Net the latest fishing gear - Off Duty, Sports, Hunting, Fishing - Navy Times

Net the latest fishing gear

For many recreational anglers, an old fishing rod, a reel partially attached with duct tape, a bobber and a can of worms is all the gear they need. But for others, gear innovations evoke the allure of more and bigger piscatorial prizes. Our cast of top-notch new gear from this year’s International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades show:

LURES

Sebile D&S Crank

Designed for snag-free fishing in heavy cover, this lure’s “Gravity Snagless Hook System” holds the hook down in its lowest possible position. The hook moves upward on the lure’s body during a strike for an immediate set. Internally, three partitions contain beads that create different sounds designed to entice a reaction strike. Runs as deep as 20 feet while cranking and 28 feet while trolling. Available in nine colors. Price: $14.50

Live Target Hollow Body Mouse•

Made by Koppers Fishing & Tackle Corp., this realistic lure swims head-up like a mouse, making it a topwater option for aggressive predators such as pike and bass lurking in thick cover. It comes in two sizes and four colors. Available this fall. Price: $10.49

Castalia Outdoors Bombshell Turtle

It does resemble a juvenile turtle, supposedly drawing the ire of game fish. Castalia says 95 percent of the hits on this lure occur on the drop. An extremely slow descent works best. The 3-inch lures come in eight colors. Price: $5.99 for a six-pack.

RODS & REELS

Abu Garcia Revo MGX

This 5.4-ounce, low-profile baitcaster is crafted from a one-piece X-Mag magnesium alloy frame and lighter-than-aluminum C6 carbon sideplates. The centrifugal brakes can be adjusted externally to 28 positions, without removing the side plates, and can be adjusted to handle extremely light baits. Nine stainless-steel, corrosion-resistant bearings help make for smooth action. The main gear is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The handle is bent carbon with flat EVA knobs. A recessed reel foot moves the crank handle closer to the reel. It can hold 115 yards of 12-pound monofilament fishing line or 110 yards of 30-pound braid. Two models are available, both in right-hand retrieve. Suggested price: $349

BVK super-large arbor reels

Fly fishers now can pair Temple Fork Outfitters’ series of rods with complementary reels precision-machined from bar stock aluminum with ported clear silver anodized frames and spools. The reels handle both saltwater and freshwater fishing. The super-large arbor design provides faster line pickup and helps the maintenance-free drag system work at a more constant pressure than standard arbor reels. Prices: reels, $230 to $250; spools, $130-$150

Daiwa Saltiga

To minimize saltwater, dirt and other grit intrusion on the rotor bearing, Daiwa borrowed from NASA, using “Magnetic Oil,” a new “Nano Fluid” that can change its shape when a magnetic field is applied. Magnets in the reel’s rotor bearing area pull the oil into a watertight seal touted for its lower friction than common rubber-type seals. The rustproof carbon rotor design works to eliminate high-stress points as well as excess material not required for strength. The drag can be set up to 66 pounds. It has 14 ball bearings and comes in five sizes. Suggested prices: $1,099-1,299

G.Loomis GL2 series

This new series of bass and trout rods includes 18 jig and worm models — 12 casting and six spinning rods, six crankbait casting rods, two models each of spinner bait, swim bait and drop shot rods, a flipping stick, and six trout jig spinning rods. The rods have a little extra weight in the butt end to promote balance and are said to be lighter and faster than their predecessors. The new-look blank is a high-gloss maroon with an hour-glass ergonomic rear grip that features alternating species cork and composite cork rings. Rods in this extensive series come in a wide range of lengths and power rankings. Prices: $185-$255

G.Loomis Pro-4X•

Primarily for newcomers and intermediate fly enthusiasts, this award-winning series includes rods for trout, salmon/steelhead and saltwater fishing, ranging from a short and delicate 8-foot, 3-weight for small flies in small water; a 9-foot, 8-weight to handle winds on the flats; and a 10-foot, 7-weight for long-cast needed in steelhead rivers. Pro-4X rods use a tapered design that recovers quickly and facilitates precision casting. All are four-piece rods that come with a protective sock and travel case. Price: Expected to begin at $350

