ORLANDO, Fla. — One ICAST attendee said to the other, “What rhymes with orange.” The other replied, “No, it doesn’t.”
Yeah, schmorange is about the only thing you can rhyme with orange, and the color is also difficult to incorporate into designs of fishing gear. Lew’s managed it well, winning the Best of Show in the Rod and Reel category with its Mach Speel Spool Combo, which was awarded Wednesday night at the Chairman’s Industry Award Reception.
Lew’s has now won the ICAST Best of Show for four consecutive years in that category, which Bob Brown of Lew’s said the company created.
“Mach Crush has been a group effort,” he said. “All of us worked very hard to get the reel made to match the rod. Orange is a difficult color to work with, the trimmings, and the different color metals. We put it all together — the plan came together and it works.”
The 7-foot medium heavy rod allows angler versatility to do most all types of fishing, and the low profile reel is packed with features. One of the top ones is the multi-setting, magnetic brake control system, and the oversized 95-millimeter handle knobs allow for better grip.
“Every customer we have shown this to has said they have to have it,” Brown said. “Winning for four straight years is just another feather in our cap. We created this market of 100 to 200 dollar combos. It did not exist. Now we’re enjoying the fruits of our labor.”
And the latest would be an orange.
13 FISHING EXITS WITH HANDS FULL
Ricky Teschendorf of 13 Fishing got to hold the hardware as that company’s team members exited the Chairman’s Industry Awards Banquet. Both his hands were full after they won the Freshwater Rod category with Fate Black and their Ambition Combo won in Kid’s Tackle.
“Fate Black Gen 2, we’re super excited about it,” Teschendorf said. “Our industry, it’s all about standing out and being a little bit different, especially for the bass angler.”
The Fate Black is neon green with high-end cork components, new Evolve reel seats. It retails for under $99.
“You want to make the entry really low. That was our goal,” Teschendorf said. “We want to make sure everybody can fish this, but at the same time, we want to have the quality components, the good blanks and the tapers that the high-end anglers want to fish, like the Elites. I think it’s going to be impactful for the industry, set some big trends.”
SHIMANO’S RUN FOR THE MONEY
Shimano was also a double winner at the reception, making Trey Epich jog across the ballroom floor to gather his company’s second award right after accepting the first.
Epich had accepted the Best of Show for the Curado K Baitcaster, which won Best of Show Freshwater reel. He was being photographed by the ASA staffer when Shimano’s Sustain Reels C400/5000 earned the nod as the top Saltwater Reel.
He was seen jogging away from the photo shoot back across the entire hall to the other side of the stage, where he climbed up the steps once again.
“I’m currently the product manager for fishing reels,” Epich said. “I’m stationed out in Japan. I’ve been over there for three years. I’m a little jet-lagged, and it was a little bit of a workout, but this is just a huge moment for us.”
Shimano is certainly up to speed on building reels, too.
TRAPPER TACKLES SECOND IN ROW
Two years ago, Larry Davidson didn’t know much about ICAST. Then his Trapper Tackle hooks, sporting two right angles on the bottom to form a trap that bait and fish can’t wiggle off, won last year’s title in Terminal Tackle.
With products in stores across the country, the Landum Outdoors team worked on expanding their variety of styles and this year submitted a “wicked looking” treble hook that Davidson thought should be called “The Trident.”
Trapper again won the Terminal Tackle award for its Round Bend Treble, and Davidson was among the most animated of the award recepients. On stage with his trophy, the 71-year-old pumped both fists into the air and was cajoled on by his team and much of the hundreds gathered.
“Unbelievable. I am totally beside myself,” Davidson said. “Thank god we have an ICAST. Let’s hear it for ICAST.”
BERKLEY LINES UP ANOTHER CROWN
Pure Fishing, which several years ago won for Fishing Line, did it again with Berkley’s Fireline Ultra 8.
“We just wanted to upgrade our Fireline portfolio with the next generation material,” said team member Joe Meyer. “We made it a rounder, smoother product.”
How does one do that, Joe?
“Secret sauce that we do back in Iowa,” he joked. “We really wanted to make that better product, and along with it came that abrasion resistance. It’s really what people are looking for — line that will stand up against things like zebra mussels that are in our lakes these days, and this product will do it.”
Pure Fishing was a double winner as its Pflueger Supreme QRS Fly Reel won in that category.
BEST OF SHOW GOES TO ….
BOTE workers are celebrating as their Rover won not only the Boats and Watercraft category but also the Overall Best of Show.
Another double winner was Frogg Toggs, which took the Technical Apparel with its Sierran Transition Wader and the Lifestyle Apparel with the Prym1 Series Pilot II Jacket & Bibs.
The Okuma and Savage Gear team repeated in the Freshwater Hard Lure category, following up its 3D Suicide Duck from 2016 with a 3D Topwater Bat. That’s right, a bat. Look below at this freak of nature.
The electronics division of Johnson Outdoors Marine won in Electronics for its Solix 15 Chirp Mega SI GPS.
LIVETARGET was another recent winner that kept momentum, taking the Soft Lure category with its Hollow Body Mullet.
HUK had the top Footwear with his Attack shoes, Costa’s Sunrise Mirror Lens took the Eyewear category while Yeti had the best Boating Accessory in its LoadOut Bucket.
Other winners included: St. Croix for Saltwater Rod, the Legend Tournament Inshore; G. Loomis’ Fly Fishing Rod, the IMX-Pro Fly Rod; Daiwa’s Tactical Backpack in Tackle Management; Lunkerhunt LP’s Prop Series in Freshwater Soft Lure; Rapala’s 3D X-Rap Magnum 40 in Saltwater Hard Lure; Eagle Claw’s Flounder Sample Pack in FishSmart category; YETI’s Panga Duffle in Fishing Accessory; and Catch and Release Gift Shop’s Fish Prints in Giftware.
