Rod: Fenwick rods have made a big comeback with their
higher end sticks but for the next season this company is going one step further
with their high end rods.
Introducing the new Fenwick Elite
Tech rods designed with unique features to enhance the performance per specific
application
Fenwick Elite Tech - The Fenwick Elite Tech rods are a series of
premium fishing rods for bass anglers. Each rod is designed specifically for a
certain bass fishing application. These technique specific rods are unique in
that each uses different sets of features to enhance the rod's performance for
that one particular technique. For example the Crankshaft model has a special handle
designed for a long distance 2-handed casts and a "Super Delay" 50/50 action that
reduces missed strikes. Other rods in this series have a removable weight system
which is designed to counterbalance the lure and line at the tip when fishing.
The rod, reel seat, and guide materials and components are matched to each rod
technique, and make use of graphite, glass, and other rod materials from Pac Bay and
Fuji. The Fenwick Elite Tech rods come in 12 different models that cover a great
many
techniques and will retail for approximately $199.95 to $239.95.
Lines:
Fishing lines are anything but simple, as our recent fluorocarbon shootout has
shown. As technology improves so do the attributes and capabilities exhibited by fishing
lines. That's why each year we see companies introduce new lines. There are three new lines
in particular that are of interest from the Pure Fishing
group.
Berkley designed the Professional grade 100%
Fluorocarbon line to be 48-65% more flexible than Gamma Edge
Berkley Trilene
100% Fluorocarbon - With the Fluorocarbon craze going on right now companies
are coming out with different mixtures of Fluoro lines. The new Berkley Trilene
100% Fluorocarbon fishing line is developed to be a Professional Grade. This
line is designed using a proprietary 100% PVDF formula to make it super strong,
to have a similar refractive index as water to be invisible underwater, and to
have lower memory for better manageability. The pound tests available are 2, 4,
6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, and 25. The Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon comes in a clear
or green tint line and a 200 yard filler spool will retail for about $17.99 to
$23.99.
The new Blue Fluorescent Hi-Vis glow makes it
easy to see against the ice and snow
Stren Microfuse Ice - Stren
already has ice fishing lines already but there's nothing quite like the new Microfuse Ice
line. The microfuse line is a thermally-fused braided
line that's able to capture available light in a way that fish cannot see, yet
shines like a light bulb in the eyes of anglers. The new Blue Fluorescent Hi-Vis
glow makes it easy to see the line against the ice and snow. This new Stren line is also
made to have a near-zero stretch and a super smooth surface. It comes in pound
tests ranging from 2 to 30 pounds and come in spools of 125, 200, and 1,100
yards. A spool of 125 yards of Microfuse Ice will retail for $18.99.
Introducing the new Ultracast Invisi-Braid
Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid -
Invisi-Braid is a whole new line that incorporates a few processes to obtain the
best performance in a braided line. The unique combination of using the very
best materials, unmatched construction techniques and a patented cold fusion
process generates a higher tensile strength and greater strength per diameter
line. It is also designed with a higher pick count for unparalleled roundness
and durability. The Ultracast Invisi-Braid comes in the follow pound tests: 6/1,
8/1.5, 10/2, 15/4, 20/6, 30/8, 50/12, 65/14, and 80/15. A 125 yard filler spool
will retail for $19.99-$24.99.
Lures/Baits:
Berkley already has an
enormous selection of both PowerBait and Gulp! baits. These baits are well
scented and release the attractive chemicals in the water. But for 2008 they are
introducing something pretty neat for both freshwater and saltwater anglers.
Gulp! Alive!, 400 times more scent than
regular plastics
Gulp! Alive! -
Through exclusive technology Berkley has a process to make their biodegradable
plastics release 400 times more scent than regular plastics. Well, there's more
to the series of Gulp! baits. The new Berkley Gulp! Alive! is 20 percent more
potent than the original Gulp! due to the fact that it comes packaged in Gulp!
juice. The baits, 3 and 4 inch Minnow, 2 and 3 inch Minnow Grub, and 3 and 5
inch Leech, come in an easy to handle and stack buckets, which allows the baits
to be suspended - preserving their powerful scent and shape. After the bait has
been used simply toss it back into the bucket and let the Gulp! juice recharge
the bait and keep it pliable for use at a later time. These baits are designed
for bass, walleye, and many others. The Gulp! Alive! baits have many colors to
choose from and come in a small ($19.99) or large ($39.99) bucket.
