BUZZBAIT [TACK LE]
QUANTUM EXO PHOTO: COURTESY QUANTUM
FISH WINCHES STRAIGHT
FROM AREA 51 BY PAUL LEBOWITZ
N
ano this and fusion that—the latest reels to hit the market are straight out of science fiction. Get a load of this: the magnetic oil
found in Daiwa’s new $500 Certate-HA spinner flows strategically into the reel’s sensitive innards where the nano fluid takes on a solid-like state, protecting the bearings as tenaciously as the villainous cyborg from Terminator 2 hunted John Connor—in a strikingly similar liquid metal way. With such advanced construction materials, these reels are durable,
lightweight and sensitive—prime characteristics for kayak fishing. While they cost a bundle now, these revolutionary technologies will trickle down. Here’s what cost-conscious anglers will be fishing with in 2020, but there’s no need to wait. The future is now.
QUANTUM EXO Code-named “Metal Where it Matters,” the skeletal spinner developed by Quantum’s EXO project team for 2012 is a minimalist’s dream. There’s nothing extraneous; aluminum is used sparingly, only for critical, load- bearing areas. The rest—there isn’t much—is advanced lightweight com- posite. Example: The unique lightweight C4LF carbon fiber rotor is 2.6 times stronger than standard. “You get a 25-size reel that performs well, looks very cool and weighs only 6.9 ounces,” Product Manager Chris Strickland points out. Yet it’s still saltwater capable with standard main- tenance. Maxcast spool; Ni-Ti bail; PT bearings, $200 • www.quantum-
fishing.com
ABU GARCIA REVO PREMIER Gleaming with a royal silver sheen, the molecular exoskeleton of nano- sized metal particles that covers the spool and reel stem of 2011’s Revo Premier spinner isn’t just for looks. It’s tough enough to stand up to
REVO PREMIER PHOTO: COURTESY ABU GARCIA
SHIMANO STRADIC CI4 PHOTO: COURTESY SHIMANO
nuclear fission. Not the reel—the metalized protection. Abu’s Andrew Wheeler says Nano Shield is extremely corrosion resistant, three times stronger than graphite while weighing half of comparable aluminum. Coat a ping-pong ball with the stuff and you can stand on it. Sealed Carbon Matrix drag, Everlast bail and 10 powerful bearings in only 8.1 ounces for the 30 size. $250 •
www.abugarcia.com
SHIMANO STRADIC CI4 The sexy Stradic CI4 spinner won Shimano Best of Show honors back in 2009, but it’s still on the bleeding edge. Carbon interfused, CI4 is a rein- forced fiber—there’s no metal in the lightweight frame, sideplate and ro- tor. An easy seven ounces in size 25, the sensitive Stradic CI4 is at its best for finesse presentations. This $200 to $220 gem boasts the Propulsion Line Management System and Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, improvements rolled out that year for Shimano’s extensive redesign of their high-end spinners. Take note—so does the $100 aluminum body Symetre series, proof of the top-down concept. As time passes, features introduced on high end products steadily make their way into more af- fordable gear. Anglers win.
www.shimano.com
Human-Powered Escalade?
[CLOWN FISH] BY AARON REED
Texas Regulation Addresses Crowded Waters
Kayak anglers in Texas are celebrating this month after receiving news that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will authorize Texas saltwater and all-water fishing license holders to fish on weekdays beginning Sep- tember 1. The bold move by the Commission is expected to significantly decrease user con- flicts in some areas, especially on weekends.
14 …KAYAK ANGLER SPRING 2012
ESPN Outdoors recently announced the first season of “Pimp my Yak,” by Los Angeles- based Tredz Productions. The first episode, set to air May 13, is rumored to feature a Malibu X-factor with a lightweight, super- quiet Kohler kayak generator, a four-battery house bank, a tuna tower and a marine toilet. No word whether the head is plumbed to a holding tank or discharges directly overboard.
Compostable Plastic Boats on Hold
AgraYaks, a Florida start-up, has delayed the launch of its new line of corn starch plastic kayaks while the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission conducts studies to determine the boats’ impacts on that state’s manatee
population. During testing earlier this year, West Indian manatees twice began eating the company’s 14-foot prototype sit-on-top kayaks.
“I think the news reports describing the incidents as vicious attacks are a bit over- blown,” said AgraYaks CEO Jon Johansenn. “Our testers were never in danger, but of course we are concerned about the effects of the bio-plastics on manatee health. We’re exploring the possibility of adding capsicum or another taste repellent to the resins to de- ter manatees from eating our products.” AgraYaks is a pioneer in the use of bio- degradable polymers from cornstarch, sugar cane stalks and other renewable sources to make recreational paddle craft.
ILLUSTRATION: LORENZO DEL BIANCO
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