THE BUSINESS NEWS OF FISHING. |
|
Neal Makes A Big Splash At ICAST |
|
New to ICAST this year is the Keep America Fishing Dunk Tank which is open for action during the Wednesday and Thursday afternoon exhibitor happy hours.
Bass Pro Tour pro Michael Neal was one of the volunteers for this great cause, climbing into the dunk tank to help raise money. Several attendees including fellow Bass Pro Tour competitor Russ Lane lined up to knock Neal into the water. The friendly competition will support the Keep America Fishing, the industry’s grassroots advocacy program. ASA’s President Glenn Hughes was the first to sign up for the cause along with other industry notables. The event got off to a great start on Wednesday, raising several thousand dollars and will continue on Thursday with other members of the fishing industry volunteering their time.
|
|
Big Bite Baits Launches Scentsation |
|
New for 2022, Big Bite Baits is launching our exclusive Scentsation line of soft plastics. Scentsation was developed after numerous requests from the Big Bite pro angler team and consumers for a soft and buoyant soft plastic, that was infused with a powerful fish attracting scent that would be more effective for wary fish with greater scent susceptibility. The Big Bite production team initially began working with a 30-year PhD chemist for months to develop this proprietary formula with greater fish attraction. It really stinks and it really works! In a collaboration, this plastic formula was developed after multiple rounds of testing for fish attraction and manufacturing capabilities. Once the formula was developed it went to our pro angler team for testing thru the remainder of 2021. Responses from our pro team were very strong and they saw an immediate impact on their fishing in many areas. That testing continued across the country throughout the off season on many different bodies of water. Our team also worked on a list of new shapes that would be available in this one-of-a-kind plastic formula.
Bassmaster Elite Series angler Clifford Pirch is known for his prowess with finesse techniques, especially his mastery of the drop shot. Pirch, along with other Western anglers have been utilizing custom hand poured worms for years to entice fish under pressured conditions. Big Bite Baits tapped into Clifford's decades of knowledge to help them develop the Cliff Hanger 5 Worm and the Ramtail 35 along with providing input on the other new Scentsation shapes, and he is extremely pleased with how the final product has turned out. "It's been awesome working with Big Bite Baits on their new lineup of Scentsation soft plastics. The new scent formula has a strong drawing power for both smallmouth and largemouth and causes the fish to hold onto the bait longer resulting in more fish catches," says Pirch. While scented plastics have been a known commodity for smallmouth for quite some time, Pirch is equally excited about its' effectiveness on largemouth. "I've gained an enormous amount of confidence during the development process of the Scentsation line of baits on how effective they are on largemouth. The willingness of largemouth to bite these new baits has been an eye opener for me, and I am looking forward to utilizing them in largemouth scenarios as much as I am for smallmouth. When you can combine the characteristics of good hand poured plastics and an awesome fish attracting scent you have a serious player, and Scentsation is just that." Pirch concluded.
Major League Fishing Pro Michael Neal has been one of the hottest anglers at the Tour Level over the past 18 months and has been a big believer in the Scentsation formula since he received the first sample shipment. “Tough conditions and more pressured fish is all to common for me and Scentsation has helped me get more bites in a number of occasions and has proven especially effective for smallmouths,” says Neal. He continues, “I developed the Skinny Stick 5 for my use with drop shots and wacky rigs. I love the action this bait has, the texture and the strong scent formula has helped me get more bites while playing a crucial role in several of my wins and high
finishes in the last year. I also selected the colors in this worm and feel they can go anywhere in the country and catch fish.”
Elite Series pro Drew Cook utilized his Scentsation prototypes in a number of ways. He found it effective for smallmouth and largemouth alike. “I was really excited to get this “stinking” plastic and put it to work. I found out quickly it really worked for either bass species. I also was excited to develop my Quarantine Craw 425 to be a ned rigging finesse craw combo bait. It works great on a jighead or as a finesse jig trailer. I had an idea for this shape during the quarantine period of 2020 and started making prototypes. I saw immediate results and to be able to have this shape in the Scentsation plastic is going to be a sure winner”, Drew Cook.
