Clear Answers on Fluorocarbon

Avoiding the issues with an otherwise great fishing line.

By Frank Sargeant
from The Fishing Wire

Most experienced anglers now make regular use of all three common varieties of fishing line, monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid. Of the three, fluorocarbon probably causes more issues and gets more cussing than the other two put together, with good reason.

While fluoro has some very obvious benefits which keep it on the playing field–extreme clarity, durability, low stretch and a high density that causes it to sink, taking diving lures deeper–it can be very difficult to cast.

Because fluoro is a “harder” line than monofilament, it tends to be stiffer, and this stiffness can cause big problems both on baitcasters and on spinning reels.

Most of us who have loaded up a baitcaster with 15 to 20 pound test fluoro of any stripe have had the unfortunate experience of a “professional over-run”, AKA a backlash or bird’s nest, when trying to make long casts.

Dave Burkhardt is an avid angler who makes use of his line products regularly to stay in touch with the market, both in saltwater and fresh.

Dave Burkhardt, company president of Trik Fish lines (formerly Triple Fish), was one of the first to start selling fluorocarbon as a fishing line in the U.S., though it had been used as leader material for some time previously. Burkhardt, besides being a businessman, is also a hard-core angler who regularly fishes both fresh and salt water, and he understands the needs of his customers well.

“There’s no question that a lot of fluoro is just too darn stiff for good fishing,” says Burkhardt, whom I interviewed at the recent ICAST show in Orlando, Florida. “The stiffness never mattered when it was only used as leader material–in fact, a stiff leader can be helpful for keeping the hooks from tangling in the running line when you’re working a topwater, for example, and the hardness of the stiffer lines is a plus because it helps prevent cutoffs.”

But, says Burkhardt, when some standard fluoro is used as fishing line, trouble begins.

“Standard mono has a specific density of about 1.0, which means among other things that it floats on water. Most fluoro has a density of 1.8, almost twice as dense as mono, and that means it sinks. It also means it’s a harder material, and that it tends to be stiffer–and those two characteristics are not good in fishing lines.”

Burkhardt said that the work-around solution, for anglers who need sinking, nearly invisible line, has been in the past to use a lighter test line than they would normally–the thinner the fluoro, the less likely it is to create snarls on casting, so lighter tests are one solution.

“Of course, the problem with that is, if you’re fishing rough cover, you lose a lot of lures, and you’re likely to lose your big fish when it finally bites,” says Burkhardt.

Trik Fish Fluoro Carbon is a softer fluorocarbon than most, says Burkhardt, which makes it easier to cast and better at holding knots.

The solution, he says, may be in a new version of Trik-Fish fluorocarbon just released by the German labs where his line is made.

“By changing the chemistry, they’ve been able to extrude a line that is still very dense and strong and tough, but that’s also very soft and flexible. That means the angler can still spool up with 15- to 20-pound test and get casting qualities that are close to what he’d expect from monofilament in that strength range.”

Another benefit of softer fluoro is that it holds knots better. Particularly in the heavier tests used in saltwater, harder, stiffer fluorocarbons are known for slipping in many common knots–the new Trik Fish doesn’t, says Burkhardt.

The line is not cheap–a 200-yard spool of 20-pound-test goes for around $18. But Burkhardt points out that like braid, fluoro has a very long lifespan. It does not break down in sunlight like mono, and it stretches only a fraction, making hook sets much more positive than with monofilament.

Bottom line, says Burkhardt, is that the new generation of fluoro solves a lot of problems for anglers, and should make believers of many who have had problems with past versions of these products.

For details, visit www.trikfish.com.

Sportfishing Industry Presents the ICAST 2014 “Best of Show” Awards
from The Fishing Wire

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL – – The world’s largest sportfishing trade show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) wraps up it’s fifty seventh year this afternoon at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. More than 11,000 members of the sportfishing industry, including nearly 1,000 media outlets have been here to see the latest innovations in tackle, gear, accessories and apparel.

The single most important feature for ICAST exhibitors and attendees alike is the New Product Showcase. The New Product Showcase, sponsored by Fishing Tackle Retailer,embodies the sportfishing industry’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit and rewards that ingenuity through the “Best of Show” new product awards competition.

This year, more than 700 tackle products and accessories were entered by 253 companies into 24 “Best of Show” categories in the New Product Showcase, all vying for the overall ICAST 2014 “Best of Show” award.

The Predator XL Kayak features a center console that can hold everything from a dry box to electronics and a MinnKota motor.
Making up a special section of ICAST’s 500,000-gross-square-foot show floor, the New Product Showcase provides special visibility for the industry’s latest innovations in gear, apparel and accessories.

Best of Show Awards
This year the Predator XL kayak by Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, was voted by buyers and media as the best product in both the boat category and the overall “Best of Show.”

