ICAST Coverage Day 1 - Exciting Reels all across the show floor
TICA: On the show
floor TICA shocked us with a large amount of quality saltwater reels for both
big game and surf
fishing they now
have in their lineup. The TICATEAM big game two-speed reel now comes in a full
range of sizes; 20, 30, 50, and 80. These proven big game reels will give an
angler the edge to picking the right size for their favorite game without
overdoing their application, or even worse not have enough capacity.
Derick Fisher of TICA shows JIP
how quickly the new saltwater reel can be disassembled
In addition TICA is big on
surf reels and is introducing the ABYSS TL and TF series. These reels are very
refined looking but two features within the design really stood out. Spinning
surf reels have tall spools and getting line to lay correctly has been an issue
with many companies. TICA’s solution is longer worm shafts that are supported
with their new Cybernetic Frame System that guides the line onto the spool with
extreme precision.
Big game
anglers now have a wider selection of sizes for this fine two-speed reel
Yet another reel that is
new that deserves attention is the new Seaspirit reel. The neatest feature on
this reel is the Quick Remove Sideplate system that allows fast disassembly on
the field for maintenance if needed, without tools. Alex Hung of TICA showed us
how fast he was able to take one of these reels apart. With a turn and click the
reel was taken apart and now you have access to cleaning and maintaining your
reel. It literally takes 2 seconds.
Ron Giudice
of Pure Fishing shows Zander the new solid Record reel
Abu Garcia: Abu
Garcia had the works in their booth this year with a test tank, diagnostic
machines, and other well thought-out gadgets to demonstrate the performance of
their tackle. Tim Rizzi and Ron Giudice of Pure Fishing showed us two of the
more exciting products Abu Garcia had to offer for 2006. The new Cardinal 500
ALB has been completely redesigned with a rugged aluminum frame and more precise
rotor system. Tim Rizzi showed us on a laser guided machine on how much more
balance the Cardinal 500 had during rotation as compared to brand “X.”
Pure Fishing had many electronics
present at their booth to display their product performance. Here Tim Rizzi of
Pure Fishing shows Zander how balanced the Cardinal 500 is when cranked
This next reel
is one we really fell in love with. Built with Swedish engineering and
craftsmanship, the new Abu Garcia "Record" reel is absolutely stunning. The reel
is manufactured out of stainless steel and brass components and felt extremely
sound. We marveled at how solid this reel felt in our hands and we can’t wait to
do an in-depth review on it. The Record exhibits a perfect blend of new
technology and loyalty to the original Abu design heritage.
The new
Record reel is made in Sweden and is absolutely solid
Okuma Induron IDx:Okuma is one company that always makes a big splash when it comes to new
tackle introductions. This year they displayed many new reels that target a wide
range of anglers. The current Induron will now be named Induron IDx. The name
change also comes with many new added features. The small model that targets
bass and other freshwater game gets a perforated spool for better performance,
drilled out frame cross-bar for weight reduction, and Okuma’s Rulidium drag
system for sure stopping power. All these new upgrades with about the same
retail cost of $109.
The Induron
IDx now comes with more features and a more solid frame. The Stinson
spinning reels by Okuma are high performing with a low price tag of only
34.99-54.99
The VSystem is Okuma’s
latest and greatest spinning reel. From a few turns of the handle at the Okuma
booth we were impressed by how smooth and powerful the reel was. The reel
features Okuma’s Elliptical Oscillation System, high performance bearings, solid
aluminum frame construction, DFD (Dual Force Drag) system, and much more. One
feature that we found neat was on the forged aluminum handle. At the base Okuma
has implemented a new Quick-Lock handle design. The new design is spring loaded
and can be quickly folded by sliding the neck collar on the handle. This allows
for more compact design for storage and transportation. The VSystem comes in
sizes 15 all the way to 80 and the retail price ranges from $149 to $189.
For 2006 the VSystem comes in
saltwater sizes and is awesome for anglers that need reliability and power.
Another nice feature is the quick unlatch and fold handle system
Pflueger Supreme:Remember the
Pflueger President baitcast reel review we did on TackleTour and how the results
came out? If you don’t, let me give you a quick refresher. The President
baitcaster received a score of 8.91 and was awarded TackleTour’s Best Value
Award. This year there’s something even better than the President reel. The new
Plfueger Supreme LP and LPL sports 3 ball bearings on the spool shaft, 1 on the
crankshaft, 2 on the worm gear, and 4 on the handle knobs. That’s 10 ball
bearings! One spin of the spool and a few cranks of the handle of the Supreme,
we can tell this one is also going to be a winner.
The latest
and greatest by Pflueger is the Supreme which is positioned one level above
the President
Conclusion: The
secret is out...the 2006 reels are among the most exciting we have seen in
years. Whether you enjoy fishing freshwater for bass or dipping into the deep
blue for Tuna there are new reels that will soon be available that allow you to
tailor your gear to your distinctive fishing requirements. Innovations like the
Shimano Torsa cam system and the Daiwa Viento Twitching Bar allow anglers to get
real creative, fish new techniques, and demand more from their tackle. Companies
like Zebco have made huge strides in a very short period of time, and rather
then rest on their laurels are pushing the envelope once again by revamping
their entire lineup of Performance Tuned reels, and expanding their brand
portfolio. Manufacturers like Abu Garcia are bringing classic designs and
refinement together and the result are reels that both early adopters and
purists will love. Then there are companies like Okuma, Tica, and Shakespeare
that are expanding into new territories, and doing a fantastic job of delivering
more performance for the money then we thought would ever be possible just 2
shows ago. What it
really comes down to this year in Vegas is that all the reel manufacturers have
upped the ante, we see more and more risks being taken to push the envelope in
terms of design and technology, and lucky for all of us the ultimate winners are
the consumers.