Shimano Terez Rail Rod•

These line extensions consist of three new rail rods primarily for West Coast tuna fishing and for pairing with Shimano’s Talica 20II and new Talica 50II reels and super-strength braided line. The rods come in heavy, extra-heavy and XX-heavy action ratings. The Terez rail rods feature Shimano’s TC4 blank construction, a heavy-duty aluminum reel seat, EVA grips and Fuji K frames with Alconite inserts. They have flat sides on the rear grip for fishing the rod under your arm and a flat spot on the bottom of the fore grip for laying the rod on the rail. They come in five color options. Prices: $369-$389

Airrus Nano Fusion Rod•

This Ken Whiting signature-series product is designed with a composite “Bucky Paper” integrated into the blank. The rod employs the increasingly popular micro guides. Online Fisherman magazine editor Larry Thornhill says the rod has a unique reel seat, appears well made and is extremely sensitive. These casting and spinning rods come in two speeds: fast and extra fast. Price: $249

Daiwa D-Shock DSC25-4Bi/G662M Spinning Combo•

The reel has four ball bearings plus roller bearing, anti-reverse, graphite body and aluminum spool. The matching rod is a 6 ½-foot, two-piece graphite with stainless steel guides. Comes in five sizes. Price: $39

Shakespeare Kid’s Sound Kits

This product merges sounds with casting, featuring movie and character sounds ranging from “Cars” and “Star Wars” to Disney’s Tinkerbell that play with each cast. The rod is 2 feet, 6 inches long, and the reel is spooled with line.Foam target and hook make for safe indoor casting, but with all the sound effects, parents may ask Junior to “take it outside.” Suggested price: $16.99

LINE & HOOKS

VMC Spin Shot

This hook is bound to become a favorite among drop shotters. The design features a carbon steel and black nickel swivel, of sorts, right through the eye of the hook, enabling free hook rotation, minimizing line twists and eliminating the need for hook, ball bearing and snap swivel combinations. Available in five drop-shot hook sizes including 1/0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8. Price: $3.99 a pack

Berkley NanoFil Spinning Reel Line

Named Best of Show, this line is being called the world’s first “uni-filament” line. NanoFil is made out of gel-spun polyethylene, much like a superline. The line consists of hundreds of Dyneema nanofilaments molecularly linked and shaped into a unified filament. It comes in pound tests from 1 to 12 pounds (diameters of 0.001-inch to 0.008-inch) and 150-, 300- and 1,500-yard spools. Prices: $19.95- $179.95

Daiichi Sea Trout Hook•

Designed for catch-and-release fishing for spotted sea trout, this hook easily accommodates baits including croaker, finger mullet, shrimp and more. Available this fall in black nickel and red “Bleeding Bait” finish. Sizes include 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0, all slightly offset to ease bait rigging. Price: about $3.49 a pack

ACCESSORIES

Plano 4674 Hydro-Flo Tackle Bag

Tackle bags get wet on the floors of boats, but this new design allows water to flow through the base of the bag with bag’s resting surface staying above the wet deck. It includes seven ProLatch StowAway utility boxes with additional storage areas in dual-compartment side pockets and a top easy-access storage compartment. Suggested price: $99

VestPac DriftPac

This new fly fishing accessory made of a neoprene and mesh fabric combines a hydration pack with three tool retractors, four pockets and a Velcro pouch that can hold phones, cameras, and fishing gear close to your chest. Comes in blue or black. Price: $99

P-Line SparrowHawk

The newest, toughest braided lines can also be tough to cut, but a couple of P-Line tools can make things easier. The SparrowHawk weighs 2.1 ounces, measures just longer than 5 inches and slips into a fishing vest or onto a belt. It’s made of machine-cut aluminum, with replaceable tungsten carbide cutters.

P-Line’s new titanium coated German Stainless Steel Scissors are built specifically for Spectra and Dyneema lines with tempered serrated jaws and a split ring tip, which will allow you to change out hooks and split rings without packing an extra set of split ring pliers. Both will be available this fall. Suggested prices: $29.99 for the SparrowHawk; $8.99 for the scissors

Frabill Power Stow Landing Net

Alleviate the constant challenge of crowded deck space on a boat. The handle is made of strong, corrosion-free aluminum with the nylon yoke glass-filled. The coated netting is knotless and tangle-free, making it easier to remove and release fish. For stowing, the net hoop folds in half while the handle slides through the yoke to produce a condensed package. Available in multiple configurations from a 14-by-18-inch hoop up to a 40-by-44-inch hoop. Telescoping length varies by model. Prices: $39-$214

Ken Perrotte is a Military Times outdoors writer.