I-Cast /IFTD 2013 Show Overview

Day before the show...

I-Cast and IFTD

I-Cast (The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) and IFTD (International Fly Tackle Dealer) have joined forces for 2013 to deliver the largest Sport Fishing Show in the world held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over 9500 representatives of the fishing industry under one roof all equipped with the passion of fishing. Now that gets me excited! This wasn’t my first IFTD show nor my first I-CAST show attendance but it is a first for all who attended this show. The buzz from the combined show was much bigger than any in the past and sure to live on for the future. I feel for the future of fishing that this is of great importance to stand together as a whole and safeguard our right and our future generations the right to fish period.

Time to go talk about some rods with G. Loomis (and Steve Rajeff)

Tom Larimer on the cover of the Simms Price Guide

There was something for everyone. Are you a Bass fan? We passed by the booths where Kevin Van Dam and other of the big Bass pros were being interviewed. Oh look! There’s Bill Dance. Jimmy Houston can’t be missed with that head of white hair as he strolls down the lobby of the hotel. Maybe Saltwater is your thing we’ll go over and chat with Bruce Chard for a few minutes and get the update on the Florida Keys action. Larry Dahlberg was happy to share his latest adventures off the coast of Nicaragua. Maybe you’re more into Two Hand Spey fishing well guess what. Industry pioneers like Tim Rajeff, Simon Gawesworth and George Cook are all on hand to bring forth their latest offerings. Sage, Simms, Rio, G.Loomis, Scientific Anglers and all of the who’s who of the industry showing off their latest innovations hoping to win you over within the very near future.

Scientific Anglers IFTD Booth - Wall of Cool...

I consider myself lucky to preview these latest offerings and look forward to bringing them to life for you in the near future as they become available. We shot video, took pictures, touched it, sampled it, casted it, reeled it and all around looked for the best of the best. Some really good new products are coming your way in the next few months and we can’t wait to tell you about them.

Putting all hype aside for a minute though I would like to take a minute to say what this event means to me. Many years ago when I was just your average weekend angler I signed up for a 3 day walleye tournament on Saginaw Bay, Lake Heron. That was something I always wanted to experience. It was a pro/am format and I soon found myself in the middle of 150 pro anglers and the same number of amateur anglers. Crowds were never my thing and 299 other anglers was a bit overwhelming. After the first day of fishing I was invited to hang out with some of the fisherman as they swapped stories around a campfire. The next night it was “hey you want to meet at the restaurant for dinner and a drink”. And the next night it was come down to the awards ceremony and meet some of the pro anglers. It was then that I realized that I belonged somewhere in the fishing industry. Just like your favorite fly rod it just feels right! 300 hundred anglers all fueled with the same basic passion for fishing that I had come to find in myself. I entered a few more tournaments over the years as I reached further into the sport to where I have landed today and all the while meeting great people along the way that share the same interest as I do. I get the same feeling attending the IFTD/I-CAST event. Everyone is passionately sharing the love of the sport. It’s about catching up with old friends and the meeting new ones, sharing knowledge and making future destination plans. Anglers like you are what gives this sport its personality. Oh and there is a lot of cool new products too!

Fishpond: John & Greg checking out a new Fishpond bag design.

New products

Lots of cool new products came out of this year’s show. I’ll try to just hit a few highlights. Airflo has introduced a new set of fly lines call Super Dri. They come in five different tapers and most are available NOW!

Dr.Slick has some new stronger longer clamps that’ll sure make big game anglers happy. Fishpond continues to move in forward thinking ways with a great selection of packs including an award winning Black Canyon Backpack arriving in fall 2013.

The Shimano and G. Loomis Booth (1/5th of it)

G.loomis has added to the line of the popular Pro4x rods with some very attractive Spey and Switch additions….The guys at Hatch reels are finalizing a new set of pliers that will fall into the 6.5 inch limit making them TSA approved for carry on…

Korkers are gearing up to bring you some great new offerings in wading boots. Outcast boat gave you the Fishcat Scout last year and this year the new Outcast Stealth Pro (due late 2013) will be the slightly bigger premium version complete with Urethane bladders. Several new offerings in Rio and the big deal one is the Perception. The Perception is a high floating, tri-color, line with a non-stretch core. Sizes WF3 to WF8 and available now! Sage who gave you the “One” has introduced the new faster action Konnectic technology cousin called the Method (due August 1st.). The big Simms news is the new line of wading boots coming your way…we’ll certainly talk more about them later. Umpqua is adding to their successful line of packs with some matching vests. Winston has made some nice upgrades including a redesigned Boron III LS series of trout rods and also refined their line of two hand rods into the B3X regime. Other items to keep our eye on is the new Nautilus CCFX2 coming soon. An all newly designed CCF fly reel and I will mention that yes the retrieve will be switchable. Coming soon from Abel is the Hybrid Hemo. We loved the Nippers will the Hemos be the last clamps you buy! Stay tuned!


Gorge Fly Shop
Greg Darling

"Fly Fish the World with Us"