The Manic Shad fishes like a crankbait +
swimbait with a unique action
PowerBait Manic Shad - Here's
something different... a swimbait with a upper "lip" that gives it more action. The PowerBait Manic Shad, create swimming action through a unique flexible PVC
collar instead of vibrating tail design like other swimbaits. The Manic Shad
fishes like a crankbait but has the action of a soft swimbait where the action
and roll is created by its unique collar. This lure features a single hook
design, exclusive PowerBait scent and flavor, impact resistant acrylic head with
3D eyes, and is corrosion resistant in freshwater and saltwater. A pack of Power
Manic Shad comes with one pre-rigged along with 3 or 4 other tail replacements
depending on size. Sizes available: 3, 4, 5, and 7 inches.
The collar is what gives this swimbait its
lively action
The body is easily inserted and will stay
intact with the head
Gulp! Chum - With the excellent
develop of the Gulp! products comes the Gulp! Chum. Gulp! Saltwater Chum has a
natural live bait taste that disperses the most effective scent ever developed
to attract fish. Soft and oily, it creates a slick that tastes and works like
fresh chum without grinding, chopping, and refrigeration! In addition to being
both colorful and edible, the chum bits sink to attract both bait fish and fame
fish at various depths. The Saltwater Gulp! Chum is available in a resealable
5-pound plastic container and will retail for $24.99.
No more messy jobs with the Gulp! Chum! No
refrigeration needed
Tools:
Berkley has been producing tools for quite some time now but for the new season
they'll be introducing a whole new set of gadgets to help anglers in getting the
job done. Though there are over 30 new tools we'll only highlight two that we
thought will be the most interesting to anglers.
Berkley's new Pistol Grip
Berkley TEC Pistol & Trigger Grips -
There are a good number of grippers/lippers out on the market today where some
are easier to use than others. Introducing here today is a whole new line of
Trigger Grips from Berkley. The new TEC line of grippers come in a 8" Pistol
Grip, 13" and 28" Trigger Grip. These TEC Grips are engineered for one purpose -
efficient, low-stress handling of big, active fish. The Grips are constructed
out of durable and stronger components. One key feature to the design was aimed
towards ergonomics. The ergonomics of the TEC Grips are more refined for better
control, quicker and smoother handling, and easy to use. Here are the retail
prices for the Grips- Pistol Grip: $49.99, 13" Trigger Grip: $69.99, 28" Trigger
Grip: $89.99.
Here are the two locking Trigger Grips
Berkley TEC Scale & Culling Kit - Here
we have a complete solution for tournament anglers or friends just having a
little bet on the side. Along with the Berkley TEC Grips you can pair that up with
the TEC Scale and Culling kit system. This combo makes it easy for tournament
anglers in that the kit includes a 35 pound digital scale, 8 low-stress poly
clips with tags in different colors, ziplock bag, color coded weight card, note
card with marker, all in a compact waterproof case. The Scale and Culling Kit
will retail for $69.99.
A scale and culling kit makes weighing and
identifying fish easier
Professional bass angler Mike Iaconelli has
this to say about the system, "Before I put a fish in my livewell I weigh it on
my Berkley Digital Scale, then compare the fish to the rest of my catch on the
Scale's memory. If it's a keeper I know which fish to cull before I place the
colored ring. But I rely on the log book for a quick reference of my livewell's
inventory to know what I have, where I stand for my day of fishing and how I
make my next decision in the head of the tournament."
Conclusion:
The team
at Pure Fishing never falls short when it comes in producing a wide range of
interesting products for
the upcoming season. The Fenwick Elite Tech rods are something else, even though our
low quality spy shots doesn't really do it justice you can rest assured that the
new elite rods are quite a step up from their current offering. The PowerBait and Gulp! lures/baits
should increase the effectiveness of an already proven solution, and we look
forward to testing them on the water. The new set of TEC tools look like they
have a good blend of quality ergonomics and functionality. All in all Pure
Fishing has a wide arrangement of products planned for 2008, and this is just a
sneak peek at what they have for anglers this season. Stay tuned for a live
report from ICAST in just a week and a half for the complete range of exciting
offerings from the tackle giant that is Pure Fishing.