Key West one time and asking the fellow behind the counter what to use and he simply asked me where I was staying. After telling him, he grabbed a few jigheads, some shrimp and said, “Throw it out and then let it sit on the bottom."

Mangrove snapper and grunts bit nonstop along with a few bonus barracuda and before long, my wife and I had an entire group of people fishing with us. Several had young kids and while they hailed from all over the country, we all shared a similar love for fishing. It was an incredible vacation and the trip that solidified my resolve for always traveling with enough tackle to take advantage of new adventure.

Nowadays, that new adventure involves a pair of little girls who want to catch fish and see string rays and experience what the world of water has to offer. It’s a gift that so many destinations offer. If that sounds appealing, consider picking up an inexpensive travel rod and doing a little research before your next family outing. You just might find a local fishing community that will take you in as one of their own, which is what fishing is all about.

Typically, these waterways are hidden gems. Some of them are snubbed because they take some work and time to access, or they’re surrounded by so many well-known larger fisheries that they stay in the background. But they’re all bass fishing meccas that few people fish and deserving of your attention if you’re ever in the neighborhood.

The St. Regis flows out of the Adirondacks into the St. Lawrence River and is a hidden gem among Northeast bass fisheries. In fact, it shares that distinction with two other nearby St. Lawrence feeders, the Raquette River and the Grasse River.

Though the St. Regis can’t be described as remote, its best fishing lies within the boundaries of the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation – part of the larger Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. Those who fish with a tribal member or tribal guide aren’t required to purchase the $40 annual permit; otherwise, the permit is available through the St. Regis Mohawk Council Conservation Program. Contact Conservation Officer Taylor Mitchell at 613-575-2250 Ext. 2412 for more information.

Fishing season begins right after ice-out on the reservation, with smallmouths – and lots of them – available in the shoal waters of the St. Regis. Downstream, at the mouth of the river where it meets the St. Lawrence, largemouths predominate. Expect to catch a few northern pike and perhaps even a muskie while casting the standard bass baits.

There are plenty of places to stay and eat in Hogansburg, which is the home of a popular casino. The best bet is to book a local fishing guide such as William Clute of Mohawk Trails (518-358-4373) before setting out on the St. Regis.

Depending on when and where, exceptional bass fishing can be experienced in New England, though perhaps more so because fishing pressure there is relatively light as compared to other regions.

Chalk Candlewood up as one of those underutilized fisheries, even if it is smack dab in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country.  The 5,400-acre impoundment is surrounded by Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford and Sherman, Conn., and lots of marinas and guide services are available.

Smallmouths are the main course here, with fish topping 3 pounds on average being plentiful. There are also plenty of largemouths in the 3- and 4-pound class, but some over 8 pounds have been caught in recent years.

To get pointed in the right direction, visit the Candlewood Lake Authority

Lake Erie, Mille Lacs, Lake St. Clair, Chequamegon Bay – there are so many great smallmouth waters in the Upper Midwest that Charlevoix often goes overlooked. Suffice it to say it is one of the best fisheries in the country for giant brownies and lots of them.

This 17,260-acre lake is in the northeast corner of Lake Michigan between Mackinaw City and Traverse City and has the sort of habitat that produces smallmouths that are fat and aggressive. Charlevoix forks about midway into a South Arm and East Arm – the former more popular in late spring and early summer during the spawning season. The deeper water of the East Arm is a useful laboratory for fishermen who want to improve their drop-shotting techniques. The primary bass forage is crawfish and gobies, so crankbaits – lipped and lipless – produce a lot of fish early. Later, in the summer and fall, finesse baits shine.

This is one of those lakes where you don’t have to worry about running out of fish. Charlevoix is connected to Lake Michigan by Round Lake at the town of Charlevoix, so it gets replenished on a regular basis. It’s also a good place to get out of the gales that sweep down from Canada in late summer.

For more information, start with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources  and Visit Charlevoix.

This mountain lake was a sick puppy in 2011. That’s when the TVA impoundment hit rock bottom at 43 feet below normal pool, so repairs could be made to its Wolf Creek Dam. Lake access became a problem and consequently kept a lot of bass from chomping down on lures.

Now Cumberland has bounced back to its full 65,530-acre size and fishes like a new lake full of jumbo hungry bass. As far as numbers of big smallmouths are concerned, Lake Cumberland would give the more famous Dale Hollow to the south a run for its money. Though certain areas are known for their predominant populations of largemouths, smallmouths and spotted bass, the feeder creeks in the lower end of the lake harbors good populations of all three.

For more information regarding local accommodations and a list of lake guides, visit Lake Cumberland’s tourism site.

Once you partake of the gorgeous sweeping views of the southern Appalachians in all directions, you might not care if the fish are biting are not. The scenery surrounding this 7,500-acre lake that sprawls from its dam near Hayesville, N.C. southward to Hiawassee, Ga., can be distracting, but actually the fishing has been coming on strong in the last few years. Mainly that’s due to the increase in the spotted bass population, though at the expense of the native smallmouths.

