ICAST 2010 Names 'Best Of' Award Winners

July 23, 2010

Las Vegas, Nev. — The world’s largest sportfishing trade show once again was host to more than 7,200 representatives of the sportfishing industry during the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, held July 14-16, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. ICAST, produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association, is the cornerstone of the sportfishing industry, helping to driving sportfishing companies’ product sales year round and is the showcase for the latest innovations in fishing gear, accessories and apparel.

ICAST 2010 featured 413 exhibitors filling 1,223 booths. More than 2,200 buyers and more than 525 media representatives were at the show along with 900 attendees from 63 countries represented.

“Our commitment to fishing makes our industry so much more than a collection of businesses. It’s also a lively, creative, passion-driven community,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “Each year, thousands of sportfishing representatives from around the globe attend the show, reinforcing the value of doing business at ICAST.”

Nussman further said, “On behalf of ASA’s Board of Directors and the ASA staff, I want to thank our member exhibitors, sponsors, buyers, media, manufacturers’ representatives and everyone who participated in this year’s show and helped make it such a success. I look forward to seeing everyone back in Las Vegas next year for ICAST 2011.”

During the annual State of the Industry Breakfast on Wednesday, July 14, ASA launched KeepAmericaFishing™, a renewed effort to unite the industry and our nation’s 60 million anglers with one voice. In their remarks, Nussman and Jeff Pontius, ASA’s Board of Diectors Chairman and ZEBCO Brands President said that anglers and the industry will work to keep our nation’s waterways open, clean and abundant with fish. The past 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in bans on recreational fishing. The results have the potential to affect every retailer, manufacturer and sportfishing-dependent business in our industry. Remarks from Nussman and Jeff Pontius, ASA's Chairman of the Board, are available on ICASTfishing.org. Visit www.KeepAmericaFishing.org™ for more information.

ASA thanks the following companies and organizations for their sponsorship: Gold - Crocodile Bay, Fishing Tackle Retailer, produced by ESPN Outdoor/BASS, Plano Molding Company, Take Me Fishing and ZEBCO Brands; Silver – Dave Mercer Outdoors, In-Fisherman, Fishouflage Apparel, Gemini Sport Marketing, Northwest Sportsman and Sebile USA; and Bronze - Classic Fishing Products, Inc., Engel USA, FishGillz Sunglass Co., Gill North America, Girls Fish Too, Green Fish, Hatcams LLC, Irish Setter, Jonathan Paul Eyewear, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Mojo Sportswear Company, NoBarb Hooks, Northwest Sportsman, Southwick Associates and Tuscaroran Pro-Lures.

The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and ASA presented the prestigious Homer Circle Fishing Communicator Award was presented to outdoor writer and conservation supporter Robert Montgomery during the New Product Showcase Preview Reception on the evening of July 13. “Robert has been a strong advocate for conserving our nation’s fisheries and for ensuring that all anglers, novice and avid alike, become more knowledgeable about the issues facing recreational fishing,” added Nussman. “This is a well-deserved honor.”

ICAST’s Flagship Feature - New Product Showcase Best of Show Awards
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. In 2010, 210 companies entered 750 of the industry’s newest innovations in gear and accessories in the New Product Showcase, ICAST’s flagship feature. All the products in the New Product Showcase are entered into the “Best of Show” competition where buyers and credentialed media judged each product based on its 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.

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.”

2010 ICAST New Product Showcase Award Winners

Overall Best of Show – G.Loomis – NRX
Contact: John Mazurkiewicz, Catalyst Marketing – 574-289-1331; jpmazurk@ameritech.net

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.

For more of Outdoor Channel's coverage of iCAST 2010, click here.

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