ICAST blog
If you’ve been even halfway paying attention to this or our sister websites here at Bonnier Corp., you know that annual ICAST tackle show just went down in Las Vegas. You may never have heard of ICAST since it’s not open to the public. It’s a trade-only show designed for the tackle companies to exhibit their new wares to press and tackle dealers.
We press types attend a lot of different shows, but ICAST has always been a favorite of mine for one important reason; I can, at least in theory, afford to buy most of the items in the room. That is decidedly NOT the case with the Ft. Lauderdale or Miami Boat Shows where there’s little I can afford.
In essence, I’m a gear head and ICAST is the perfect venue for immersing oneself in the latest and greatest gadgetry, everything from rods and reels to pliers, clothing, hooks, fishing line and leader material of all sorts of strange and exotic composition, tackle boxes, kayaks (not for me, but some people like them I guess), sunglasses and myriad other stuff that goes with fishing. Plus some stuff that has nothing to do with fishing at all. And then, of course, there are all of the interesting distractions of Vegas itself (see photo).
Much of it is last year’s stuff recycled, of course, but manufacturers are quite creative about ways to brand things as “new.” I guess new is in the eye of the beholder, but there really was a lot of truly new and innovative stuff alongside the familiar products from years past. These included a new two-speed spinning reel and lures with new 3D paint jobs that are so lifelike, you expect them to wiggle spontaneously.
You’ll be reading much more about all of this in upcoming issues of SWS and other magazines, so stay tuned…
John Brownlee
getreel@saltwatersportsman.com
Photo by Richard Gibson