Largemouth bass are available in good numbers, and spotted bass grown fat on blueback herring are the main course. There are still a few smallmouth bass in the lake, especially on the southern end, but spots have all but replaced them elsewhere.

The late, nationally known bass fishing guru, Doug Hannon, rated the lakes and ponds within Central Florida’s Ocala National Forest as his favorite destination for humongous Florida bass. He also considered it the likely home of a new world record that will beat the current mark of 22 pounds, 4 ounces.

The ponds and lakes range in size from a few acres to several hundred acres. Of the 40 or so lakes that are fishable here in the southernmost national forest in the country, about half have boat ramps, though some of these are suitable only for kayaks or small johnboats transported in with 4-wheel-drive vehicles.

The effort is usually worth it, however, especially if you’re the type of angler who likes peace and quiet while you’re fishing. Typically, the lakes and ponds are shallow, tannin-stained and support a variety of aquatic vegetation. Take along plenty of weedless soft-plastic baits such as frogs and worms, and be advised: This is no place for light lines and light tackle.

The Forest is flanked by Daytona Beach on the east, Ocala on the west and Gainesville to the northwest, so finding all the comforts an urban area provides isn’t difficult. Also, there are a number of campgrounds in the Forest that take reservations (877-444-6777) and fees range from $4 to $20, depending on services and locale. A few cabins are also available for rent or you can rough it, as primitive camping is allowed in designated areas except in gun hunting season.

Everything’s bigger in Texas, though 18,700-acre Lake O’ the Pines is not huge compared to such giants as Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend.  Similar to a north Florida lake, Lake O’ the Pines has an average depth of about 13 feet, with stained waters and a reputation for quality fishing in early season. Though Lake Fork is the undisputed leader when it comes to producing big Texas largemouths, Lake O’ the Pines isn’t too shabby either, as the lake record is just over 15 pounds. It was caught in late March 2010 on a Rat-L-Trap.

If you want big lakes and the company of lots of other bass fishermen, target famous Arizona fishing holes such as Apache Lake, Navajo Lake or Havasu. If you want to enjoy a getaway far from the madding crowd, though, Black River is the place.

The West and East Forks of the river start in the alpine setting of the White Mountains of northern Arizona and downriver from where they meet offers some of the best smallmouth fishing in high desert country.

The lower part of the Black produces numbers of 2- to 3-pound smallmouths and the occasional larger fish. Spinning tackle rigged with inline spinners, small jerkbaits, jigs and the usual mix of smallmouth baits work well, though fly-fishing gear and crawfish patterns, Dahlberg Divers or Wooly Buggers arguably see more fishing time here.

Plan to fish out of canoes or kayaks but be forewarned: the upper Black River has a few stretches of rapids and shoals and isn’t a waterway for beginning paddlers. The terrain gradually flattens farther downstream and the Black broadens to take on more of the characteristics of a lowland river.

As the Black River is the boundary between the San Carlos Apache Reservation and the White Mountain Apache Tribe Reservation, fishing access permits are required, depending on which side you fish or put in on. On the San Carlos side, a daily permit costs $10 while on the White Mountain side, it’s $9. Annual permits are available too, as are camping permits. There are a number of other fishing permits available that cover other lakes and rivers on the reservations.

Access points are numerous, but usually involve unpaved roads. Still, it’s the remoteness that makes the Black River a fishing destination in a league of its own.

Who goes to Big Sky Country to fish for bass? Hardly anyone, but maybe they should. The waters of this 7,700-acre impoundment on the Clark Fork River near Trout Creek in the northwestern corner of Montana are teeming with largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Noxon Reservoir hosts a few tournaments in the summer months, but except for the random weekend angler from Kalispell or Missoula, it practically goes unnoticed. The fishing here is first-rate, however, as are the knockout views of surrounding mountains.

The lake is sandwiched between the Kaniksu National Forest on the north and the Coeur d’Alene National Forest to the south. Chances are you’ll spot deer, bighorn sheep and elk watering while you’re fishing down the bank. Start your

It might seem odd to pick an entire region over just one lake, but there are so many good, underutilized fisheries in northern California that the entire region deserves mention. For instance, 30,000-acre Lake Shasta is a great spotted bass fishery and Whiskeytown Lake (3,458 acres), near Redding, produces lots of trophy spots as well as largemouths and smallmouths.

For a number of years, Trinity Lake, northwest of Redding, was known for producing the state-record smallmouth bass of 9 pounds, 1 ounce. In 2017, 4,700-acre New Bullards Bar Reservoir in North Central California, near Yuba City, yielded the world record spotted bass of 11 pounds, 4 ounces – and plenty more in the same weight class. A Google search will provide the names and website addresses of plenty of guides at any of the lakes.

