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Wrapping up the regional ISE
shows with some new products in Fly, Electronics and Watercraft
| Date: |
2/02/10 |
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Location: |
San Mateo and
Sacramento, CA |
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Event Date: |
Jan 14-24, 2010 |
| Reviewer: |
Team
TackleTour |
Introduction: Back at the show we meet with guides to plan our trips
for our tenth anniversary as well as check out the latest in the fly,
electronics and boating categories.
The show floor is filled with many
guides ready to take you on a fishing adventure
Meet ATA, the Adventure
Travel Alliance: Ready to go on a more exotic fishing adventure? The ISE is
full of guide opportunities and one of the most exciting is the prospect of
fishing for Peacock Bass in the Amazon. Peacock Bass are known for their incredible
strength and viscous topwater strikes. ATA can take you there...
Steve Yatomi talks to anglers
about special destinations including fishing for Peacock Bass in the Amazon and
Tigerfish in Africa just to name a few
The ATA, also known as the
Adventure Travel
Alliance was formed by fishing partners Steve Yatomi and Larry Dahlberg, yes the
same Larry Dalhberg that hosts his own show called “The Hunt for Big Fish.”
After fishing in so many incredible destinations they decided to help promote
developing places and to help steer fishermen towards some dream fishing trips.
Steve helps set up every aspect of the perfect trip for anglers, everything from
finding the right trip for you to the detailed logistics. They have flown the
airlines you will fly on, slept in the rooms you will sleep in, eaten the food
you will feast on, basically they have lived the adventure and can set anglers
up on a
once in a lifetime trip. Peacock Bass in the Amazon is just one adventure
of many that ATA offers, they also plan amazing trips to Africa for Tigerfish,
Perch on the Nile and even Golden Dorado in Argentina.
Zander holds up the K Lures "Rattlin
Dog" a handmade wooden top water walk the dog bait designed specifically to
target Peacock Bass
Originally we were all set
to go to the Amazon to target Peacocks next weekend but low rainfall in the
basin has pushed the trip out until November this year. Steve wants to make sure
all his clients have the very best trip possible and goes out of his way to make
each trip a truly once in a lifetime memorable experience. We look forward to a
completing our scheduled tests in the Amazon come November.
There are new warm water Sharkskin
lines available this season
Scientific Anglers: 3M continues to expand
their fly line offerings with a number of new Sharkskin additions this season.
The new saltwater sinking fly line makes use of Sharkskin technology with a new
clear tip. Making use of 3M's "microreplication process" through the entire
circumference this line strips easily through the water and quickly sheds water
for an easy back cast and quick cast to cruising fish. Also new is a Sharkskin
Series Streamer Express line that utilizes the same technology in a 150 to 400
grain weight designation for five through twelve weight rods, these lines have
an extra fast thirty foot sinking head to attain sink rates from 5 to 8 inches
per second, taking flies down quickly from 6 to more than 20 feet. Both of these
new lines will retail for $99.95 each and are available now.
There are many new options for fly
storage with Scientific Anglers latest boxes, the new angled design on some of
them make room for larger poppers
Scientific Anglers is also expanding their line of
waterproof fly boxes with five new versions. The number on each box represents
the maximum number of flies each box will hold. All boxes feature slit foam to
align and hold flies firmly and a gasket design creates a watertight seal. One
of the coolest boxes is the new "Compact Angled 164" which features a slanted
center panel which enables medium size poppers to fit without getting crushed by
the lid.
John Mazurkiewicz shows us the
latest Scientific Anglers has to offer
Penn Custom Shop: Penn goes one step beyond
just building quality reels by making them more personal with new customization
options. Penn is offering an array of colors ranging from "Gun Smoke" to
"Tournament Pink" and there are seven colors in all. Anglers can even pick two
colors and spread them out among the frame and sideplates and choose from six
different engravings ranging from fish to the American flag or the Penn Logo.
Anglers can then add personalized text to the sideplate, text color options in
gold and black are available.
An example of the color options
and engraving that can be done to personalize the International Series Penn
reels
The custom finishes add a very personal look to
each reel and will be available through authorized dealers like Hi's Tackle Box.
