ICAST 2023: Six Products I’ll Try at El Salto and Picachos
ICAST 2023, the sportfishing world’s largest trade show, is over, and the general consensus seems to be that there were no new categories of products or items that were altogether new – “game changers” is the well-worn cliché. Still, there were a bunch of items that caught my attention and that I’ll purchase specifically with our frequent trips to Anglers Inn in mind. Here are six that are definitely on the list:
We’ve been more than pleasantly surprised by Berkley’s Dredger 20.5 and 25.5 down there, but in lightly shallower scenarios where we might otherwise use a Fat Free Shad BD5 or BD6 this could be a killer. Great variety of colors.
We haven’t gotten onto our much-loved flutter spoon bite in a few years, so we’re due. Most of our past catches have been on 5-6” models, and while we own the jumbos they’re a bit intimidating. This new 7” version might be a happy medium.
St. Croix Rods remains a great partner for Anglers Inn and now it’s possible to pair up a like-branded reel with the free rods available at the lodges. They come in three gear ratios and I’ve never known St. Croix to take on a new project without thinking it through thoroughly.
Yamamoto came out with two big worms this year, and while the 10” Ichi ribbontail will be in my tackle bag, the 10.5” Oki straight tail may fill a bigger void. It could be exceptional on a big shakey head or an articulated jig head, as well as on a Carolina Rig.
It’s hard to improve upon near-perfection, but if the traditional 5” Senko has one flaw it’s that sometimes it doesn’t have the heft to pull itself down through brush without a weight. This version is 20% heavier, so when they want that 5” profile, but they’re in the thick stuff or otherwise demand a faster fall, it could be money.
I am hypervigilant about replacing worn trebles in Mexico, especially the feathered versions on my Rio Ricos and similar topwaters. These trebles could be an economical and effective way to make sure that I never go into battle without adequate feathers and sticky-sharp, corrosion-free points.
Of course, this is not an exclusive list. My tackle-buying addiction has few limits. There’s also the matter of consumer demand and supply chain limitations that may limit my ability to get some of them. Of the six products listed, so far I only one the Oki, Fat Senko and the Seviin, but I haven’t thoroughly tested any of them. In fact, I was fortunate enough to get an early version of the Seviin and it sat on my desk for several weeks before I even took it out of the box and filled it with line. I won’t give you meaningful reports until I’ve actually put them through their paces, but as always I’m excited about trying out new gear in my “personal Disneyland.”
Which ICAST 2023 products excite you most?
Which ones did I miss that I should take to Mexico?