Maybe you’re already planning a cross-country road trip this summer, with stops outside national or state parks. Ask park rangers for the best public- access trails in the area. Perhaps you’re hitting some ski resorts in the summer season, many ski resorts offer ticketed lift-served single track as a source of income during the off-season. Getting a ride up the mountain can be a fun treat.

If you’re camping while taking in some of North America’s iconic landmarks, find a local bike shop and ask for an area route map. No matter what type of outdoor vacation you’re embarking on, you can add mountain biking to the mix. 

If you’re not familiar with this term, a “rail trail” is an unused railroad track that’s been removed and converted to a dirt or paved bike trail. These trails are ideal for family riding, because the grade is naturally level, they’re free to use, and, of course, there’s an absence of any car traffic. 

The Mickelson Trail connecting the small 'Wild West'-style towns found in the Black Hills of South Dakota is one of our favorites. Additional rail trails can be found everywhere from the Pacific Northwest to Maine. Most have bike shops ready to rent you gear at one end or both (more on renting gear below).

Single-track mountain biking trail networks are most often found on National Forest Service land. Like rail trails, they are free to use. The best way to find them is by inquiring at a local bike shop, at which there are almost always maps. You can also find trail networks on the vast lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Most trail networks include both hiking trails and mountain biking trails, so be sure to follow signage indicating which are bike-friendly. Expect up and downhill grades. The best will indicate trail level on the map or on signage, usually rating trails by difficulty (advanced trails will include a lot of uphill, downhill and curves, for instance). As always, stay on designated trails. Tread Lightly has a great list of tips for responsible mountain biking. 

Our favorite trail network lies just outside of Sisters, Oregon, in the high desert, but excellent systems can be found outside of Moab, Utah and Breckenridge, Colorado. 

Bike parks are slightly different, in that they offer an enclosed space of mountain bike trail elements designed for training and teaching purposes. Kids can often find lessons here, or simply get used to trail elements such as rails, boardwalks, and boulders before embarking on the single- track trail systems. 

Most include “pump tracks,” which are short loop trails designed for very young children to navigate. The Frisco Bike Park in Frisco, Colorado is one of the best, where novices can try their skills next to pros. Bike parks, unlike trail networks and rail trails, often do come with an admission cost.

This option is my teenagers’ favorite. Many ski resorts have adapted downhill runs into a network of single- track downhill “gravity-based" trails, which are accessed by ski lift (lifts are adapted as well, to haul bikes up the mountain).

For the price of a summer mountain biking lift ticket (usually still much less than a winter ski ticket, though prices have been going up), riders can ride up the lifts and bike down runs that vary from beginner to advanced.

Sometimes, “cat-track-style” dirt roads are also accessible from the top, providing longer, more mellow riding to the bottom. 

Our favorite ski resorts for gravity-based mountain biking include Park City Mountain Resort in Utah and Northstar Resort in Northern California. 

I recommend renting quality mountain bikes (or cruiser-style bikes for rail trails) before buying. You’ll save yourself the hassle of transporting your bikes on your vacations, and you’ll be more certain of having the correct bike for the terrain you’re tackling.

Take it from me: we once tried to bring a quality hybrid mountain bike onto a challenging, rocky single track at a gravity-based bike system on Mt. Hood, Oregon. That bike looked more like a pretzel after just one run. (Luckily, the rider was unscathed.)

Bike rentals on-site at ski resorts and in bike shops adjacent to popular bike trail systems will have the shock absorbers, lightweight frames, and tires you need on tough terrain.

However, in addition to the gear you would normally pack, you should come with your own helmet and other protective gear, to ensure the proper fit. We’ve often found ourselves at bike rental shops, only to realize they lacked the correct sizing for our kids’ protective gear. Add knee and elbow pads for go-getters, and remember to bring closed-toed shoes (no sandals).

Enjoy the trails while traveling!

There are so many great sock designs out there today that offer a great fit, breathability, and extreme comfort. So, how do you choose? Here are a few tips.

Take your time and shop for socks that fit both your feet and the style of hiking boots you intend to wear. Low-profile day-hikers don’t require thick, calf-high socks. Ortovox’s Alpine Light Low Socks will work well here.

If you’re planning on carrying serious weight for an extended backpacking trip that requires boots that are over-the-ankle or higher for maximum support, however, higher, thicker socks with maximum cushioning for heavy-duty trail use are the way to go.

Smartwool’s full-cushion Hike Classic Edition Second Cut™ Crew Socks or Darn Tough’s Mountaineering Micro Crew Heavyweight Hiking Sock are good choices to consider here. House brands, like those offered by REI, also offer good value and performance. When in doubt, ask your sales rep for their suggestions and always bring the boots you intend to wear on the trail with you when shopping for socks to ensure a good fit.

Synthetic and wool socks or wool/synthetic blends work well to wick moisture away from your feet. And while many hikers are perfectly comfortable wearing a single pair of thicker hiking socks, I prefer a layered approach.