This year’s New Product Showcase winner’s also included first-time ICAST exhibitor Helter Skeletons, Ltd.

“I congratulate all of the winners and everyone who participated in the New Product Showcase. Every year it’s amazing to see all the creativity and ingenuity our member companies use to add curiosity, excitement and discovery to the adventure of fishing,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “I also thank Fishing Tackle Retailer for their sponsorship of this important event.”

The ICAST 2014 “Best of Show” awards, sponsored by Rapala, were presented on Wednesday, July 16, during the Chairman’s Industry Awards Reception at the Orange County Convention Center.

2014 ICAST New Product Showcase Award Winners

ICAST 2014 Overall Best of Show Category Winners

Best of Show – Freshwater Rod – Duckett Fishing
Product – Micro Magic Pro

Best of Show – Saltwater Rod – Shimano American Corporation
Product – Terez Stand Up

Best of Show – Fly Fishing Rod – G. Loomis, Inc.
Product PRO4x Short Stix

Best of Show – Freshwater Reel – Pure Fishing, Inc.
Product- Abu-Revo Beast

LLC’s TF-70 Sealed Fly Reel
Best of Show – Saltwater Reel – Pure Fishing, Inc.
Product – PENN Battle II Spinning

Best of Show – Fly Fishing Reel – 3TAND, LLC
Product – TF-70 Sealed Fly Reel

Best of Show – Hard Lure – SPRO Corporation
Product – BBZ-1 Rat

Savage Gear’s 3D PVC Crab
Best of Show – Soft Lure – Okuma Fishing Tackle Corporation
Product – Savage Gear 3D PVC Crab

Best of Show – Lifestyle Apparel – Pelagic, Inc.
Product – 4TEK Fish Finder Boardshort

Best of Show – Technical Apparel – STORMR
Product – Fusion Bib

Best of Show – Boating Accessory – Johnson Outdoors
Product – Minn Kota Ulterra Trolling Motor

Best of Show – Boats – Johnson Outdoors Watercraft
Product – Predator XL

Best of Show – Combo – Lew’s Fishing Tackle
Product – American Hero Baitcast Combo

Best of Show – Electronics – Johnson Outdoors
Product – Humminbird ONIX 8SI

Best of Show – Eyewear – Costa
Product – Hamlin – 580P Mirror Lenses

Best of Show – Fishing Accessory – Lit-Industries, LLC
Product – Lit Coolers

Best of Show – FishSmart Tackle – Cuda Fishing Tools
Product – Cuda Grip & Scale

Best of Show – Fly Fishing Accessory – Plastica Panaro SRL
Product – M2300 – Fly Caddy

Best of Show – Footwear – Columbia Sportswear
Product – Megavent PFG

Best of Show – Giftware – Helter Skeletons, Ltd.
Product – Authentic Skeletal Articulation

Best of Show – Kids’ Tackle – ZEBCO Brands

Product – ZEBCO Splash Combos

Best of Show – Line – Pure Fishing, Inc
Product – Berkley IronSilk

Best of Show – Tackle Management – ENGEL U.S.A.

Product – UC30-RH

Best of Show Terminal Tackle – Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle
Product – TroKar TK619

ICAST 2015 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, July 14 – 17, 2015.

For complete ICAST information, visit www.ICASTfishing.org

ICAST Previewing, Selling, and Acting

Fly fishing is no longer considered a separate activity. Today, fly fishing is viewed as just another way of catching fish- and that’s bringing in new angers. But the elegant simplicity of fly reels still catches the eye of consumers, buyers and media members. The massive reel on the left is a saltwater “teaser” reel. The 3-TAND next to it weighs only 3.5 ounces, but is capable of carrying 145 yards of 20 lb Dacron line-for under $200.

As the fishing industry is gathered in Orlando, Florida for their annual trade show, there’s plenty to look at at either end of the cost spectrum. If you’re getting started in fishing, there are plenty of products that will allow you to get your feet -and tackle- wet without soaking your bank account. If you’re one of those ultra-serious anglers, well, you can have anything from lures costing the same as a new entry-level fly rod to a $2,500 bamboo fly rod (the case costs extra).

If you’re looking to get into kayak or paddle board fishing, there are plenty of varietal choices there as well. It’s interesting to note that the kayak industry remains lively -in fact, during the New Products Preview on Tuesday evening, one fishing captain turned to me and remarked the kayak had become the equivalent of the “tuner car” for the fishing industry. “I think it’s awesome,” he told me, “we have these anglers that show up at our marina with kayaks that originally cost, what, two grand, and they’ll have double that – or more- in accessories. They have the equivalents of nearly everything I have on my deepwater charter boats.”