Lindner’s Angling Edge has been producing sport fishing content for more than 50 years. They focus on helping anglers catch more and bigger fish of all species. They fish all species from bluegills to musky in every condition across hundreds of bodies of water in a season. The angling edge team of Al Lindner, James Lindner and Jeremy Smith tested Scentsation plastics on walleyes and smallmouths in 2021. The results they saw were impressive for targeting smallmouth or largemouth bass and walleye. The mix of minnows and finesse shapes proved deadly in Northern waters for their team. Scentsation launches in July of 2022, and made its public debut this week at ICAST in Orlando.
|
|
Jenko Fishing Wins 8th Annual ICAST Cup on Lake Toho |
|
The Jenko Fishing team, represented by Coleton Jennings, Matt Hinman and Harbor Lovin, brought a three-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 11 ounces to the stage to win the 2022 ICAST Cup at Lake Toho Presented by Major League Fishing on Tuesday. The four-hour bass-fishing tournament, hosted by Kissimmee Sports, was the kickoff event to ICAST 2022 and raised a total of $12,000 to benefit the industry’s angler advocacy program, Keep America Fishing™. The field totaled 58 boats, including a handful of Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and Toyota Series anglers, as well as outdoor media and industry representatives from popular tackle brands and non-profits. In its seven-year history, the charity tournament has raised more than $72,000 for Keep America Fishing™.
Anchored by a 9-pound, 12-ounce kicker, the Jenko Fishing team won by a wide margin of 6 pounds, 11 ounces over the Skinny Water Marine/Lithium Battery Company team – comprised of Eric Conant, Michael Kirkland and Glen Cabezas – who brought a limit to the scale weighing 15 pounds even.
The Jenko Fishing team said they felt blessed to claim the 2022 ICAST Cup win, something that has been on their bucket list for the past couple years.
“It honestly didn’t come easy, today,” Jennings said. “The first place we stopped didn’t have much, so we left there with 7 or 8 pounds and made a run down the lake. I picked up a new prototype topwater bait that we’ve been working on for three years – it’s my pride and joy and my favorite bait that I’ve ever worked on – and you can see the results first-hand.”
The outcome of that decision and the super-secretive bait were three giant largemouth – including the 9-pound, 12-ounce kicker – that gave the trio their 21-11 limit and the opportunity to take home the ICAST Cup hardware. “This isn’t even real life – this place is like ‘Jurassic Park,’” Jennings said with a laugh, maneuvering the three giant largemouth back into the bag.
“This bait is something we have worked so hard on,” he said. “There hasn’t been anything super unique that has come out in a topwater bait in several years, but this bait is absolutely deadly and I’m so excited to get it out to the public.
“I mean, 21-11 in July, on only three fish – that’s incredible and it’s one of those days that you’ll never forget in your whole life,” Jennings said.
The Top 10 teams finished the tournament in:
- 1st: Jenko Fishing – Coleton Jennings, Matt Hinman and Harbor Lovin, three bass, 21-11
-
2nd: Skinny Water Marine/Lithium Battery Company – Eric Conant, Michael Kirkland and Glen Cabezas, three bass, 15-0
-
3rd: Floatzilla – Douglas and Hayden Reed, three bass, 14-4
-
4th: Bull Bay Tackle Company – Jake Stines and Kelly Phillips, three bass, 14-1
-
5th: The Florida Angler – Nick Morrison and Jeff Powell, three bass, 13-15
-
6th: 13 Fishing – Christian Greico and Garrett Rocamora, three bass, 13-12
-
7th: Hawg Tech, LLC – Robert Perez, Erik Tilson and Jerrod Brown, three bass, 13-2
-
8th: Thunder Rocket Lures – Jered Fontenot, Jimmy Frye and David Sartwell, three bass, 11-4
-
9th: Native Angler – Ben Paquin and Kwang Park, three bass, 10-15
-
10th: Nikko Baits – Rohan Ramsinh and Chuck Smith, three bass, 10-7
Complete results and photos from the tournament will be posted at ICASTCup.com.