I wear thin liner socks (synthetic or silk) next to my skin and a medium or heavyweight sock over the top. The thin liners pull moisture away from my feet and transfer it to my outer sock, which then wicks moisture out of my boots, which are also breathable. This helps keep my feet stay dry to reduce chafing that can cause blisters. Liners also put an extra layer of material between your foot and your outer sock to reduce friction that can cause blisters.

New compression socks are also a good option. These socks are designed to increase circulation in your feet and calves. They’re super comfortable and are available in both breathable wool and synthetic versions. Check out the designs from Vim&Vigr. These feature a seamless-toe design and the fewer seams your socks have, the less chance you’ll have of wrinkles causing hot spots.

Once you’ve made your sock choices, it’s time to choose the right boots. Don’t settle for the first pair your try on. Try several—both in your shoe size and perhaps a half-size larger (remember, feet tend to swell when working hard on the trail). And don’t forget to try them on with the socks you intend to hike in.

When fitting my wife with a sturdy pair of above-ankle hiking boots last spring, she tried on four different designs at our local REI—none of which felt quite right. The salesperson suggested we try a pair of La Sportiva’sat another store location. He called ahead and they had several pairs in different sizes waiting for her. Once she put her foot into the right boot there was no question; they just felt great!

Here again, match your boots to the type of hiking you intend to do. Low-profile designs are great for day hikes with light packs on trails that aren’t too rocky. But for longer excursions when you’re carrying a full-sized pack and more weight, you’ll want a taller boot that offers more ankle support to avoid both blisters and turned ankles.

Danner’s low-top Trail 2650 is lightweight and super comfy—great for day hikes. Their newly beefed up Mountain 600 Evo (Evolution) features a little more stiffness in the outsole for carrying heavier loads and it’s available with Gore-Tex waterproofing. It’s great for longer hikes or extended weekend backpacking trips and the soles are “recraftable” so you can get them resoled without any hassles.

Altra is another company to look for. Known for their “splayed-feet” design, they offer three different foot shapes (Olympic for wide feet, standard, and narrow) to ensure a great fit. Their Olympus 5 Hike Low GTX is a great option for day hikers. For more extended hikes where you're carrying more, check out the rugged Timp Hiker GTX.

What do I wear? I fell in love my La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid Wide GTX’s two seasons ago. Yes, you’ll pay a little more for them, but investing in a quality pair of boots is an investment in comfort that will pay dividends for years.  These simply felt great the moment I slipped them on. The high-top design provides lots of additional ankle support for scrambling up the toughest trails. And they have a waterproof membrane designed right in, so water stays out but the breathable design wicks moisture away to keep your feet dry.

If you’re I the market for a low-top design, La Sportiva’s Prodigio and Akyra Gtx offer two nice options. These are made for trail running, but they work perfectly for day hiking as well. I wear a pair of Prodigio’s around town every day and they’re awesome.

The last thing you want is stone bruises hurting you, so make sure your boots have adequate insoles to cushion your feet along the way. When in doubt, switch to a new pair of insoles. SuperFeet offers a whole line of activity-specific insoles for men and women that provide great arch support and padding to keep your feet comfortable all day. Check out their Hike Support if you like a little stiffer feel. Want more cushioning? Try their Hike Cushion design.

Have a pair of boots that you love, but the insoles aren’t what they used to be? Try replacing them with new insoles to extend the life of your boots. Again, try them with the boots and socks you intend to hike in to make sure everything matches up for maximum comfort.

Hiking boots and socks are an investment, but you’ll be glad you spent a little more and took the time to find the right fit when you’re miles into the backcountry and your feet feel great. Happy trails!

All is not lost, however. Here are five easy things you can to do squeeze every bit of mpg from your rig and save big money when you hit the road this summer on vacation.

Tire underinflation is not only dangerous, it’s bad for fuel economy, too. The U.S. Department of Energy calculates that proper tire inflation can improve your fuel economy by up to 3 percent. Doesn’t sound like much? If your pickup is getting 10 mpg while towing, that could mean going nearly 8 more miles per 26-gallon tankful. Depending on how far you tow a trailer during the summer or fall hunting season, those extra miles will add up.

Newer trucks have onboard tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that will trigger a warning light when tire pressure drops about 10 percent. If you don’t have a TPMS, be sure to use a tire gauge to check pressures before you head out. Broad-shouldered all-terrain and mud tires can look soft, even when they’re not, so a 3 to 5-psi drop is going to be tough to eyeball. 

Remember when just about every engine used 10W-40 motor oil, which you could find at every service station when you needed to top off? Heck, remember service stations? Both are dying breeds these days. One reason modern engines run so efficiently is because of their tight tolerances between rotating parts, tolerances that require lighter-weight oils to keep from gumming up the works.

According to the Department of Energy, running 10W-30 (or worse, our venerable 10W-40) in an engine designed to run 5W-30 can reduce fuel economy 1 to 2 percent. Even being off by a little—using 5W-30 when 5W-20 is called for—can impact fuel economy by some 1 to 1.5 percent. Check your owner’s manual for the oil grade recommended by the manufacturer.

