Home2014ICASTRaw2014 ICAST Best of Show Awards Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL – July 17, 2014 – The world’s largest sportfishing trade show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, is being held July 15 – 18, at the Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Fla. Produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the industry’s trade association, ICAST – in its 57th year as the industry’s trade show – is the annual destination for the global recreational fishing industry. More than 11,000 thousand members from the global sportfishing industry, including nearly 1,000 media outlets, are in Orlando to see the latest innovations in tackle, gear, accessories and apparel. The single most important feature for ICAST exhibitors and attendees alike is the New Product Showcase. The New Product Showcase, sponsored by Fishing Tackle Retailer, embodies the sportfishing industry’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit and rewards that ingenuity through the “Best of Show” new product awards competition. This year, more than 700 tackle products and accessories were entered by 253 companies into 24 “Best of Show” categories in the New Product Showcase, all vying for the overall ICAST 2014 “Best of Show” award. Making up a special section of ICAST’s 500,000-gross-square-foot show floor, the New Product Showcase provides special visibility for the industry’s latest innovations in gear, apparel and accessories. Best of Show Awards This year the Predator XL kayak by Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, was voted by buyers and media as the best product in both the boat category and the overall “Best of Show.” This year’s New Product Showcase winner’s also included first-time ICAST exhibitor Helter Skeletons, Ltd. “I congratulate all of the winners and everyone who participated in the New Product Showcase. Every year it’s amazing to see all the creativity and ingenuity our member companies use to add curiosity, excitement and discovery to the adventure of fishing,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “I also thank Fishing Tackle Retailer for their sponsorship of this important event.” The ICAST 2014 “Best of Show” awards, sponsored by Rapala, were presented on Wednesday, July 16, during the Chairman’s Industry Awards Reception at the Orange County Convention Center. New Product Showcase 2014 2014 ICAST New Product Showcase Award Winners For product details, images and other information please contact the individual award winners’ contacts listed below. ICAST 2014 Overall Best of Show – Johnson Outdoors Watercraft Product – Predator XL Media Contact: Jim Edlund jim@traditionsmedia.com Booth: 1019 Best of Show – Freshwater Rod – Duckett Fishing Product – Micro Magic Pro Media Contact: Sean Schuyler sean@duckettfishing.com Booth: 2625 Best of Show – Saltwater Rod – Shimano American Corporation Product – Terez Stand Up Media Contact: John Mazurkiewicz jpmazurk@ameritech.net Booth: 1077 Best of Show – Fly Fishing Rod – G. Loomis, Inc. Product PRO4x Short Stix Media Contact: John Mazurkiewicz jpmazurk@ameritech.net Booth: 1277 Best of Show – Freshwater Reel – Pure Fishing, Inc. Product- Abu-Revo Beast Media Contact: Ron Giudice ron@blueheroncomm.com Booth: 1977 Best of Show – Saltwater Reel – Pure Fishing, Inc. Product – PENN Battle II Spinning Media Contact: Ron Giudice ron@blueheroncomm.com Booth: 1977 Best of Show – Fly Fishing Reel – 3TAND, LLC Product – TF-70 Sealed Fly Reel Media Contact: Ron Poehailos ron@3tand.com Booth: 1020 Best of Show – Hard Lure – SPRO Corporation Product – BBZ-1 Rat Media Contact: Syd Rives syd@spro.com Booth: 2157 Best of Show – Soft Lure – Okuma Fishing Tackle Corporation Product – Savage Gear 3D PVC Crab Media Contact: Brandon Cotton brandon.cotton@okumfishing.com Booth: 1100 Best of Show – Lifestyle Apparel – Pelagic, Inc. Product – 4TEK Fish Finder Boardshort Media Contact: Colin Sarfeh colin@pelagicgear.com Booth: 1710 Best of Show – Technical Apparel – STORMR Product – Fusion Bib Media Contact: Nick Lassor nick@stormrusa.com Booth: 2231 Best of Show – Boating Accessory – Johnson Outdoors Product – Minn Kota Ulterra Trolling Motor Media Contact: Jim Edlund jim@traditionsmedia.com Booth: 1041 Best of Show – Boats – Johnson Outdoors Watercraft Product – Predator XL Media Contact: Jim Edlund jim@traditionsmedia.com Booth: 1019 Best of Show – Combo – Lew’s Fishing Tackle Product – American Hero Baitcast Combo Media Contact: Gary Dollahon gary@dollahonpr.com Booth: 1132 Best of Show – Electronics – Johnson Outdoors Product – Humminbird ONIX 8SI Media Contact: Jim Edlund jim@traditionsmedia.com Booth: 1041 Best of Show – Eyewear – Costa Product – Hamlin – 580P Mirror Lenses Media Contact: Liza Jones liza@fullcirclepr.com Booth: 1257 Best of Show – Fishing Accessory – Lit-Industries, LLC Product – Lit Coolers Media Contact: Lucas Hyes lhyes@litcoolers.com Booth: 1605 Best of Show – FishSmart Tackle – Cuda Fishing Tools Product – Cuda Grip & Scale Media Contact: Geri Adler gadler@acmeunited.com Booth: 2585 Best of Show – Fly Fishing Accessory – Plastica Panaro SRL Product – M2300 – Fly Caddy Media Contact: Lucio Sirotti lsirotti@plasticapanaro.it Booth: 2336 Best of Show – Footwear – Columbia Sportswear Product – Megavent PFG Media Contact: Krysti Tonkin ktonkin@columbia.com Booth: 1437 Best of Show – Giftware – Helter Skeletons, Ltd. Product – Authentic Skeletal Articulation Media Contact: Frick Ault sales@helterskeletons.com Booth: 2510 Best of Show – Kids’ Tackle – ZEBCO Brands Product – ZEBCO Splash Combos Media Contact: Ron Giudice ron@blueheroncomm.com Booth: 1477 Best of Show – Line – Pure Fishing, Inc Product – Berkley IronSilk Media Contact: Ron Giudice ron@blueheroncomm.com Booth: 1977 Best of Show – Tackle Management – ENGEL U.S.A. Product – UC30-RH Media Contact: Rick Hauser rchauser@gmail.com Booth: 1828 Best of Show Terminal Tackle – Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle Product – TroKar TK619 Media Contact: Nickie Kiefer nkiefer@eagleclaw.com Booth: 3285 ICAST 2015 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla., July 14 – 17, 2015. For complete ICAST information, visit ICASTfishing.org ### The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice, speaking out on behalf of sportfishing and boating industries, state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™, our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $48 billion in retail sales with a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for more than 828,000 people.