Take a look at some of the best of the new tackle and gear we previewed at ICAST this past summer.
Nine reels in the second-generation Fathom II Star Drag series from Penn include a Fast Gear-Access Side Plate that allows quick and efficient servicing and lubrication. Power Gear ratios on the 25N, 30 and 40 boost torque. The size 15 Casting Special adds a magnetic casting brake and upgraded bearings. $199.95 to $219.95; pennfishing.com
Glow-stick rods from Berkley incorporate a fiber-optic cable powered by AAA batteries that lights the length of the rod for guess-proof bite-detection after dark, designed for the special challenges of surf and pier fishing. Available in 8-, 9- and 10-foot models. $79.99 to $89.99; purefishing.com
Alutecnos adds a little sibling to its line of machined aluminum reels: the Gorilla 20 Wide 2S, a two-speed reel offering the standard 6.5:1 retrieve augmented with a 3.4 low gear to boost torque. It handles up to 1,094 yards of 50-pound braid, and offers 45 pounds of drag. $760; alutecnos.com
The Quantum PT Reliance comes in 30, 40, 55 and 65 sizes, fully sealed for maintenance-free protection of bearings, gears and critical components from water, corrosion, sand and wear. The SCR aluminum body and forged aluminum spool provide bulletproof performance. Starting at $99; quantumfishing.com
1. Giving offshore anglers the ability to target finicky pelagic species on smaller baits, the proven Shimano line of ORCA lures now includes the SP-ORCA Baby. It sinks slowly in a horizontal orientation, and sports a tuna-enticing roll during retrieve, plus heavy center weighting for long casts. Available in eight colors. $19.99; fish.shimano.com
2. Yo-Zuri’s 3D Twitchbait series gets two big brothers with the 43⁄8- and a 5 1⁄4-inch models. These proven baits run at 11⁄2 to 3 feet, and 2 to 6 feet, respectively. Both come in 13 color schemes to match any forage species inshore or off. $8.99; yo-zuri.com
3. At 5 1⁄4 inches, the No. 13 Skitter V from Rapala is 11⁄4 inches longer than the original No. 10, and at 1 ounce, it’s a half-ounce heavier and carries an additional treble hook. An internal ball bearing produces a distinctive clack on the retrieve. Available in the same 10 colors as the original. $11.99; rapala.com
4. Livetarget’s Flutter Sardine features an internal lifelike baitfish profile while maintaining the action and attraction of a traditional jigging spoon. Offered in five weights, from 3⁄8 to 1 1⁄2 ounces, and six colors, it’s effective from the shallow flats to rocks and reefs, in open water or around structure. $9.99; livetargetlures.com
5. Mack Attack lures from Fish Lab comprise a hard-jointed swimbait and a soft paddle tail suited to surface fishing, trolling or deep-dropping. Available in five sizes, 6 1⁄2 to 10 inches from 5 1⁄2 to 16 ounces, and seven color schemes to match a range of forage species. $12.99 to $20.99; fishlabtackle.com
6. The Hybrid Walking Bait from 13 Fishing combines a free-swinging but perfectly weedless hook placement with a long baitfish profile in a hollow-bodied, soft lure that invites walking the dog, even in the worst conditions. A distinctive hook arrangement ensures solid hook-sets. Available in 16 different color schemes. $17.99; 13fishing.com
Cedros spinning reels from Okuma, in 8000, 10000 and 14000 sizes, take no prisoners, with a Dual Force Drag system that applies 44 pounds of drag housed under a machined-aluminum anodized spool. The manual bail trip boosts reliability, and the 5.4:1 gear ratio gathers up to 45.9 inches per turn. $159.99 to $179.99; okumafishingusa.com
Soft Steel Fluoro-Stretch line is 100 percent fluorocarbon with the stretchable properties of nylon mono line, allowing for improved knot strength that approaches 95 percent, as well as providing additional shock absorption. Available in 25-yard spools and coils, and 5-yard lengths. $6.99 to $89.99; softsteelusa.com
SpiderWire’s UltraCast, an 8-carrier PE weave offers increased casting distance with less effort, superior strength and improved abrasion resistance. Available in two new colors, Aqua Camo and Inshore Camo in 4- to 100-pound-test in 150-, 300- and 2000-meter packs, $18.99, $36.99 and $249.99. spiderwire.com
The Inshore Slam Head from Owner features heavy- wire hooks to handle big fish and extreme fights, and the wide gap offers added clearance for soft baits. A corkscrew keeper holds plastics in place, and forged shanks, a super needle point and Black Chrome finish stand up to seatrout, snook and redfish. Available in 10 sizes from 1/0, 1⁄32 ounce to 5/0, 1⁄2 ounce. $6 to $8 per four-pack; ownerhooks.com
ChinlockZ SWS jig heads from Z-Man now come in an expanded range of sizes, from 2/0 to 8/0, with 1⁄12- to 1⁄2-ounce keel weights. The distinctive precision-cut keeper barb molded to the hook shank locks soft plastics in place and keeps them aligned, reducing time lost during lure replacement and rerigging. $7.99; zmanfishing.com
Designed for live or dead bait, the Bite N’ Run feature on Daiwa’s EMCAST BR LT allows free-flow of line on the pickup, before the auto-clutch kicks the reel into gear for the hook-set. Available in four models, from 2500 to 5000, with a 5.1:1 retrieve, for 6- to 20-pound mono or braid. $99.99; daiwa.com/US
The Van Staal VR Series offers a fully machined, waterproof aluminum body, sealed drag, and micro-click adjustable drag. It converts to manual pickup with the included kit. Available in five sizes weighing from 8.9 to 15.8 ounces to carry 10- to 15-pound mono or 20- to 40-pound braid. $489; vanstaal.com
