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Reeling in the big one that is ICAST
Outdoors Columnist I spent last week on dry land, something different for me in the month of July.
I flew (something I don't really care to do) to Las Vegas for the ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) show. This was my second time to the ICAST and it is quite the event.
The show features fishing products that will be out for the 2009 season. Every big manufacturer in the business was there, as were many famous fishermen. I saw Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Gary Roach, Bill Dance, Doug Stange, Gary Parsons, Babe Winkelman, Hank Parker, the Glorvigen brothers and many others I may not have recognized.
I was out there with some folks from Mills Fleet Farm, and we made the rounds to all of the different vendors, looking, talking and listening.
This show was for the freshwater and saltwater market, and I have never seen so many crankbaits, plastics, fishing lines or rods and reels in my life.
There were a few things that were out of the ordinary, including bioline - a biodegradable fishing line that will break down in five years when other lines will be down on the bottom of the lake for hundreds of years.
And how about Stonz? I think that's what it was called - stone sinkers. A way to get the lead out, I guess. I think it's a good idea and have to admit I had thought of that a few years back, as has been the case with a lot of products.
One of our local manufacturers, Nature Vision, had a new product or two on display as well - an underwater camera in color and another product that will assist in backing you up under your trailer coupler. I'm not sure, but it might be a GPS, too. It was pretty nifty.
Some of the other things from other companies are secrets and I promised I wouldn't tell until the products were launched. But you'll find out about them soon.
WALLEYEDAN Eigen may be reached at (218) 839-5598, walleyedan@brainerd.com or www.walleyedan.com
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