On a related note, for newer trucks, the old rule of thumb about changing the oil every 3,000 miles is outdated, too. Modern engines are designed to go 5,000 miles or more between oil changes. Again, make friends with your owner’s manual to see what interval is recommended based on how you use your truck. There’s no need to buy oil more often than you have to. 

Premium fuel, frankly, is misnamed. It is not a better- quality fuel, it simply has a higher level of octane* than mid-grade or regular fuels. Unless your vehicle manufacturer recommends using premium, there is no advantage to using premium fuel in an engine that doesn’t require it.

The AAA confirmed this in a series of engine dynamometer tests in 2016 Their research also turned up a startling statistic: Americans in 2015 wasted some $2.1 billion buying premium fuel they didn’t need.

(*The octane rating is a measure of how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites. High-performance engines, or engines that are turbo- or supercharged, often require high-octane fuel because of the higher compression ratios in their cylinder heads. Without the higher octane, the gas in the cylinder could pre-ignite, causing knock or pinging that could damage the engine.)

Speed, literally, kills fuel economy. It would seem obvious that the faster you go, the faster your engine turns and the more fuel it uses. But it’s not quite that simple, as anyone who’s read an EPA mileage chart knows. 

City fuel economy is always lower than highway (for a non-hybrid engine), because at the EPA-tested 55-mph highway speed, the engine is operating in its “sweet spot” of performance efficiency. Go faster and efficiency drops, an effect made worse for pickups and SUVs because they’re heavier and less aerodynamically efficient than passenger cars. 

The internet offers a lot of data about how speed affects a car’s fuel economy. Finding data for trucks is harder. But a 2015 study of medium- and heavy-duty truck efficiency done by the NHTSA had, among its subjects, Ram 2500s equipped with V-6 gas, V-8 gas, and Cummins diesel engines. 

At 50-percent load capacity and on flat ground, the gas V-8 got 15.5 mpg at 55 mph, but mileage dropped to 13.9 mpg at 65 mph. The gas V-6 went from 17.7 mpg at 55 mph to 15.5 at 65. And the diesel got 19.5 mpg at 55 but only 17.9 at 65. So, in those cases, fuel economy dropped anywhere from 8 to 14 percent just by going 10 mph faster. Gas mileage only gets worse at 70 mph and higher.

Setting cruise control makes it easy to maintain speeds that are mpg-friendly—on flat ground, that is. When the going gets hilly, however, it’s best to switch off the cruise control and take over the throttle. 

A driver can anticipate an upcoming grade and gently roll on more pedal as needed, while cruise control will usually let speed drop, then vigorously apply the throttle (and possibly even kick the transmission down a gear or two) to catch back up-not a great technique for maximizing economy.

Aerodynamics play a huge role in fuel economy, which is why truck makers today spend so much time on small details in the truck’s exterior design to reduce its drag coefficient. There are things the truck owner can do, too, in the name of smooth aero. 

Here’s a free one: Leave the tailgate up. It may seem like dropping the tailgate would improve airflow through the bed, but just the opposite is true. Closing the ’gate does trap air in the bed, but that air becomes something like a bubble that deflects the faster air moving over the cab’s roof, reducing drag. 

Adding a tonneau cover on the bed achieves a similar result. A GM engineer interviewed by Motor Trend magazine said the soft tonneau cover that Chevy put on its fuel-efficient Silverado XFE yielded a 0.1- to 0.2-mpg improvement, with the effects being most pronounced on highway economy.

For more than 90 years, Oregon-based Danner has been building toughest, long-lasting boots that offer great comfort and support without all the weight. But even the highest-quality boots need some care and repair over time. Today, Danner is introducing a solution to keep its modern hiking boots on the trail longer: the Mountain 600 Leaf GTX. This new “recraftable” hiker is packed with the same performance features as the original, along with the addition of recycled components.

The new style features waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® liners that use 45% post-consumer recycled materials, a 100% recycled collar liner, Leather Working Group – certified full-grain leather and OrthoLite® Eco™ footbeds that use 12% plant-derived bio-oil. For added protection and performance outdoors, the Mountain 600 Leaf GTX features a Vibram® Fuga outsole with Megagrip rubber compound designed to cling to any surface, no matter the conditions. And at about two pounds a pair, these boots are lightweight and super sturdy.

If you’re looking to save weight, GSI’s Pinnacle Dualist HS Complete is a light, strong, hyper-efficient backpacker’s cooking and eating system for two. Built for maximum cooking efficiency, and designed to carry light and pack small, this is GSI’s highest performance two-person backpacking system. The rugged, hard-anodized aluminum 1.8L boiler is coated with durable, scratch-resistant PFOA-free Teflon® with Radiance Technology for superior non-stick performance, easy cleaning, and outstanding heat transfer. Then, GSI added a hyper-conducting heatsink to speed cook times by 30% so you save fuel and time.

