ICAST Coverage Day 1 - Exciting Reels all across the show floor
 

Introduction: What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas....but with so many exciting reel solutions we're breaking that rule today. We arrived at the ICAST gateway here at the Las Vegas convention center bright and early to get a jump on what we hoped would be some especially exciting 2006 products, and we were not disappointed in the slightest. On this first day we focused our attention on identifying the most exciting reels at the show. What we found on the show floor was a combination of both evolutionary redesigns of popular top sellers, as well as pioneering new products that push the envelope in terms of reel design, refinement, and superior manufacturing.

Shimano: Shimano came out in full force for the show and was one of the few manufacturers to introduce brand new saltwater and freshwater reels, as well as completely overhaul some of their existing top sellers. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Jeremy Sweet, who walked us through the complete lineup of exciting reels. As usual Shimano has translated proven technology from their high end reels down through the lineup. In a surprise move the company not only redesigned a number of their mid range baitcasters, but also proceeded to add more depth to the lineup with the introduction of the new Cruxis baitcaster positioned below the Citica.

Torsa: The Torsa is to saltwater fisherman what the Calcutta DC was to freshwater anglers...simply revolutionary. Shimano's Torsa was the talk of the town, and many attendees crowded the booth to not only find out more about this revolutionary new reel but "feel" for themselves just what the Torsa offers anglers in terms of raw performance. In the booth JIP and I took turns cranking up 8lb downrigger balls on various Shimano reels, including one of our favorites, the Trinidad. The TLD was a bear to crank on, the Trinidad felt confident but still took some serious cranking on our part, and the Torsa was something else. JIP and I both felt it took roughly about 40% less effort to crank up the exact same weight! The helically cut dive gear on Torsa is absolutely massive, and is actually the largest in the company's history. The cam system on the reel works like a key system, enabling you to dial in specific drag settings in seconds. Most reels take over a year to design and implement, but rather than having to redesign a new application specific reels Shimano can study, test, engineer, and produce new cams which essentially expand the fishing range of the Torsa in months rather than years.