IFTD/ICAST 2018
“…make new things familiar, familiar things new.” -Thackeray
Reviewed By: Chris O’Byrne
IFTD/ICAST 2018 is a happy and blurry memory. Hundreds of manufacturers have made their pitches, thousands of retailers have made their orders, and now millions of anglers will get to use the great new products featured at this annual extravaganza. Here are a few products I think you will love.
With their Baffin sunglasses, the Costa company has moved from protecting our eyes to protecting our environment. The Andy Thornal Company is proud to offer these creative frames which save our oceans from tons of pollutants by recycling fishing nets into the classically styled frames. The ingenuity and significance of this process earned Costa a Best of Show award this year.
One of the most creative outdoor product companies, Yeti, is rolling on with their own Best of Show winner, the Tundra Haul. This upgraded cooler will combine the famous Yeti performance with wheels to allow more convenient use by more people in more locations.
The Orvis booth was bursting with new and advanced products this year. Upgrades will improve one of my favorites, the highly recommended Clearwater line of rods. Orvis is also adding a more powerful 8 foot, 8 inch 8 weight model to their Superfine fiber glass rod series. Already famous for their quality, they are also adding a new collection of best of the best products known as the Pro line. This assortment will include wading boots with several advancements, the toughest waders in the field, an
d two new types of fly line.
An exciting new product from Temple Fork Outfitters has motivated me to try a different type of fishing. The Bluewater SG big game rods use cork and rubber blended double grips and graphite-fiberglass blanks to help us boat blue water beasts. When I took the 400-500 grain version to the casting pool, I could bend the stiff tip with a long casting arc, then use the fiberglass reinforced butt section to lift like a crane Continuing the saltwater theme, the Flymen Fishing company, rooted in the trout town of Brevard, NC, is expanding their Double Barrel Poppers into the saltwater baitfish world. Check out this video, https://flymenfishingcompany.com/blogs/blog, from their pre-show research trip.
Carbon Marine of Tampa, Florida is out with variations on their proven accessories to make fly angling better. Fish Sticks are cool-as-Fortnite fly patch sized stickers made from their EVA cell foam that sport fish shapes and state flags. Line Tack Lights are their ingenious new line management spikes. New foam pads for coolers, and geometry advancements to their Linelair mats round out their offerings.
Like a bass taking a popper, we now have to wait for delivery, knowing that these new products will excite you and improve your fishing experiences.