Cool New Electronics at ICAST 2015
Devices to help you catch more fish and tell the world about it
These days, anglers rely on cutting edge electronic devices not only to find and catch fish, but also to share their fishing experiences with the world. The following new products, as seen on day one at ICAST 2015, will help you do all of the above.
Click here for complete ICAST 2015 coverage.
Weego Jump Starter Battery+
Get peace of mind on the water with the Weego Jump Starter Battery+, a handy rechargeable device that can start your outboard or truck in a pinch, and can also charge a smartphone or power a laptop or tablet. Three sizes are available. The smallest model, which is about the size of a smartphone, can jump a 350-hp outboard and recharges in 90 minutes. The largest model takes about five hours to charge. Prices range from $99 to $189. Weego says its Jump Starter Battery+ can take 1,000 charges. MyWeego.com
SP Gadgets
Here’s a company that can outfit anglers with all the POV camera accessories needed to capture cool fishing footage. The new Section Series is a modular system that can combine a floating camera buoy with an extendable camera stick and several other accessories that are perfect for capturing fish-landing shots in the water. SP-Gadgets.com
YOLOtek NavLight AquaStick Pro
YOLOtek figured out how to solve two common problems encountered when rigging POV cameras in bass boats: keeping the camera powered and positioning it in a spot that can capture all the action. The new AquaStick Pro is a telescopic mounting pole that screws into the rear navigation light jack for power and has a built-in camera mount and USB charging jacks. It costs $169.99. A similar $59.99 model is extendable but doesn’t lock nor charge the camera. Also, YOLOtek has a cool PowerStick that holds and charges a phone. It costs $49.99. YOLOtek.com
Lithium Pros
Lithium Pros batteries recharge five times faster than lead acid batteries, have five times longer life and weigh half as much, give or take. For anglers, that means less bulk to haul around in a boat and more reliable power. Of course, that performance comes with a high up-front cost. A 36-volt Lithium Pro costs more than $2,000. LithiumPros.com
Rigid UV SR-Q2
Night-fishing has its challenges, but the new UV SR-Q2 from Rigid Industries solves at least one. Its UV black light system lights up a shoreline but also illuminates fishing line. A suction-cup mounting bracket and 15-foot power cable with dual plugs make installation easy. RigidIndustries.com
MotorGuide X5
The X5 is MotorGuide’s new tournament-level cable-steer trolling motor. An oversized foot pedal makes control easy, and control is what’s most unique about this motor. An ovular cam system inside the head of the motor provides enhanced control when the motor is steering more or less straight ahead. It allows for precise movements at high speeds when motor torque is high. When turning, however, the head can swivel more quickly. It might be hard to visualize, but it’s a difference you’ll definitely feel when fishing. The X5 comes in a range of powers up to 105 pounds of thrust. MotorGuide.com
Lowrance StructureScan 3D
In addition to providing anglers with even better HD imagery with its StructureScan system this year, Lowrance also released a new StructureScan 3D system, which was unveiled at a press conference this morning. As its name suggests, the 3D paints a highly detailed image of the bottom to show contours, cover and fish. Settings allow the user to change the color of fish and bait so they show up more easily. Also, with touchscreen units, you can tilt, pan and scroll through sonar imagery. The StructureScan 3D kit includes a new module and transducer that works with HDS Gen3 systems. Cost is $999. Lowrance.com
iON Snap Cam
The next wave in social media is what iON calls “social broadcasting,” and it’s more easily accomplished with the new iON Snap Cam. This tiny square camera either clips to a belt or attaches to a shirt with a strong magnetic holding system. One tap of the camera face takes a photo – it holds up to 5,000 shots – and two taps starts it filming video. The camera is always “on,” just waiting for you to tap it, and iON says the camera’s start-up time is the fastest in the industry. To live stream, simply send a link to friends via Twitter when you’re ready to broadcast, and it’ll go straight from the camera to the web for up to one hour. For non-streaming video, the camera can capture two hours of action. Cost is $149. A Lite version that doesn’t stream and has slightly less memory capacity sells for $79.99. USA.iONCamera.com
Minn Kota EO
You won’t see any of these motors on the Walmart FLW Tour, but for thousands of anglers who live near small rivers, lakes and reservoirs, the Minn Kota EO series of electric outboards opens up access to much more water. The 1/2-hp model runs on a 12-volt system; the 1-hp model on 24 volts. Both are tiller motors with adjustable brackets. They’re perfect for small johnboats or other watercrafts on fisheries that can’t be accessed with a big boat or where regulations limit anglers to electric power only. $800 for the 1/2 hp; $900 for the 1 hp MinnKotaMotors.com
Other Notables
- Fishidy released a new Fishing Forecast mobile app that compiles fishing information with current conditions and angler location, runs it through a series of algorithms and spits out suggestions on where and how to catch fish up to the minute. Fishidy.com
- HydroWave has added to its unique lineup of sound-emitting devices with models specifically for crappie, walleye and catfish anglers. The technology is available in the Mini and H2 models. HydroWave.com
- Lowrance also has a new app, called Go Free Hooked. It allows anglers to record and share catch information, overlay data onto maps via Insight Genesis, as well as to host “virtual tournaments” with buddies elsewhere on the lake. Lowrance.com