9/22/06

By Troy Peterson - “Mr. Bluegill”

The days of sitting in a boat wearing only a swimsuit are over for most upper Midwest fisherman. Instead, some die-hard anglers are bearing the colder temperatures in search of some last minute open water excitement while others have put the boats away and pulled the ice fishing gear out from the rafters in hope of early ice. Most lakes are at least a couple of months away from seeing fishable ice but that does not stop the ice fisherman from thinking about the upcoming season. As with just about every season in sports, anticipation grows months ahead. New players, new teams and new rules are only a few items that get sports fans excited for the upcoming season. For ice fisherman, new gear is as big as it gets and this year manufactures like Custom Jigs and Spins, Frabill and Marcum –only to name a few - are all providing exciting new products to help the anglers catch more fish this winter. It’s time to put your fantasy ice gear list together!

Custom Jigs and Spins

Over the past 30 years, Custom Jigs and Spins have created jigs like the demon, ratso, shrimpo and rat finkee that are now an essential parts of an ice fisherman’s tackle box. These jigshave proven themselves amongst tens of thousands of anglers and not to mention the fish! New for this season is the complete line of Vertiglow jigs which include the new Diamond Jigs, Lightning Spoons, Frisbee Jigs, and a new version of the popular Demon Jigs.
The new generation of The Hottest Baits Under the Ice are sure to catch the eyes of the fisherman as well as the fish. New 3D holographic paint schemes along with red hooks and stunning appeal surmount other jigs on the market. The Diamond jig will soon become a vital bait for all bluegill and crappie fisherman. This little gem fishes very heavy but in fact is very small. It is a great choice for fishing deep water with extremely light line. The diamond head shape allows it to fall very fast which is crucial to getting it back down the water where the schools of fish are waiting. The ultra-sharp hooks are offset at a 45 degree angle which guarantees a positive hook set every time! The Lightning Spoons and Frisbee Jigs are a tad bit larger and are designed for larger panfish and gamefish. Both styles of jigs incorporate the new 3D holographic paint schemes along with Mustad Red hooks. These two jigs are great choices for jigging up some crappies, perch or walleyes. The Lighting Spoon \is a spoon shaped like a lightning bolt with a red treble hook attached at the bottom with a floating split ring. It falls fast in the water yet flutters on its way down for attracting fish from a distance. Tip the spoon with live bait like spikes, waxworms or minnows, and this jig becomes an extremely versatile lure that is sure to bring more strikes! The new Frisbee jigs are a great choice for aggressively feeding fish. The large teardrop style jig is fitted with an ultra-sharp red hook which sits vertical in the water. This bait falls very slow in a horizontal position but fished vertical while sitting still. It can be used on tip-ups for greater attraction or as a stand alone jig tipped your bait of choice. There is no question that Custom Jigs and Spins continues to provide the Hottest Baits Under The Ice year after year. For more information or to view all the jigs and colors available visit www.customjigs.com.



Frabill

Frabill’s has a motto of “Innovating the Outdoors” There is nothing more true this year as Frabill has again revolutionized the portable ice shelter design with the new Glide Trax series. What is Glide Trax? Glide Trax represents a new line of shelters that incorporates durability, features and convenience in a single package. The heavy duty sleds are shaped like a pontoon boat with the Glide Trax Runners. There are two advantages of the Glide Trax runners. They allow for minimal contact with the snow which in turn creates an easier pulling shelter and also serve as a secured dry storage areas or rod lockers. Add the hyfax runner kits and instantly turn the shelter into an extremely durable, easy pulling sled that will last for many years. Another new feature is the Storm Guard System. This molded vinyl strip attaches the tent material to the base completely sealing out all wind and snow while sitting in position or while towing. The days of cleaning out ice and snow from inside of the shelter are over! Other features of the new Glide Trax series consist of one piece modular seating, stabilizer bars for windy days, oversized arched doorways, mesh storage pockets, replaceable clear-view windows, and a new quick release towbar. Along with the new line of shelters, Frabill has a few other new products that will be a great addition to anyone’s inventory of gear. The new Arctic Siren tip-up light not only flashes it’s lights when the flag goes up but also sounds and audible alarm that can be heard from up to a hundred yards away. Now there is no way you should ever miss another flag! To check out all of the new products from Frabill visit them on the web at www.frabill.com or to watch a video of all the new products visit www.mrbluegill.com.
 

Marcum Technologies

MarCum Technologies, manufacturer of the LX-5 three-color flasher and the VS-560 underwater camera, has two new entry level products this year for the angler on a budget. There is no need to sacrifice quality for price however. The new VX-1 flasher unit which will sell for under $200.00 after rebate is probably one of the hottest deals of the season. The package comes complete with battery, charger, electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm, self aligning transducer, gimbal bracket, and the VX-1 sonar powerhead. Compared to other units on the market which sell for close to $400.00, the features and power are almost exactly identical. The VX-1 features 600 watts of power, interference rejection, bottom zoom, 2.5” target separation and a super bright display.
Underwater cameras until now have always had the reputation of being too pricy for most fisherman. The introduction of the VS-250 under water camera at 159.00 will make it a reality to own an underwater camera vs. a fantasy in past years. The camera comes loaded with features including a high resolution – low lux CCD camera, 65 foot of cable, 400 TV line 5.5 inch B&W monitor, ON/OFF LED switch, LED dimmer, brightness & contrast controls, AV output jack, 12 volt – 7amp sealed lead acid battery, two stage charger, padded soft pack with built in sun shield, and camera weight. WOW! If you have ever dreamed of purchasing a camera and seeing what happens under the ice, now is the perfect time.

As with all new ice fishing gear, anticipation amongst all the anglers creates impulse buying when the stuff finally hits the shelves. If there is something that you are looking to buy but wait until the middle of the season, there is a good chance that there may not be anything left. Because of the short ice fishing season, most retailers only order larger ticket items once a year. When they are gone, they are gone. In some rare cases, manufacturers may have some remaining stock which can be shipped to the stores or some stores may be able to transfer items from other stores in the area but it’s not worth the risk to wait on something you want for the season. Make your picks for the upcoming season early. Top items for the year are sure to disappear fast.

 

Good Ice'n

Mr.Bluegill