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."