After going through all of our materials from ICAST, all of our pictures, press releases, and notes from conversations, a few things stood out

Obviously, this convention is all about showcasing new product for the manufacturers and creating a buzz around these offerings. The new baits, improvements to existing lures, rods, reels, lines, terminal tackle, watercraft, optics and all the other components that we witnessed are going to take some time to cover in their entirety but, for the sake of anyone who has never had the opportunity to witness an event like this first hand, there are other, less publicized features that make ICAST very special.

As I’m sure all of you are aware, the pro’s come out in force to represent the companies that sponsor them and that they help design product for. However, underlying those obligations there are so many stories that we could tell you about interviewing the anglers and manufacturers reps, from the new companies whose only contact is with the inventor and his immediate circle to the very large well established concerns who have multiple staff members on hand, there are certain qualities that really stand out as well as individuals.

Conversations With Pros And Legends

Some of our most memorable time was spent simply talking fishing with people all across this spectrum.

There are guys who attended the event like Bill Siemantel who will talk fishing all day long and has probably forgotten more about the sport than most of us will ever know. I realize that this is a bit cliche but when you speak with Bill, you realize that this is a guy who studies every part of the mechanical aspect of fishing to the nth degree.

From the way you are holding your rod and reel to the proper hookset to employ for various lure types, Bill not only knows it cold but is willing to share his expertise without asking, “What’s in it for me?”. His willingness to discuss with us all aspects of fishing was one of the most memorable aspects of our trip this year. He is truly a bass angler’s, bass angler.

Zona’s Surgery

Another great example of this was when we had the chance to ask Mark Zona about the reports that led to the development of Strike King’s new Dream Shot Worm. We reported that it all began when he was fishing for smallies using five inch Caffeine Shad’s for bait.

When we asked him about this, he lit up and shared the whole story with us. Apparently, he was indeed using the Caffeine Shad and not having a great deal of luck. But, he explained that it was during the taping of an episode for his show, “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show”.

He told us that he asked the cameraman to quit filming while he took out an exacto knife and proceeded to perform surgery on the bait. When he was done, he rigged it up on a drop shot and let fly. Mark said that the first cast he was rewarded with a very solid smallie. He went on to tell us that he called Kevin VanDam while he was in the truck leaving the lake.

That was the pivotal event that spawned the Dream Shot Worm which, coincidentally, was the main bait used by KVD’s nephew, Johnathan VanDam to win his first elite series event as a pro this year out of Green Bay Wisconsin.

Mike Iaconelli was another pro who freely answered all the questions that we posed to him. Of course he did so in his own inimitable style but that’s what makes our conversation with “Ike” so special.

Greg Vinson is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet in person and he too was more than willing to talk fishing as well as the applications that uses specific baits for. He actually gets excited discussing baits that have been successful for him as well as the particulars of how, when and where to use them to take advantage of a lures design.

At one point, we were in the Jackall booth with Cody Meyer, Brent Ehrler and Scott Martin discussing the new products that will be available soon on top of how they use existing products. You might think that these guys wouldn’t give you the time of day but you would be wrong. They enjoy what they do and are more than willing to discuss specifics with you.

A Fly Fishing Legend

Another encounter we had was with Lefty Kreh who is arguably the most accomplished fly caster of the last generation or two. Even at his advanced age, he was more than friendly, willing to talk shop, stayed for the entire event and even took time to tutor some neophytes in the art of fly casting.

We sat and watched as he spent almost an hour on the casting pond with different people helping them with their mechanics. I gotta say, after watching that impromptu demonstration, Lefty Kreh has taken the art of fly casting to a whole new level.

We also got the chance to meet other, less visible icons of the sport including Don Barone who, in spite of a recent very troubling diagnosis, was at the event doing what he does best – taking notes and photos, no doubt in preparation for his unique spin on the convention.

I wish I could give a recount every conversation we had with these and other contributors to this sport verbatim, unfortunately I can’t.

What I can say is that we tend to forget that people make this industry work, not the other way around. Almost without exception, the humility, passion and willingness to give back are evident in everyone we spoke with.

From the manufacturers who are sincerely trying to put out better products each year to the pros who help design them, use them, test them and perfect them so that the average angler stands a much better chance of success without having to attain the same level of knowledge as the guys who do it for a living and everyone in-between, there is a spirit of giving and sharing that people simply don’t take enough time to talk about much less acknowledge.

So at least for a moment, we want to say thank you to everyone who make this year’s ICAST the success that it was and we look forward to next year.

See ya’ on the water …

DUO is a fairly new company that is focusing their attention on the hard bait segment. The first product they are debuting is the DUO 48SR. Yup, you guessed it, it is smaller than a lot of other offerings out there and features some interesting color interpretations.

Next up is their Flat Side 54 and Shad 59 Crankbaits. The 54 is a tight wobbling shallow crank versus the 48SR which has a wider wobble. The Shad 59 is another tight wobbling bait that is shaped more like a shad and will get a bit deeper. It is designed for that 6 foot range but keeps its relatively diminutive size.  [Read more...]

Hobie has been around producing quality fishing vessels that incorporate a lot of ingenuity for the bass angler for some time.

This year they won Best of Boat and the biggie, Best of Show with the new Mirage Pro Angler 12. A wonderful cross between a Kayak and a boat that features their pedal propulsion system, a wider base, rod storage and storage up front along with other unexpected creature comforts. The multi-adjustable seat is something you have to see to appreciate.  [Read more...]

Damiki is introducing a new swimbait called the Anchovy Shad that is made to go with their new Panda Jig Head. This bait is 4 inches in length but presents itself as a smaller profile lure due to its design. The advantage of this is that it can be used when bass are feeding on smaller baitfish.

In the hard bait category Damiki is rolling out the Hummingbird 70. This is a smaller jerkbait style lure that will run about 5 feet deep on 10 pound fluorocarbon. The Abyss is a larger cousin of the Hummingbird that will run about 8 feet deep featuring a wider, more erratic action for active fish.   [Read more...]

Abu Garcia has gained a very loyal following for their REVO line of reels. This year they have made improvements across the line starting with the REVO Premier Generation 3.

They have reduced the weight, increased max drag pressure, made improvements to their braking system, made the footprint more compact and improved the gearing system all while keeping the functionality of the previous model.

The REVO S, SX, and STX Generation 3 have undergone similar improvements in terms of weight reduction, drag system and new gears but maintain their individuality with their magnetic braking systems and other features.    [Read more...]

Daiwa is a name most of you know for their reels. This year they are expanding their line of reels with the new Aird. This series will come in both casting and spinning versions. They are value priced at below $100.

Daiwa has also made some improvements to their Crossfire and Laguna series spinning reels while maintaining the low price point for both products.

Another casting reel added to the stable is the Lexa which will come in a 100 and a 300 series. The 300 will be available in two gear ratios with two different handle configurations.   [Read more...]

Berkley has had a lot of success with their Havoc line and this year at the convention they are debuting some more products under the Havoc brand.

They have introduced the new Pit Chunk which is for all intents and purposes, a slimmed down, cut off version of the popular Pit Boss designed by Skeet Reese. Now, as opposed to biting off the end of one, you can get the chunk version to use as a jig-trailer.

Another new product is the Skeet Reese designed Sick Fish. This little swimbait will remind a lot of anglers of another bait that is similar in design with protruding fins and a paddle tail. Add 3D eyes and custom colors, you’ve got a bait worth giving a try. [Read more...]