Sportfishing Industry Awards 2010 "Best of Show" Honors

ICAST 2010, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, the world's largest sportfishing tradeshow, is in full swing from July 14-16, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Over 7,000 representatives from the sportfishing industry, including more than 2,000 buyers and over 500 media representatives, are gathered to see the latest innovations in tackle, gear and apparel and network with the global sportfishing community. The sportfishing industry's premier trade event is produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the industry's trade association, which is headquartered in Alexandria, Va.

This year, the 53rd year of ICAST, the New Product Showcase, the tradeshow's flagship event, was more competitive than ever. Sponsored by Fishing Tackle Retailer, produced by ESPN Outdoors/BASS , 210 exhibiting companies entered 750 tackle products and accessories into the New Product Showcase. The product category with the most product submissions was the hard lure category.

This year the G.Loomis NRX, was voted by buyers and media as the most innovative product in the ICAST 2010 New Product Showcase in both the freshwater rod category and the overall "Best of Show."

Five 2009 showcase winners - G.Loomis, Lowrance-Navico, Pure Fishing, Sebile Innovative Fishing and Shimano American Corporation - won awards again in 2010.

Shimano American Corporation took home four best of show awards in the hard lure, freshwater reel, saltwater reel and saltwater rod categories.

"The New Product Showcase continues to amaze me with the quality of the new products submitted for consideration," said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. "I want to congratulate all of the winners of this year's Showcase and also congratulate everyone who participated, including the companies who worked hard to develop these innovations and the buyers and media who served as judges."

Making up a special section of ICAST's 400,000-square-foot show floor, the New Product Showcase provides special visibility for the industry's latest innovations in gear and accessories. Buyers and media representatives judged the products based on their level of innovation, execution, workmanship and practicality to select "Best of Show" honors in 17 categories, as well as the overall "Best of Show" winner.

2010 ICAST New Product Showcase Award Winners

Freshwater Rod - G.Loomis - NRX & Overall Best of Show - G.Loomis - NRX



Apparel - Frabill, Inc. - FXE Stormsuit

Combo - Ardent/Lamiglas - C400/XC704 Fishouflage Bass



Electronics - Lowrance-Navico - Lowrance Elite-5 DSI



Eyewear - Maui Jim Sunglasses - Guy Harvey Collection



Fishing Accessory - Adventure Products, Inc. - EGO S2 Slider Landing Net



Giftware - Boating Expressions, Inc. - Fishfenders



Kids Tackle - Pure Fishing - Pflueger-Spinning Combo-Apprentice



Line - Rapala - Sufix 832 Advanced Superline



Soft Lure - Koppers Fishing & Tackle Corporation - Live Target Hollow Body Frog



Hard Lure - Shimano American Corporation - Waxwing Sub-Surface Swimming Jig



Marine - Minn Kota-Johnson Outdoors, Inc. - Talon-Shallow Water Anchor



Freshwater Reel - Shimano American Corporation - Stella FE



Saltwater Reel - Shimano American Corporation - Trinidad A


Saltwater Rod - Shimano American Corporation - Terez

Tackle Management - HYI, Inc. - Openwater Tackle Backpack



Terminal Tackle - Sebile Innovative Fishing - Soft Weight System




In 2011, ICAST will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 13-15, 2011. ICAST 2012 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, from July 11-13, 2012.

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry's trade association, committed to looking out for the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice speaking out when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. We invest in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also represents the interests of America's 60 million anglers who generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation's economy creating employment for over one million people.