No kidding. At the new product showcase there were $5K dual-angler Hobies on display along with standup paddleboards for anglers featuring livewells, coolers and rod holders. But the surprise of the displays may have been from longtime canoe and kayak brand, Old Town. Their Predator XL model is now being offered with their Modular Console System- essentially a center pod that can be changed out to contain electronics, storage or -if you choose- a power unit by MinnKota. Yep, an adaptation of a MinnKota trolling motor that enables the Predator XL angler to fish with a console full of electronics -and a power unit that leaves hands free for angling.

Johnson Outdoors Watercraft’s Old Town Predator XL featured a customizable center console that holds dry storage, electronics and/or a MinnKota trolling motor.
It was a big hit with the media and buyers, especially with a price that ranged from $1,999 for the nicely-equipped base Predator XL to $2,699 for the Modular Console System with MinnKota power unit.

There’s a lot of attention paid to the products submitted for the “Best of” categories at this show – and winning one of those awards gives manufacturers a promotional angle to use the rest of this buying season -and going forward. Having spent a lot of time looking at the hundreds of products submitted in categories ranging from best fly rod to the best fishing gift – I was torn between the $4.99 quick fish identifier and the $2,500 life-sized skeletal fish replica- it’s safe to say there’s a lot of new product coming into the pipeline for anglers in the coming months.

If you’re looking for something to give your fishing a little oomph, you might want to consider Eagle Claw’s Anise and Garlic-scented snelled hooks. Yes, scented with “a long-lasting and proprietary blend of 100% natural oils”. If you’re looking for the newest in fish-finding technologies, there’s Garmin’s new GT30-TH and GT30-THP thru-hull scanning CHIRP transducers.

But there are other issues on the burners here as well, from the state of the Gulf of Mexico four years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster to seminars on “Swimming in Regulations” looking at the federal government’s latest round of over-reaching regulations concerning the country’s public waters and access to offshore fishing areas on the verge of being declared “protected areas” by the administration.

FishSmart (www.FishSmart.org) may also be sales-smart for manufacturers and retailers.

Not everything is all peaches and cream on that front, but the industry is working-proactively- to protect the interests of all recreational anglers.

Those efforts include the new FishSmart (www.FishSmart.org) program to recognize innovation and programs in the industry that assure the survival of caught fish. Catch-and-release programs are good, but the FishSmart program seeks to take what ASA calls a “science-based approach to approving the survival of fish.”

With more than half saltwater fish caught and nearly 84 percent of freshwater fish caught released, the program is looking to recognize gear that helps fish survive the experience. It looks like a good idea that’s also a solid business decision. According to an Australian study of a similar program there, retail sales of tackle and equipment recognized as improving released fish survival rates have seen sales jumps from 20-50 percent.

And as always, we’re watching on those fronts and, we’ll keep you posted.

ICAST Underway On July 14
from The Fishing Wire

The doors of the show floor of ICAST/IFTD officially open this morning and the largest combined annual trade shows of the global fishing industry will be underway. Underway means a three day walking trek around the cavernous Orange County Convention Center and not the outdoor industry’s preferred location: Las Vegas.

Personally, I prefer Orlando, but I’ve been told that all the industry studies say I am clearly the minority opinion. Last night, my voice had a little more influence. The buyers and credentialed media vote for the best of hundreds of new products across a variety of categories, and our preview of the new products being showcased is the first official event of the show. The previews of products in their on-the-water testing mode aren’t really part of the event. And unlike SHOT, where manufacturers have been forced out of their more intimate previews for a single Media Day at the Range, it is still possible to get an invitation to see gear without having to stand in line with several hundred others.

There have been other earlier fishing trips and secret previews for some members of the media, but the vast majority of the local and regional media will really getting their first looks at the gear here in Orlando.

And that’s one reason the flight into Orlando was filled with pro tour anglers. As spokespersons for their sponsors they’ll be in the show booths, wearing their tournament jerseys and best smiles as they repeat a nearly endless chain of answers to questions about the latest products. Yesterday, they were enjoying the chance to sit in silence at the airport without being recognized. Until they leave ICAST that’s not an option.

For some, the crowds seem more challenging than the toughest tournament. Others have no problem shifting between their private/public personalities because they’re not really different at the show or on the water. That, FYI, isn’t always a good thing. Some are just difficult all the time, but you know what you’re getting, so you come prepared.

As far as new products, the fishing industry, like most of the rest of the world, is heavily invested in technology. That’s seen in everything from navigation systems evolved from military aviation to fish finding sonar and mapping technologies that might have changed the face of the world had it been available to naval forces a few decades ago.

And there are less obvious, but equally amazing descendants of military development, too. Fabrics are lighter, stronger and able to keep anglers warmer or cooler and protected from the dangers of UV radiation as needed along with lines with no memory, slick finishes and can be cast further with more sensitivity than you would thing possible.