|
|
5. Baits Not Being Talked About |
|
Offering explosive performance in a streamlined and low-profile package, the Molix Short Arm Spinnerbait relies on a single blade and exceptional detailing to draw in big strikes from check-cashing fish. Fitted with a premium Molix Willow Blade anchored by a high-performance ball-bearing swivel, the Short Arm Spinnerbait delivers effortless vibration at every retrieval speed. Built on a 17/7 stainless steel wire with a laser-welded eyelet, the custom short arm design provides increased flexibility without sacrificing strength.
Transitioning from the premium hardware up front, the Molix Short Arm Spinnerbait leads into a lead-free head made of Zinc-alloy with meticulous detailing accentuated by 3D eyes. Just behind the head, a hand-tied skirt with custom dual silicone trailer strips delivers an attention-demanding presence with unparalleled action. A Mike Iaconelli signature bait offered in his tournament-tested color patterns, the Molix Short Arm Spinnerbait also is armed with a 4/0 OMTD custom hook for reliable hook-setting performance.
Check out the full lineup here.
|
|
6. What We're Watching & Listening To |
|
Bassmaster Open Changes Explained |
|
The talk of the fishing industry the last week or so has completely revolved around Bassmaster's latest rule change for qualification to the Elite Series via the Bassmaster Opens. B.A.S.S. Open Tournament Director Hank Weldon joined Andrew Upshaw and Bradley Hallman to discuss the changes and take viewer's questions. Check it out here.
|
|
Photo Courtesy Bassmaster
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Daisuke Aoki sponsorship lineup includes DStyle, G-Fishing, Garmin, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Hayabusa, Konami, Line System, Pure Fishing Japan, Samurai Boat Service, Skeeter, Yamaha, Tiemco, and Vital Spirit just to name a few.
|
|
DD26 Fishing Live Foot Universal Trolling Motor Bracket |
|
Designed to help keep your eye on the fish no matter the conditions, the DD26 Fishing Live Foot Universal Trolling Motor Bracket allows anglers to control their forward-facing sonar while the trolling motor remains on spot lock. This motorized transducer mount pairs with your Minn Kota Ultrex, Lowrance Ghost, or Garmin Force trolling motor to ensure your electronics remain locked on the school of fish while allowing for quick transitions between Forward, Down, and Scout/ Perspective modes.
The DD26 Fishing Live Foot runs off your 12-volt battery drawing less than 1amp of power, utilizes a high torque motor, ridged stainless steel tubing, and high-grade aluminum mount with adjustable lengths. Complete with a DD26 Fishing Universal Billet Transducer Mount to fit Garmin LVS32, Lowrance Active Target, and Humminbird Mega Live, the included DD26 Billet Aluminum Slider bracket is fully removable, weighs only 12 ounces, and is built like a tank!
Providing easy operation with a wireless foot remote at the deck or key fab remote that fits easily in your pocket, the DD26 Fishing Live Foot Universal Trolling Motor Bracket independently controls your transducer even when spot locked or when the motor is pointed in a different direction.
***Compatible w/ Garmin LVS32, Lowrance Active Target, and Humminbird Mega Live Transducers and MinnKota Ultrex, Lowrance Ghost, or Garmin Force trolling motors. Check it out here.
|
|
Average Age Of A New Freshwater Boat Buyer |
|
According to the National Marine Manufacturing Association (NMMA), retail boat sales grew 12 percent in 2020. That equates to more than 310,000 new powerboats sold, a number the boating industry hasn’t seen since the 2008 recession. First-time buyers are entering the market in larger numbers, a sign that the growth has staying power. While the recent downturn in the economy may slow things down eventually dealerships are struggling to maintain inventory and manufacturers are expanding production capacity to meet demand. According to this chart published on Tableau Public, the average age of a first time boat buyer in 2020 was 51 years old.
|
|
|
If ICAST was open to the pulic would you attend?
|
|
|
|
Like what you see, refer a friend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
