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THE CALLIS CHRONICLES

ICAST is the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades and happens every year. It is where manufacturers of sporting goods gather together to exhibit their newest products. It has been happening for years and is always the best show of the year. But, it isn’t a typical fishing expo by any means. There is plenty of selling happening, but this is to the dealers who will stock it in their stores.

To the average guy like you and I, it is a time to meet and make connections with companies, to build relationships. It is a time to see old friends and make new ones. And it is a time for learning.

Some of the new products aren’t really new, as they have already hit the market, having made their debut at the Bassmaster Classic or Redcrest, but they are new this year. Some won’t be hitting the market for a few months, but having the knowledge they are coming just builds the excitement.

We all have our favorite brands, but here we get to see everything. Sometimes it’s the rebranding of a company, such as Quantum did. When it is bought out, the company decided to do away with the freshwater line of reels and rods and use the name as an entry into the saltwater industry. I hate to see it, but the new reels look and feel amazing. And we can’t forget about Lowrance’s introduction of their new FFS unit for the weekend warrior that will be available for under a thousand dollars. An all in one unit for all your needs.

As a first time attendee, it can be overwhelming. But only because there is so much to see. For me, beyond the baits, the clothing, the reels, the boats, and everything, it’s the people we know. GMan, Fletcher Shyrock, Ott Defoe, Wade Middleton, Edwin Evers, all the bass professionals to those we know from television, Bill Dance, Tom Rowland to Curtis Flemming. While we are excited to see them, it is also work for them. They are there to help promote their sponsor to the dealers and the public.

One of the fun days is the On the Water Day. It is the day before the show opens and allows you to see different products and actually test them. This year you could go out on a boat with Garmin and actually see FFS in action. Or you could take out some of the kayaks and see how they handle. Some even had some of the amazing electric motors on them. And then there were the baits, the reels, the rods, and all the accessories that go with fishing. And don’t forget to add in the weather, hot, humid and the threat of rain.

And there is the new product showcase that starts off the show. Here is where the public votes on each category and which product they believe is the best in it. And it concludes with a big announcement party. Each winner is announced and the winners come up on stage to accept their award. It is a real exciting time!

ICAST finally ends and the hard work of setting up turns into tearing down. And we leave the show, ready to go find that new product we know will make a difference in our fishing. Is it worth going? Will you learn anything? For me, the answer is yes! I would go back again and hopefully I will be able to go next year. What new baits will be coming out then?

Have you ever been out fishing and there were fish all around you but would not bite. Most people would strap up their rods and move to a different part of the lake. On the other hand there are people who like to be scientists on the water. What do I mean by that statement? You sit down and pull out your tackle box and begin putting different baits together to see if you can get those fish to bite on your experiment. In this article you will find out what bait came about using this experimental method.

And now, the moment you,ve been waiting for. Hogfarmer has a bait called the Spunk Shad. The Spunk Shad comes in several sizes that range from 3 to 6.5 inches and comes in 24 different colors. I had the great pleasure and honor to speak with the General Manager of Hogfarmer Mr. Gaylon Redwine. Mr. Redwine stated “ he believes the spunk shad has changed everyones mindset of what goes on the back of a chatterbait”. What makes the Spunk Shad such a game changer you ask? Mr. Redwine states “ he believes that the versatility of the bait and different ways it can be rigged sets it apart from any other bait in its category”. The difference from its competitor is the spunk shads design.  The Spunk Shad is a bait that floats in the water. It has a D shape designed body that allows minimal action required from the angler while fishing. As the bait falls it shakes on its own causing the bass to bite the bait on the fall. 

The spunk shad can be rigged in several ways: Texas rig, Neko rigged,spinnerbait trailer,chatterbait trailer, and on a jighead to just to mention a few. A sneaky way to rig the spunk shad is on a drop shot rig. Hogfarmer just released a 3 inch version of the spunk shad for a more finesse profile. As I spoke with Mr. Redwine reports “that Hogfarmer has several ideas for baits coming in the near future”. If you are ever in the situation where you don't know what to throw, go pick up some spunk shads.  

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By Carson Maddux

“Copycat” culture in U.S. Bass Fishing

With ICAST in the rear-view I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts on the latest industry trends. While I will not be going into detail on every new product, I think it is interesting to see how different companies react to the current bass fishing climate. After every ICAST, we see companies try to recreate the same products and knock off others that had already existed. While at first this may have caused a huge fuss, it seems like a lot of companies and consumers alike have embraced the “copycat” culture.

With the adoption of Forward Facing Sonar, every company has made their style of minnow to tailor to that market. The jig head minnow has dominated the tournament scene this year and is probably the biggest fad in fishing since the Alabama rig. While there is no doubt the efficacy of a minnow, it was a little monotonous to see every company release their version of the same thing. This brings to my main point, Japanese anglers have been using this technique for years and us Americans are just now catching on.

Japan has a very unique fishing culture and has produced many talented anglers such as Taku Ito, Kyoya Fujita, Kenta Kimura, etc. the list goes on. With a large population of anglers and far less water than in the U.S., the Japanese have developed many techniques to target pressured bass. Japanese bait makers have come up with a lot of unique designs to show the fish something they haven’t seen before. They also have taken traditional techniques and added their own flair. For example, the Megabass Magdraft opened up the doors for harness style swimbaits in the U.S.. It has been knocked off dozens of times and created a whole new category of lure. Strike King even addressed this with their latest release being appropriately named “The Final Copy”. While I think it’s good to have options, I’d like to see some more creativity.

I want to clarify, there is no doubt that the U.S. has produced plenty of good products but that said, every year we seem to fall behind in terms of innovation. I think part of this is due to the willingness of companies to knock off a product. In years past, it was far more scandalous to release a product that was previously offered by another company. The more knock offs we see, the more accustomed we become and it is no longer a big deal. I believe that US bait designers should not only stay on top of current trends, but put more money into innovation. I do not think that there is a huge intellectual divide between the U.S. and Japanese, but rather a big difference in culture. The Japanese take pride in their designs while it seems like U.S. bait makers are all copying each other’s designs. I hope the “copycat” trend ends soon and shifts and integrity becomes popular again in our industry.

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