ICAST 2020: Lunkerhunt's New Popping Bug

The Lunkerhunt Popping Bug floats high and is made of super tough TP Foam that gives it the durability needed to withstand hit after hit during punishing attacks. It pops and gurgles water on the pull, and drops on the pause, resulting in better hookup ratios. Rigged and ready for a fight with a 4/0 wide gap hook, the Popping Bug excels in both open water and the thickest of weeds.

Thousand Islands Open Cancelled due to Covid 19 Restrictions

The  2020 Thousand Islands Open operated by Renegade Bass Tour has been cancelled as it violated the current Covid 19 restrictions. 


Here's the official statement sent to anglers via Facebook

To all 2020 TIO Participants,

We regret to inform you that we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 TIO.

The city of Kingston has put in place a limit of 100 total participants in the event, which would limit the tournament to 50 boats. This limit would make it entirely unfair for us to prioritize 50 out of the 94 who have registered for the event.

We appreciate all of you and the commitments you've made to fish the event this year and it is with deep regret that we have to cancel. We were very hopeful that the City Of Kingston would allow us to operate however, the regulations mandated by the city and the province do not make it possible for 2020.

All entry fees will be refunded promptly. Janet Eastman (janet@hookset.com) will be in contact with each team during the refund process. 

ICAST 2020: Shimano Zodias Redesign

COMPLETE ZODIAS BASS ROD REDESIGN FROM SHIMANO OFFERS SENSITIVE

 CARBON MONOCOQUE TECHNOLOGY GRIPS WITH LIGHT CI4+ REEL SEATS

Continuing the enhanced casting accuracy and distance from its Hi-Power X blank construction, Shimano offers a new lineup of Zodias rods with added sensitivity from their Carbon Monocoque grips and light, rigid CI4 reel seats. The new Zodias series includes 9 casting rods and 8 spinning rods in the key lengths, powers and actions for today’s popular bass fishing techniques.

           

First offered on its flagship Poison Adrena bass rods, Shimano’s hollow Carbon Monocoque grip transfers even the smallest vibrations from underwater structure, lure action or bites to an angler’s hand. “When combined with our lightweight carbon-infused CI4+ reel seat, anglers are offered up to 30% more sensitivity over traditional rod handles,” said Adam Diehl with Shimano’s product development team. “Add that sensitivity to the benefits of reduced rod twist from our Hi-Power blanks for better fish-fishing control, and Zodias provides the tool needed to target your personal best every cast.”

Zodias casting rods –

ZDC-610M, 610MH, 70MH - $199.99

ZDC-72MLBFS, 72MH, 72MA - $209.99

ZDC-72H, 75MH, 75H - $219.99

Zodias spinning rods –

ZDS-69ML, 69M, 69MH - $199.99

ZDB-70L, 70ML, 70M - $209.99

ZDS-70MH, 76L - $219.99 

Be it jig and worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits as well as other bass-catching tactics, the Zodias rods are designed for specific applications. Shimano added to two new length to the Zodias lineup including ZDC-70MH 7’ medium-heavy power casting rod for bottom contact presentations and all-around use, and the 7’6” ZDS-76ML spinning rod for drop-shot rigs, hair jigs and small swimbaits for smallmouth. The heavy power, 7’5” ZDS175H is ideal for braided-line applications, especially when making long casts into grass. A long reargrip provides added casting distance leverage.

ICAST 2020: Berkley Expands the Frittside Lineup: Junior and Biggun’

When Berkley^® scientists collaborated with David Fritts to create the Berkley Frittsid they knew they had a lure that was scientifically proven to catch ass, but even they were surprised at how fast it cemented itself as one of the hottest crankbaits in bass fishing. In just a short period of time it has racked up a lengthy list of accomplishments including the 2019 MLF Redcrest win, a 2020 FLW Pro Circuit event win and a host of Top-10 finishes in both the 2019 and 2020 Bassmaster Classic. In response to this success and the considerable buzz around the bait, Berkley is now announcing an expanded offering of the size 5 Frittside with two new profiles, the Frittside Junior and the Frittside Biggun’.
 
“We were bombarded with requests for new sizes from professional and avid anglers, so we put our Berkley scientists back to work,” stated Jake Dawson, Marketing Director at Berkley. “We asked them to develop two new baits that would dive to five feet but would still have that Frittside action that works in everything from muddy to clear-water conditions. That’s not as easy as it sounds as it takes considerable testing in the lab and on the water to keep the unique action at different depths.”