The customization can only be done at the time of purchase and not on already
owned reels, and is currently only available on the International Series.
Darin Houx shows us the new
customization options
The cost for the customization is 100 dollars for
a color change and 100 dollars for engraving or just 150 dollars for both.
Turnaround time is approximately 30 days as each reel needs to be customized at
Penn's own facility. At the show we checked out a few color combos and the reels
look really slick, the custom options make the reels really feel personal and
will stand out in a sea of "me-too" reels on that next long range trip.
Len Vinci shows us the new down
imaging
Hummingbird: The arms race is accelerating,
fish finder manufacturers are turning it up on all sides (literally) and
Hummingbird continues to push the envelope when it comes to side and down
imaging. The software has been refined and all the new units now support
exceptional down imaging. This new down imaging delivers picture like images by
using high frequency sounds emitted in thin slices.
Units like the 1197c now allow
anglers to choose from a palette of colors and screen configurations
The result is an instant snapshot directly below
the boat, the new software then analyzes the returns to verify the position of
the echoes to ensure down imaging only shows anglers the structure and activity
directly beneath the boat and not off to one side or another. The bottom line is
anglers can see structure in stunning detail.
Owners of existing units that
support the higher end features can download and update their software to take
advantage of the latest features...best of all it is free
Hummingbird units can also now split the screen
view into multiple windows so anglers can view down imaging alongside 2D sonar
or alongside the popular side imaging views or even all of them combined.
Existing units can be updated with the software upgrade to improve the
feature-set.
The Ranger 521 cockpit is stepped
up and has plenty of room to mount electronics in clear view while driving
Ranger:
The all-new Z521 Comanche
continues to be the talk of the town among hard core anglers and features
aggressive styling, an ultra-responsive feel and even more space, comfort, and
customizable features including the ability to remove the center seat and drop
in a real center accessory box, not some cheap plastic storage container, rather
a fiberglass console that matches the rest of the boat down to the color flakes.
Jeff Huth shows us the center rod
locker, this boat has tons of storage
The Z521 comes with a 250
horsepower rating and a massive 52 gallon fuel capacity for those long runs and
broad 95” beam for exceptional stability. Inside the 21’ 3” frame, engineers
have showered the Z521 with standard features. Up front, the 24 volt Minn Kota
trolling motor includes an available recessed trolling motor pedal. Flanking the
factory-rigged Lowrance electronics and digital switching at the bow is a huge
8’ port rod box and 7’6” center rod box. Starboard storage is highlighted by
another pair of locking compartments just forward of the helm. Rounding out the
front deck, a built-in cooler and integrated step offer even more insulated
storage.
More storage and insulated coolers
in easy reach near the consoles
The newly designed consoles
are now larger and shaped with special contouring for the tips of longer rods
stored on the front deck. The taller consoles not only deliver more protection
from the wind and weather but also provide more room for flush mounting today’s
large-screened electronics.
Tournament anglers rarely use the
center seat, and it can be replaced with a high quality storage console that
matches the boat
The Ranger 521 is one of the
most advanced boats Ranger has ever designed and the boat features a balance of
features to improve performance without sacrificing comfort. While many boat
manufacturers are in a holding pattern as the economy has hurt boat sales Ranger
continues to develop new models like the Ranger 521 Comanche that are intended
for serious bass anglers.
A look inside the storage console
On the side of the consoles are
contoured cutouts to make it easier to transport longer rods
The Ranger 521 Comanche is loaded
with performance features but not at the expense of comfort
Conclusion: The ISE shows are always a good
opportunity to check out everything from tackle to new boats and even book that
trip of a lifetime. While the San Mateo and Sacramento shows are now behind us
there may be a show coming to a location near you as the season is just
beginning. The Phoenix show runs from Feb 26th to the 28th and the Salt Lake
City show runs from March 18th to the 21st. Each show has a unique "flavor" with
offerings that reflect the local fishing applications. The one thing that is
common among all of them is that there are plenty of manufacturers and guides
eager to share their passion with anglers looking for the latest and greatest
the industry has to offer.
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