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Event Article: 2007 ICAST ForHer Coverage |
Raising Awareness and Fishing for a Cause: ICAST 2007 - ForHer
| Date: |
9/11/07 |
| Location: |
Las Vegas, NV |
| Admission: |
Buyers & Press Only |
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Reviewer: |
Team TackleTour |
Introduction: There was a definite undercurrent at this year’s ICAST and that was the message that fishing isn’t just for boys anymore. Certainly parents have, for years, been introducing their daughters as well as their sons to one of the word’s most favorite past times in fishing, but in this industry of specialized products, there have been few products developed specifically tailored to the needs of the female angler. That is, until now. Here is our dedicated look into a hopefully, growing market segment.
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The Crew at FisherGirl show us their wares
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FisherGirl: First up in our tour of ICAST 2007 for women and girls was the team at FisherGirl, a company established in 2003 with the simple motto of “Catch the Passion”. Not only are they looking to introduce young women into the sport of fishing with their specialized line of tackle and clothing, but they are hoping to inspire an entire new outlook in life. A portion of their proceeds goes towards the fight against Breast Cancer.
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Not only size appropriate, but color appropriate gear for the young FisherGirl
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A custom embroidered cap...
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... with a custom cutout to
accommodate the pony tail
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And of course, there is the apparel
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OceanGirl: OceanGirl’s motto is serious gear for serious girls and women and they feature rods that are not only custom tailored for a woman’s smaller hands and frame, but they are also built by women. New for this year is a line of spinning and casting reels in, of course, their signature color pink.
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Kelly Erlink shows us some serious gear for serious women and girls
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Ocean girl has a line of freshwater and surf gear as well
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OceanGirl covers a broad spectrum of fishing needs with their Ocean, Freshwater, and Surf series gear. They also have their own line of apparel with fun taglines such as “Man Beater” and “Reel Woman”.
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These rods might look dainty in pink, but when you look more closely, you see they have some stout components
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Custom OceanGirl spinning reels...
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...along with a low profile baitcaster!
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Big plugs for big fish
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A funny take on the whitey tightie tank
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FishHer: If we had a TT Award for most enthusiastic CEO at ICAST, Angie Michaels, president and founder of FishHer may very well have won this award. A tackle, or rather, accessory enthusiast at heart, Angie founded FishHer, because she found over 10 years ago, with her and her families growing interest in the sport and the quality family time it provided, there was a serious lack of fishing gear and accessories designed specifically for women.
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Angie Michaels wins our vote for most enthusiastic CEO
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with not only appropriate apparel
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She’s now made it her mission to educate other women about the sport, encourage conservation, and organize special events to get her message across. Thanks to her efforts and enthusiasm, FishHer was one of six companies awarded ICAST 2007’s inaugural Angler’s Legacy Leadership Award.
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but inspiring gear
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with downsized, soft foam grips
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You know Cal has one on order for his daughter
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Angie Michaels welcoming guests at the FishHer booth
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ICAST 2007's Angler's Legacy Leadership Award goes to FishHer for their inspiration and passion in education, conservation and overall awareness of our sport
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MacDaddy: Rounding out our feature on ICAST ForHer are our friends at MacDaddy fishing lures. Last year, they introduced us to the world’s first million dollar lure. This year, they officially launched their “Fishing for a Cure” breast cancer campaign featuring a pink sapphire ribbon encrusted atop a solid platinum spoon. The hook is removable so the lure can be worn as jewelry and there is even a set of matching earrings. MacDaddy ran away with ICAST 2007’s award for Best
Giftware and we applaud their efforts in launching their campaign to find a cure for breast cancer.
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MacDaddy's Award Winning Pink Ribbon Collection
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With proceeds going to their very own "Fish for a Cure" breast cancer campaign
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Fish it, or wear it as real jewelry
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Teri & Mac McBurney from MacDaddy Lures show off their ICAST 7007 award for Best Giftware
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Conclusion: There is a recurring theme among the four companies we highlighted in this article and it’s not just their focus on gear for the female angler, but it’s their efforts in raising awareness of the sport and using it as a vehicle to give back to the community as a whole. Fishing is a universally enjoyed past time and it’s even more enjoyable when you know companies are focusing their efforts on a greater cause. We'd like to thank these companies for their special focus and dedication in ensuring the women and girls of our favorite past time are not overlooked.
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