ICAST50 Best of Show Winners

ICAST 50 is the fishing tackle industry's 2007 convention and trade show being held in Las Vegas July 11th-13th. The highlight of the convention is the 'BEST of SHOW' judging for new products in 17 categories. ESPN Outdoors Fishing has the first look at the winners on there site at, http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing/news/story?page=best_of_show . Here is a rundown of the winners.


Best Fishing Accessory: Berkley TEC Pistol Trigger Grip with Sheath


This is an easy to use lip gripper with a pistol trigger design.





Best Soft Lure: Gulp Alive!


This is a biodegradable scented soft lure.





Best Hard Lure: Rollo Lures


A retractable steel leader helps to set the hook when a fish strikes.





Best Terminal Tackle: Double Dee's


Fish attractors that counter rotate and admit harmonic oscillation.





Best Electronic: Lorance/Navico, LCX-38C HD (200kHz) Sonar/ chart plotter
The SolorMax 8.4", 600V X 800H pixel SVGA screen, gives brilliant, 16- bit TFT color fish-finding and navigational views. Also has a 30GB internal hard drive and Ethernet expansion port for sonar graph sharing.

Best Gift-Wear: McDaddy's Pink Ribbon Collection
Fishing spoon jewelry in white gold or sterling silver.

Best Eye wear: Costa Del Mar, Man-O'-War 2

Best Kids Tackle: Outdoor Adventure Kids Inc.,Miss Fisherman
Smaller rod and reel combo, in pink or purple, designed for young girls.

Best Clothing: Old Harbor Outfitters, Technical Shorts
Shorts include built in fighting harness.

Best Boating Accessory: Bert's Custom Tackle, Bert's Track System
Tackle track system includes ratcheting rod holder and tool holder.

Best Tackle Management System: Shimano, Bristol Bay Portable Live well Bag
Portable live bait system for kayak anglers.

Best Line: Stren, Microfuse in Glacier Blue Fluorescent
Thermally-fused, braided line has high visibility above water, low visibility below water.

Best Combo: Pfluger Fishing Tackle, PFLEX Fly/Spin Kit
Molded case, 6 piece graphite rod, 5SSBB spinning reel, aluminum fly reel

Best Saltwater Rod: E21 Fishing, Fusion
Carbon fiber, nano tube composit material makes this rod strong, lite and able to cast farther with less effort.

Best Saltwater Reel: Shimano, Trinidad DC
Bait caster designed with Digital Control technology.

Freshwater Reel: Shimano, Stradic FI Spinning Reels
Innovations include Paladin Gear durability enhancement and Propulsion Line Management System.

BEST IN SHOW
Best Freshwater Rod: E21 Fishing, The Carrot Stix
Nano bio-fibers, made from carrots, exhibit qualities of both graphite and glass.

Cast Nets. Calusa vs Fitec

Any angler who has ever wet a line can tell you that the best way to catch fish is to use live bait. There are several good ways to get your bait. The easiest, of course, is to go to your local bait shop and buy it. This is what I recommend for novice fishermen and this is the way I usually get my bait. It is fast and convenient, and you can pick up tips on what is biting, where to fish, and how to catch them. Another method of obtaining your bait is to use a sabiki rig. This string of about a dozen tiny gold hooks is cheap, compact, easy to use and perfect for deeper water and places where it would be difficult to throw your third option, the cast net. Tie enough weight to the bottom of the sabiki rig to keep it vertical in the water column, and tie the other end of the rig to the main line of a fishing rod. Then jig it next to bridge pylons, channel markers, or schools of bait fish in open water. This can produce dozens of fresh baits in a short amount of time. The third option, as I mentioned, is a cast net. This is by far the fastest, easiest way to catch bait. A few throws can produce enough bait to last you all day. You also have the ability to match the hatch better by catching the type of bait your targeted fish are feeding on. This is the method used by fishing guides and serious anglers every where. The only drawbacks to owning a cast net is price, and the ability to throw it. If you fish on a regular basis, a cast net can pay for itself in less then a year. If you buy a quality net it will last you for several years. Learning to throw a net can be tricky at first, but there are plenty of excellent how to guides in print and on the Internet. If you follow there directions, you can learn to throw a net in a couple of hours. So what's the best net for you and where can you get one? I went on the web and looked up the top two cast net manufactures, Calusa and Fitec, and did a comparison. Both companies have a variety of products and both companies products come in a wide range of net size and mesh sizes. Both companies also emphasize quality, with top of the line materials and manufacturing standards used in all of there product lines. The biggest difference between the two companies is who they try to sell their products to.