The kit also includes all your eating gear. Nesting perfectly into the pot – with room for your fuel canister – are two 20oz wide-mouth mugs with insulated sleeves and Sip-It lids, two 20oz bowls, and a couple of Foons – GSI’s folding spork. The pot’s strainer lid makes draining easy, and the whole system fits into a carry bag that doubles as a camp sink.

New from Helly Hansen, the Odin Light Stretch Hooded Insulator 2.0 can serve as either a mid-or outer-layer. Men’s and women’s sizes are available. And this rugged top that’s insulated with 40g Primaloft also comes in a 60g version with or without a hood.

Additional features include:

• 2-way stretch fabric
• Slick face fleece fabric under entire arm and side of torso
• Elastic cuffs and hem
• Brushed tricot chin guard
• Hood
• Flat brim
• Raglan sleeve and articulated elbows for freedom of movement
• Hand pockets with YKK zipper
• Stretch panels for optimized fit
• PFC-free DWR

Add Helly’s Odin 1 World Infinity Shell Jacket, on top and you have a layered system that can’t be beat.

The Trail Series Wide Mouth Bottle from Hydro Flask is ultra-durable, yet it is it 25% lighter than Hydro Flask’s other bottles. This lightweight, stainless steel insulated water bottle is made for a day on the trial and is available in 24- or 32-ounce versions in several color options.

The wide opening lets you add ice easily and the streamlined design fits easily in your pack—perfect for keeping water, tea, or coffee hot or cold on the trail.

Finally, a hiking pant designed for women that are engineered for outdoor comfort. Voss hiking pants from Kari Traa offer excellent water repellence and breathability with thoughtful features like vent zips and room to add a base layer underneath. Articulated knees and a crotch gusset allow freedom of movement, the four-way stretch material moves with you, plus you can adjust the ankle and elasticated waist. Water-repellent and with ventilation zips, this pant is a climate controlling powerhouse.

Pair them with the Voss Anorak—a great hike-ready rain jacket that’s supper packable and a Rothe Vest—toasty warm fleece available in a wide variety of colors, and you’ll be ready to face whatever weather Mother Nature brings your way.

The Coulee series from Mystery Ranch was designed to offer a better fit for a wide audience - the novice, new, and minimalist hiker (even young kids/teens) and comes in both men and women sizing. This pack is perfect for those who want a well-priced, easy-to-use pack for shorter hiking trips and summit pushes. It’s versatile and super comfortable, plus it’s made with 100% recycled nylon.

The Coulee 30 is designed with Mystery Ranch’s signature 3-ZIP design for easy access to the interior. It has a lightweight trail yoke that micro-adjusts to the torso length and pocketed waist belt that offers extra storage and easy access to small items. The top-zippered lid compartment is ideal for storing small essentials, like a phone or camera, and this pack is hydration reservoir-compatible.

Everyone loves taking their favorite four-legged friend on the trail. Now your dog can carry its own essentials with the new Trail Runner Vest from Ruffwear. Designed for trail runners, but equally at home with any hiker heading up the trail, the Trail Runner is a lightweight running hydration vest designed as a carrying solution for dogs running with their owners. This vest includes a versatile leash attachment, two soft flasks, and zipped pockets allowing dogs to carry items comfortably on and off-leash. Its reflective trim keeps dogs visible in low-light conditions while offering a light loop for attaching your pup.

This amazing harness pack comes with two hydration bladders, so your pup can carry its own water and a handy pocket on the front is big enough for a few treats and a pick-up bag.

Perfect for stashing in a pack pocket for a light-and-fast Teton mission, stuffed in a hip pack on an endurance trail run, or donned to push a few miles further on the singletrack, the Exploit Hooded Jacket from Stioanswers the call when ounces matter and the conditions are not guaranteed.

Featuring GORE-TEX’s lightest and most breathable 3L Active technology, this jacket is made with 100% recycled nylon that’s comfortable to wear and GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY™, shedding the elements while allowing sweat vapor to escape. The pared-down design features one zippered chest pocket to stash the essentials—a perfect trail companion.

Try a pair of trekking poles on the trail and you’ll never go hiking without them again. Lightweight and easy to carry, they really help shift your weight when maneuvering through boulders and rough-and-tumble trail sections, and they can also double as emergency tent poles if you need to get a rainfly up in a hurry.

