ICAST 2011: Buckeye

Buckeye introduced some new products this year with the first being the JWill Flipping Jig. This bait is designed for flipping heavy cover and all of the components mirror that theme. The JWill comes stock with a 6/0 Trokar hook, a unique head design that penetrates cover more easily, a dense weed guard color matched to the head and an equally dense skirt.

Next up is a jig that Jason Williamson has been fishing with this season named the JWill Swim Jig. This bait features a horizontal hook eye for a better hook up percentage, a light weed guard, quality skirts and a 5/0 heavy duty round bend Trokar worm hook. The heads are powder coated, available in several colors and are on shelves already.  [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Falcon

Falcon has produced a lot of very good rods including but not limited to the BuCoo and Cara series. This year they are teaming up with Mike McClelland to design and produce the Falcon Cara T7 McClelland Signature Micro Casting Rods. This family of rods are technique specific, feature a cork split rear grip, use micro guides and eliminated the foregrip.

While having been designed for specific purposes, the angler will find that each rod is versatile and can handle anything in the weight that the rod is rated for.  [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Molix

Molix is an Italian company who is known in Europe for quality baits and they are bringing their line of baits here. A new lure that Mike Iaconelli helped design is called the Lover. This bait is a vibrating bait that looks as though they took a deep diving crank and inverted the lip, shaved it down a little to make it coffin style and called it good. [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Spro

Spro is introducing a new down-sized deep diver named the Little John Baby DD. This bait has a smaller profile than the original DD and is designed to get down into the 10 – 12 foot range. The Baby DD weighs about 5/8 oz, uses the same soft tungsten weight transfer system, has the same slow float as its siblings and a very similar hunting action. It will come in the same patterns as its larger cousin and should be as effective as the original DD.  [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: St. Croix

St. Croix has re-designed their Legend Tour rod series for 2012. The improvements include a new cork split rear grip, new reel seat, fore-grip and winding check. The Legend rods make use of Fuji’s K stripper guides in the first couple of positions and micro guides to the tip. The new Legend’s should be available in the fall and should retail from $230.00 to $270.00.  [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Snag Proof

Snag Proof has had a reputation for manufacturing quality, affordable products over the years and this year at ICAST they debuted the Bobby’s Perfect Buzz Frog. This floating, hollow body frog has a buzzin’ blade on the front, a double hook on the body of the frog and uses kicking legs on the back as opposed to the standard living rubber legs of most of the hollow body frogs out there. [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: River2Sea

 Let’s  take a look at some lures from River2Sea that were introduced at ICAST. River2Sea has had a relationship with Larry Dahlberg which has resulted in several new lures for the company over the past few years. This year the big news is that most of these baits are getting downsized. No, not being eliminated but rather, made smaller.   [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Airrus

Airrus is known for manufacturing quality rods and this year they are showing some new offerings in their product line. The first is the Airrus Co-Matrix 2.0. This rod is essentially a reworking of the original Co-Matrix 457 that a lot of folks have fished since it’s introduction in 2002. [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Gamakatsu

Gamakatsu has long been known for their hooks and this year they are introducing a few new products to their catalog. The first is the Mini Heavy Cover Hook which is a medium wire hook that has a built in bait keeper designed for finesse applications in and around cover. They will be available in several sizes to address a wide range of baits that the angler might want to throw.  [Read more…]

ICAST 2011: Shimano

Shimano is another company that has done a lot of revamping for the new year. The new Curado 200 G starts with a new green color and three spool colors depending on the gear ratio you choose.

Besides the cosmetic changes to the Curado, there are some changes that devotees will appreciate including a new 1/8 turn, Easy Access Attached sideplate for adjusting the braking system. The new reel will come in both right and left hand retrieve models, three different gear ratios, weigh 6.9 ounces and is a five bearing system.   [Read more…]