Canuck lure maker scores big at ICAST

A Canadian lure maker is making a big splash this week down in Las Vegas at the 53rd annual International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, or ICAST, the world’s biggest trade show for all things angling. St Catharines, Ontario-based Koppers Fishing and Tackle Corporation has just received the New Product Showcase Award for best soft lure with its new LIVETARGET Hollow Body Frog (pictured here).

Rounding out the roster of award recipients were the usual suspects, including industry giants Rapala, Pure Fishing, Shimano, Frabill and Minn Kota. Upstart French lure maker Sébile also made it once again to the winners’ circle. In all, 14 companies took top honours in the annual Best of Show competition, selected from 210 different manufacturers exhibiting some 750 new products.

The overall star of the show, though, is undoubtedly G.Loomis with its NRX series of rods, earning the both the Best of Show distinction and the most innovative product in the freshwater rod category.

Outdoor Canada Fishing Editor Gord Pyzer is currently at ICAST surveying the myriad new offerings to find the top gear suited for Canadian anglers. His roundup will appear in the magazine’s 30th anniversary Fishing annual, to be published in January 2011.

Here is the complete list of the 2010 ICAST New Product Showcase Award winners:

• 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
• Freshwater Rod – G.Loomis – NRX
• Saltwater Rod – Shimano American Corporation – Terez
• Tackle Management – HYI, Inc. – Openwater Tackle Backpack
• Terminal Tackle – Sébile Innovative Fishing – Soft Weight System