These collapsible KL17 Scree trekking poles from Kelty telescope down to easily attach to your pack when you don’t need them. And when the going gets tough, they pop out in seconds to provide a sturdy leg to lean on:

• Made from an aluminum alloy that’s strong as steel but super lightweight
• Extended cork and EVA foam grip gives you options for stability and comfort as the terrain changes

Adjust to the perfect height and lock these in so you can focus on the fun

The Cascade Peak Mid from Forsake builds on the exceptionally lightweight Cascade platform to offer a rugged and supportive mid-top silhouette designed for the most demanding terrain. Available in men’s and women’s versions, this high-performance hiker features a waterproof/breathable membrane, engineered mesh, leather reinforcements, and an aggressive MultiGrip outsole—perfect for day hikes and long weekend overnights. Features include:

• Waterproof and breathable membrane
• Leather and heathered textile upper
• No-stitch TPU overlays for added structure
• Gusseted tongue
• Recycled PET laces
• Taped seams to prevent moisture leaks
• Recycled PET linings with anti-odor treatment
• Footbed created with 20% BLOOM, and algae-based product, which will return 32 liters of clean water to habitats and clean 20 cubic meters of air
• Compression EVA midsole optimized for shock absorption
• Durable MultiGrip rubber outsole with dense rubber on the heel and inner lugs for increased wear resistance and softer rubber on the outer lugs for enhanced grip

The criteria we chose: each campground recommended below had to offer some sort of respite from the heat, whether that be in the form of a body of water, high elevation, or temperate forest. Each also had to be a destination you’d actually want to visit, with plenty of adjacent outdoor recreation opportunities nearby.

Here are our top 10 choices for campers looking to beat the heat this summer and camp where it’s always cool.

At this campground, located in the heart of Olympic National Park, you’ll be surrounded by moss and old-growth forest, providing a canopy of shade, making Hoh Campground the ultimate escape from the August heat found elsewhere across the country. And if you do want to venture out of your rainforest jungle, the coastal beaches of the Olympic Peninsula are only a short drive away.

Bonus: Those beaches are likely to be cool and breezy.

A summer camping pick in Nevada? Yep! While the base of Great Basin National Park is decidedly desert-like, to get to Wheeler Peak Campground, it’s necessary to traverse a 12-mile, winding roadway with an eight-percent grade, to get to an elevation of 9,886 feet. Once you’re there, a cool, mountain oasis awaits, with plenty of hiking trails amid Alpine forests.

Bonus: Your nights will be crisp and cool at this elevation.

Beachside camping is the way to go in the Southeast in summer, and it’s hard to beat Alabama’s white sand beaches. They call them ‘sugar beaches’ for good reason. Gulf State Park offers classic car and RV camping, within easy reach of Gulf Shores’ many dining options, nature trails, kayak and paddle board centers, and swimming beaches.

Bonus: Paddle board with dolphins at nearby Orange Beach.

If you want to spend a holiday on Cape Cod but failed to procure a beach house rental, Shawme-Crowell may even surpass your expectations. A campsite here comes with beach access daily, plus paved bike trails and mountain biking trails. 

Bonus: You can even book one of the campground’s six yurts for a little more luxury.

Believe it or not, Southern and Central Oregon get hot, hot, hot in the summer. But you don’t have to escape to the metropolis of Portland. Any of Oregon’s numerous coastal campgrounds will provide respite from the heat of summer. Our favorite: Sunset Bay, located in on the central coast by the town of Coos Bay. In addition to a stunningly beautiful beach, Sunset Bay offers hiking trails to adjacent parks and yurt rentals.

Bonus: The nearby Tenmile Lakes, located just off Highway 101 between Coos Bay and Reedsport, offer some of the best bass fishing in Oregon along with good fishing for perch, trout and some of Oregon’s best bullhead catfishing.

Yes, it’s a resort, but at its heart, Lakedale is still the humble campground of its early years, with unique car camping sites, canvas-sided tent cabins, and even luxury glamping options. Located on San Juan Island, Washington, Lakedale is situated, as the name suggests, on three small lakes, all of which invite water sport play and swimming. If that’s not enough to cool you down, miles of shoreline await on this island, and thanks to the SJI’s position right next to Canada, the air temps stay pretty manageable.

Bonus: Glimpse San Juan Island’s resident Orca whales in the summer season.

If you can’t escape to the high elevation of the Rockies for your late summer camping trip, situate yourself in the heart of the Black Hills, instead. Custer State Park is larger than most national parks, and offers scenic drives, American bison viewing, multiple lakes, and challenging hiking. You’re at a high enough elevation to beat the heat, but also close to the historic towns of Deadwood and Keystone, not to mention that little monument called Mt. Rushmore.

Bonus: A hike up Custer State Park’s Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak) takes you to even higher elevation, where the views stretch beyond the state.

The Midwest of the US can become sticky with humidity in the summer, which means you’ll want to retreat to the Great Lakes. Peninsula State Park entices with eight miles of shoreline right on Green Bay. You have five different campgrounds to choose from, all of which offer easy access to boating and swimming.

Bonus: Go during Wisconsin’s storied cherry-picking season and enjoy great deals at road side stands en route.

Taking a trip to see Santa Fe, and perhaps the southern Utah national parks? Opt for air conditioning…until you get to northern New Mexico. Yes, New Mexico isn’t all desert. There are 35 different camping areas in Carson National Forest, ranging from primitive to backcountry to car camping; Langua Larga offers four campsites right on the water’s edge of a lake, with additional dispersed camping available.