Calusa targets fishing guides and hard core fishermen. There nets are designed for anglers who spend a lot of time on the water and need top quality gear that is durable, and reliable. They demand a net that will stay soft, open flat every time, and sink quickly. Calusa gives them this with there two product lines, the top of the line Calusa Nets and the lower cost Cracker Nets. All of Calusa's nets are hand made using six panel construction, double selvage, and 1.5lb's of lead per foot. The Calusa Nets are made with co polymer monofilament nets, a #12 bonded nylon twine hang line, and a 2.25" horn. The Cracker Net is made with nylon monofilament nets, a #9 non-bonded nylon twine hang line, and a .5" horn.

Fitec targets fishermen of all skill levels and experience. They make products for every one, from the guy who fishes a few times a year and just wants to catch his own bait, to the fishing guides and hard core tournament anglers who demand the best cast net money can buy. There products range from the Quick Throw Sportsman Series, featuring the patented accu-throw ring, nylon nets, and .75lb's of lead per foot, to the XS-1500 Series, featuring six panel construction, Dyneema nets, and 1.5lb's of lead per foot. Fitec makes two product lines that directly compete with Calusa for top end cast nets, the new XS-1500 Series and the GS-1500 Series (Pro Select). Below you will find a chart comparing these two Fitec product lines with the Calusa and Cracker product lines. The Fitec XS-1500 Series net is made only in a 3/8" mesh size and three net sizes, so I will use this as the criteria for my comparisons.

Calusa
NET- Co polymer Mono
HANG LINE- #12 Bonded Nylon
PRICE- 6', $129 8', $189 10', $219

Cracker
NET- Nylon Mono
HANG LINE- #9 Non-Bonded Nylon
PRICE- 6', $95 8', $120 10', $140

GS-1500
NET- SpS Mono
HANG LINE- Polyethylene with a Polypropylene outer sheath.
PRICE- 6', $138 8', $153 10', $184

XS-1500
NET- Dyneeme
HANG LINE- Polyethylene with a Polypropylene outer sheath.
PRICE- 6', $260 8', $425 10', $657

Triple-D's of Marathon

The Triple-D Lure, (Daves Dolphin Demon), was designed and tested in Florida's middle keys to be one of the most effective dolphin lures on the market. It's tough acrylic head, and durable thick rubber body, simulate a dolphin fishes favorite meal... THE FLYING FISH! The head is cupped and notched to create bubbles that make the Triple-D look like a flying fish diving back into the water, stimulating big dolphin to attack. They come in two sizes, 6" and 9", and 15 different color patterns. They are pre-rigged with 130lb P-Line, and Mustad 3407 hooks. The Triple-D is meant to be fished "As Is" with no additional bait required. Trolling at speeds of 7kts - 9kts, place two Triple-D lures just behind the prop wash of your boat and two ballyhoo on drop back lines. Dolphin will usually rocket past the ballyhoo to hit the Triple-D. If you plan on trolling for dolphin this summer you should definitely have a couple of Triple-D lures on board. At just $15.95 for the 6" model, and $19.95 for the 9" model, these lures are a great value that will give you years of great dolphin action. To order your Triple-D Lure go to;