Key Features:
• Tight, balsa-like thumping action for tough conditions made possible by the integrated FlashDisc, which improves tracking stability
• Casts well even on baitcasting equipment
• Equipped with ultra-sharp Fusion19 hooks

ICAST 2020 Online New Product Showcase Best of Category Award Winners

ICAST 2020 Online New Product Showcase Best of Category Award Winners
For product details, images and other information please contact the individual award winners’ contacts listed below.
 
Best of Category – Boating Accessories – Minn Kota
Product: Raptor Shallow Water Anchor


Best of Category – Boats and Watercraft – Johnson Outdoors Watercraft
Product: Old Town Sportsman Autopilot

 
Best of Category – Giftware – Garmin
Product: Garmin quatix® 6X Solar

 
Best of Category – Footwear – Under Armour
Product: UA Micro G Kilchis

 
Best of Category – Eyewear – Costa Del Mar, Inc.
Product: Ferg

 
Best of Category – Lifestyle Apparel for Women – Simms Fishing Products
Product: Women’s Challenger Jacket and Bib

 
Best of Category – Lifestyle Apparel for Men – AFTCO/American Fishing Tackle Company
Product: Saba Recycled Seam-Free Boardshorts

Best of Category – Technical Apparel – Warm Weather – AFTCO/American Fishing Tackle Company
Product: Diffuse Air-0 Mesh® Fishing Shorts

 
Best of Category – Technical Apparel – Cold Weather – AFTCO/American Fishing Tackle Company
Product: Reaper Windproof 3-Layer Softshell Jacket

 
Best of Category – Soft and Hard Coolers - YETI
Product: Roadie 24

 
Best of Category – Electronics – Humminbird
Product: CoastMaster Charts

ICAST 2020: Jackall GARGLE Buzz/Spinner Bait

With bass-attracting sound from its blade and flexible wire construction design, the new Jackall Gargle is neither a true buzzbait nor spinnerbait, but an innovative new lure style that creates a definitive disturbance and bubble trail to create fish-catching topwater commotion.

Offered in six fish-attracting colors — Black Back Chartreuse, Chartreuse Back Pearl, Chartreuse Tail Gill, Hasu Silver, Killer White and Midnight Black, the Gargle weighs in at 3/8-ounces. Its flexible wire arm enhances casting distance to cover plenty of water and also contributes to increased hookup ratios. The free-swinging blade is modeled after a plopper-style tail.

The new lures retail for $9.99 (USD), and will be available at tackle shops in late August ‘20. For more information, check-in with your local shop, or visit www.jackall-lures.com.

ICAST 2020: Zman ChatterBait WillowVib

Genius Z-Man^® ChatterBait^® WillowVibe™ re-thinks bladed jig design on super-subtle levels

Step inside the lureshop of bladed jig inventor Ron Davis Sr. and your perceptions of what constitutes a ChatterBait will likely leave you at the door. Of course, you probably won’t be dropping by his shop anytime soon, so you won’t discover most of the other secret projects underway inside Davis’ laboratory. But if you’re reading this, you’re among the fortunate-first to glimpse Davis’ newest masterwork, an intriguing new bladed jig design known evocatively as the ChatterBait WillowVibe™. “Who says all bladed jigs have a hex-shaped blade?” asks Davis, whose original ChatterBait touched off an undeniable fishing phenomenon over two decades back.

Fifteen years in development, a collaborative effort between Davis and Z-Man Fishing has resulted in a veritable marvel of angling engineering. At first glance, like most strokes of simple, elegant genius, the WillowVibe’s sleek, minimalist physique misleads you. But be forewarned: this little willowleaf-bladed jig is full of surprises. Like all finely-crafted lures, the WillowVibe began as a solution to a vexing fishing dilemma. “The idea for this lure came to me while fishing for big stripers focus-feeding on little bitty shad,” recalls Davis, who along with son Ron Davis Jr. crafted the Original ChatterBait Bladed Jig in 1998. “These can be some of the most selective, tough-to-fool fish in the lake,” explains Davis, an astute angler and aquatic observer from Rock Hill, South Carolina. “These fish are so laser focused on specific, subtle baitfish cues that we as anglers easily overlook them. In these scenarios, a lot of folks throw underspins. But I wanted a lure I could cast a mile and that allowed for easy, precise depth control.

ICAST 2020: Sufix 131 Braid

Sufix® 131 – The smoothest, quietest and most reliable braid ever made. The knot strength is a direct result of being constructed with 13 fibers (12 HMPE and 1 GORE) and is unparalleled. The single GORE® fiber surrounded by 12 HMPE fibers equals “super round” line that will spoil the most discriminating fisherman. 131 is available in 150 yard spools in 6, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 65, and 80 pound tests. 

Jordan Lee is 2020 Points Champion!

Congratulations to Berkley Fishing pro Jordan Lee! The 2020 Points Champion of the Bass Pro Tour!