Perhaps the biggest change is that the technological advances are coming in years -and sometimes months- instead of decades. That contributes to an almost ephemeral attitude concerning gear. For some, it’s tough to get excited about the “latest” of anything, because it may be gone as quickly as the mayfly hatch on a Montana trout stream.

For the manufacturers, it’s a realization that it’s essential to choose advances carefully. Otherwise, there’s the risk of either instantly obsolescing popular models with technology with little, if any, real longevity

Revo’s Beast (top) is designed to meet the challenge of throwing- and retrieving- today’s big rigs without burning out your reel. Others, like Lew’s newest reel, haven’t yet been seen, but have used clever pre-ICAST teases to build media interest. Jim Shepherd/OWDN photos.

Having seen some of the new gear, I have cast my votes for the various categories top picks. As an average angler, I’ve seen new things I believe will help me catch more fish- at prices that don’t require six figure incomes or tournament sponsors.

That’s good news for the growth of the sport. The industry isn’t just adding color combinations or cartoon figures to their gear and calling it children’s gear, they’re actually building gear that can make kids better anglers. Ditto the gear for ladies. And that’s recognition of the fact that everyone has to enjoy a sport to get families engaged.

Some of the new products have genuine promise. Other, like every other ICAST have subtle nuances that an average angler (like me) might not notice. Some, too, have only marketing changes or appear to be “solutions in search of problems”. Those one and go, but there’s plenty of new gear to get you excited about upping your came without breaking your budgets.

And there’s still the matter of guaranteeing access to public waters, reasonable fishing seasons and sustainable harvests and the problem of equitable allocations of resources to recreational fishing by the federal government. Those are industry-wide concerns and can’t be solved at a trade show, but must be addressed while we’re all together under a single very large roof.

But we’re going to try and capture the essence of the show as part of our promise to you: we’ll keep you posted.

–Jim Shepherd

ICAST Gets Rolling in Orlando

By Frank Sargeant, Editor
from The Fishing Wire

It’s the Greatest Show on Earth if you happen to be in the fishing industry

The annual ICAST/IFTD show is underway in Orlando, Florida, this week, drawing literally thousands of companies from across the globe to the marketplace in hopes of selling their products to the buyers and retailers who will then offer it to anglers.

Some of the products are a bit doubtful, to be sure-there are some that solve problems that for most anglers do not exist, others that cost so much relative to their function that they’re simply not marketable on a large scale.

But every year there are some big winners, and lots of small companies hoping to become big ones with one or two great products that will start to grow them towards being the next Berkley or Rapala or Shimano.

The event gets underway with the annual State of the Industry meeting, and this year the news was generally pretty good. According to American Sportfishing Association chief Mike Nussman, the show is now bigger than ever despite the competition from electronic media for the youth market. Nussman credits both the location of the show in Orlando, closer to the east coast tackle industry, and the combination of the ICAST show with the Fly Fishing Trade Show the last two years with the increase.

Gregg Wollner, Executive Vice President of Rapala and ASA board chairman, said in his presentation that 4.1 million new anglers fished for the first time last year, and 42 percent of them were women. He also said Hispanic anglers were on the increase, indicating two underserved markets that promise future growth to the industry.

Nussman said that some 40 million anglers have a $125 billion annual impact on the U.S. economy, spending not only on tackle and gear but also on boats, motors, tow vehicles, fuel, and motels and restaurant meals. But he said, to maintain industry success, everyone in the business will have to become conservation-minded in the future, as well as being open to seeking new markets through partnerships with those outside the industry-he pointed to an on-going ASA partnership with Disney World as an example.

Florida Governor Rick Scott, a business-friendly governor, also spoke briefly at the breakfast, pointing out that of the 100-million or so tourists that visit the Sunshine State, a great many of them fish Florida’s waters. Scott has been one of the Gulf Coast governors pushing for state management of red snapper in recent months due to the very controversial management decisions being made by NOAA.

We’ll take a closer look at many of the products introduced here in the days and weeks ahead, and some of them are truly mind-blowing, including an auto-deploy trolling motor from Minn Kota and a system from Lowrance that will let anglers control both the outboard and the trolling motor from the electronics, giving an electronic “third hand”.

General observations from my first day walkthrough are that kayaks, inflatables and paddle boards are becoming ever more popular, both because they’re inexpensive and because they’re versatile-as well as leaving no environmental footprint. There seems to be more ice-fishing gear than ever, electronics are getting bigger and more capable and more expensive-as well as smaller and cheaper in some cases–and there seem to be more companies taking advantage of pro anglers expertise, both in bass and walleye fishing-or maybe more pro anglers are getting sponsor-savvy. There are loads of new top-end reels, and also loads of very affordable entry level combos in all the genre’s, including fly casting.

In short, ICAST this year, like every year, is loaded with candy and ice cream for the angler-I can’t wait for tomorrow to sample some more.