http://www.thetacklebox.com/

New Twitch Baits From MirrOlure

L&S Bait Co. of Largo, FL, the manufacturer of MirrOlure baits, has introduced two new suspending twitch baits for 2007 that I think will be must have lures for any one who enjoys throwing artificial's to Florida's inshore game fish.
The 17MR MirrOdine is a suspending twitch bait designed to be fished from 0"- 24". At 2 3/4" and 3/8 oz, it's wide body profile comes in 11 colors. The luminescent insert and realistic bait fish pattern makes the MirrOdine a dead ringer for a scaled sardine or shad. Add natural 3-D eyes and rattles, and you have a lure that is irresistible to snook, seatrout, redfish, tarpon and stripers.
The 19MR MirrOminnow is a suspending twitch bait designed to be fished from 0"- 18". At 3 1/4" and 3/8 oz, the slender body profile and transparent luminescence insert make this bait strongly resemble a glass minnow. It comes in 11 colors and is recommended for snook, seatrout, redfish, tarpon, and stripers.
Look for these great new baits at your favorite tackle dealer, or go to the L&S Bait Co. web site at http://www.mirrolure.com//seriesIII/19mr.html.

Falcon Weighted Jerk Bait Hooks

When I spoke to Tom at Doc's Bait & Tackle in Titusville on Friday , he was telling me about a jerk bait hook that he had tried for the first time this last week while fishing with a friend from Mission Fishn' Tacke in Titusville. He told me how there is a 1/32oz weight built rite onto the shaft of the hook. " It doesn't sound like it would do much, " he told me, " but it really improves casting! ". He didn't know the name of the manufacturer, so I did a web search today and this is what I found. Falcon Lures of Lafayette, LA received a patent for there Bait Jerker Hooks in May, 2006. These hooks are made with either Mustad or Gamakatsu hooks, and come in various sizes from 2/0 - 5/0. They have weights of 1/32oz, 1/16oz, 3/32oz, or 1/4oz on some of the largest hooks. They can be used with any type of soft plastic lure like slug baits, tube baits or worms and are designed to allow the lure to fall nose first to imitate an injured bait. Most fishermen I know have traditionally used a bullet weight or a small split shot weight clipped to the line to give there bait this effect. Both of those tactics work well but the extra hardware can gather vegetation, hang up, or spook fish. This hook can eliminate all of those problems and improve your casting by concentrating the weight on your lure instead of farther up the line. If you would like more details about the Falcon Bait Jerker Hooks go to www.fishingworld.com/FalconLures/ and click on Weighted Hooks.

Clarkspoon / Spoon Squid

One of the most reliable lures in any type of fishing is the spoon. The wobble and spinning action they create strongly resembles a fleeing bait fish and provokes game fish into striking. Two of the most proven spoons for predatory game fish in Floridas coastal waters are the Clarkspoon and the Spoon Squid sold through Sea Striker of Morehead City, N.C. (www.seastriker.com/). The Clarkspoon has a tight wobble and spin that resembles a healthy bait trying to flee. It comes in chrome-plated and 24K gold-plated in the #00, #0, and #1 sizes and chrome only in the larger sizes. The Spoon Squid has a loose wobble and spin which resembles an injured bait fish and is available in chrome only. Both work well for bluefish and spanish mackerel in the #00, #0, and #1 sizes and for small kingfish, larger bluefish, and stripers in the #2, #3, #4, and #5 sizes. The smaller sizes are perfect for casting to bluefish and spanish mackerel from piers and bridges. Use 20lb - 40lb mono leader, fluorocarbon in clear water, to connect the spoon to a 1/2oz to 1 1/2oz trolling weight. Use a #2 or #3 ball-bearing swivel between the weight and leader to prevent line twist and connect them using an improved clinch knot. All sizes work well when trolled. Use a trolling weight, planer, or downrigger to get the spoon to the depth the bait fish are swimming. You can also troll one on the surface. In either case use a ball-bearing swivel between the leader and main line to prevent line twist. Which ever you choose, the Clarkspoon or the Spoon Squid, these are two must have lures for every saltwater fisherman's tackle box.