Bonus: The depth of this backcountry offers almost unlimited backpacking options for those seeking to get off the beaten path.

We love that this remote campground on Isle au Haut, a rugged island off the coast of Stonington, Maine, is only accessible by mailboat. There are only five primitive sites (you’ll want to reserve well in advance). But just like the other Acadia National Park campgrounds, coastal Maine’s cool summer temps will be welcome.

Bonus: The national park offerings on the mainland include all kinds of activities from scenic hikes to a network of carriage roads to explore by bicycle (rented from one of the many shops in the town of Bar Harbor).

However, if that action includes taking a variety of fish with the possibility of maybe catching a whopper, then they will enjoy fishing all the more. Getting kids into bigger fish takes a little effort, however, as a recent outing with my girls taught me.

Our choice was either to fish off of the dock or take my twin three-year olds into the boat with my wife and try to find a more interesting spot to fish. It would have been easier to stay on the dock, but I had a hunch we could find a place that would provide better action than the small panfish that congregate near shore. 

With the whole crew in the boat, we idled to a point of pencil reeds that mark the inside of an old river channel. A slight current moved through the reeds, and a nearby drop-off provided some depth. In addition to finding sunfish, I thought we might catch a few other species. We did.

Not only did we find bluegills tucked into the pockets between the reeds, but we managed to catch perch, rock bass, crappies, small northern pike, and a bonus 21-inch walleye. Since that experience, I’ve looked at fishing with kids in a whole new way.

The scenario above sounds simple enough, but it took some careful consideration. Here are three key factors to consider that will put your kids onto fish and maybe, onto a monster to boot.

Simple is good when you’re fishing with kids, which is why I like to start kids out on bobbers and bait. (Kids love watching those bobbers twitch when fish come calling.)  Most often, parents will pick up a dozen nightcrawlers and call that good enough. The thing about that is, nightcrawlers are deadly on panfish and perch, but they’re not the best choice for other species. It’s a much better idea to pick up a variety of baits, so pick up some leeches or minnows as well. 

Personally, I’ll take a scoop of fathead minnows over anything else. These minnows are large enough to take some abuse, but not so big that nearly any fish out there can eat them. And fish ranging from crappies to bass to walleyes and northern pike love minnows.

With one setup using a nightcrawler and the other using a minnow, you’re now greatly increasing your chances of catching different kinds of fish. Leeches, which always fascinate kids, are another choice that will increase the odds of diversity.

Change the depths at which you set the bait below the bobbers to find the sweet spot. Oftentimes with worms, the closer to the bottom you can get, the better. With minnows, having them suspended a foot or two off of the bottom might be a better bet.

Naturally, it doesn’t matter how deep your bait is set if you’re not in a good spot, so you’ll have to figure out where to fish that might offer multi-species action. 

To find a great fishing spot for kids, try locating waters that may not get as much attention as super popular lakes near you. Then look for areas on those lakes that offer as many options as possible. For example, picture a rocky shoreline that is dotted with a few lily pads. That might look good enough, but was does it offer the fish? Probably not much.

Now, follow that shoreline for a while until you get to a point that juts out into the lake. There, you’ll see the same rocks and lily pads, but also a potential current break (if there is any current). The point also probably extends into deeper water, which is always good. This spot, while it might not look much different than the rest of the shoreline, is most likely, better.

Perhaps you want to fish a shallow bay that is full of pencil reeds and lily pads. One section will undoubtedly look as good as the next, so where do you start? In such situations I like to see if there is a beaver dam or some other kind of wood structure in the water. That added bit of habitat can change a sunfish morning, into something that includes largemouth bass or maybe crappies just by fishing closer to one extra type of cover. 

The added bonus to this type of fishing with kids is that it puts you in the spot to maybe catch something bigger, and believe me when I write this, kids want to catch something big. It doesn’t matter if it’s a smallmouth, a dogfish, a carp or whatever, the bigger the better.

Getting familiar with a map of the area you’re going to fish before you head out can save you a lot of time. Mark a few places that offer any of the suggestions above and head there first.

The right bait and a great spot will go a long way toward a memorable fishing trip, but you can hedge your bets even further by knowing in advance what times are best for fishing. I like to fish at sunrise and sunset, and while my little girls don’t like getting up at 5 AM to fish, when they do, they love it because they usually do pretty well. Get them out there in the morning or the evening when the temperatures are tolerable, and the fish will be biting. 

If you’re fishing plenty of weeds and wood cover, plan a trip when it will be sunny to take advantage of the fish tucking themselves into the shade. If you’re fishing a rocky point or island, wait for an overcast day if you can. 

Fishing with kids can, and should be, as simple as you can make it. But that doesn’t mean you should not plan to catch fish, especially multiple species of fish. It takes a little planning to do it right, but one good experience where fish of all varieties pull their bobbers below the surface will do wonders for keeping your kids’ attention and excitement levels up. And if they catch a big one, well, you can consider it a job-well-done.