Got-Cha Jigs

Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been very active in most of Florida waters for about a month now. Every time I ask what they are hitting I get the same answer, Got-Cha lures. This morning I went to the Sea Striker web site,(www.seastriker.com/) to check out the Got-Cha Jig line of lures. Got-Cha Jigs come in a huge combination of colors and features. These include plastic bodies in numerous color combinations, some with Mylar flash, and some with chrome plastic, metal bodies in chrome and gold, and mini bodies. The features include bucktails with single tail hooks, rattlers, 4x strong hooks, and Daiichi Bleeding Bait Hooks. These versatile baits can be fished from piers, bridges or boats. Reel them in using short, sharp jerks of the rod tip to produce a swimming action that is irresistible to spanish mackerel and bluefish, jig them for trout, bluefish, and stripers, or troll them. Any way that you use a Got-Cha Jig, it is a great bait that will catch many types of game fish.

Captain Pete Rosco's Kandlefish Lure

About every other week I get a fishing report from Phil at Capt. Pete's Bait & Tackle in Naples. The other day he was telling me about how he had gone fishing with Capt. Pete a few days before and landed one of the biggest red groupers he had ever caught after he had tied on one of Capt. Pete's Kandlefish Lures. "Whats a Kandlefish Lure?", I asked. Phil began to tell me how Captain Pete Rosco is a biologist and has worked as a fishing guide in Alaska, the Pacific North West, the Great Lakes, and here in the Gulf of Mexico. He had wanted to develop a lure that was versatile enough to catch fish any where around the world in any kind of fishing environment. What he came up with was the Kandlefish. A full body "jigging spoon" that can be used in either fresh or saltwater and will imitate an injured bait fish whether it is cast, vertically jigged, or trolled. With sizes ranging from 1/6oz - 6oz, and 10 sizes in between, this lure can "Match the Hatch" and be fished any where from just below the surface to 300ft. The lure is so versatile, Capt. Pete has written the K-Fish Tech Guide. www.yellowbirdproducts.com/pages/kandlefishTech.html . This guide gives detailed instructions and tips on how to use the Kandlefish in any situation you could think of. It also gives some of the best general fishing advice I have ever seen online or in print in a short, easy to read and easy to understand format.

New Baits From Iland Lures

With Sailfish and other Billfish action heating up in the Atlantic off of South East Florida and the Florida Keys, I thought now would be a good time to see what is new in big game fishing lure design for 2007. ILAND LURES is a division of L&S Bait Co., who also makes Mirolure, and is a popular and well respected name in big game fishing. I checked with them to see what new products they have available this year. One new lure is the ILAND MISTRESS. Four ventilation holes funnel air through the lures head disbursing smoke around the nylon skirt and minimizing natural bait washout. The FLASHER SERIES makes up the other new offerings for 2007. Each lure features ILAND LURES lustrous nylon fiber skirts along with a prism mylar outer shell for increased visibility and realism. This series comes in six models, and eight color patterns.
ILANDER FLASHER: One of Iland Lures most popular and tournament proven lures, now with the Flasher advantage.
JR ILANDER FLASHER: Has the same characteristics as the ILANDER lure in a smaller size. It is ideal for calm seas, or whenever a smaller presentation is needed.
ILAND CRUISER FLASHER: Has a red concave mouth that resembles the gills of a Bonita or Mackerel. It pops and smokes when trolled to attract fish. The weighted head swims true, even in rough seas, and can be fished with or without a natural bait.
ILAND SEA STAR FLASHER: Has a revolutionary star shaped head design that channels air around the skirt providing outstanding stability and action.
ILAND TRACKER FLASHER: Its bullet nose eliminates spinning. Use it along with natural baits. ILAND SAILURE FLASHER: The light weight conical nose is designed especially for Sailfish. Slow troll this lure with natural or artificial Ballyhoo, or a strip bait.
Another new offering from ILAND LURES for 2007 is ILAND SILK. This is a scent free conditioner designed to keep ILAND LURES nylon skirts untangled and nearly new.
Check out these and the other great products from ILAND LURES at;
www. ilandlures.com