Icast Coverage

[Bass Pro]

Carrot stick, eh?... Call me crazy, but I can't see too many bass guys using a bright orange rod with "carrot stick" written on the side.

[b23ball23]

I'm glad you approve Mr. Mhood.....

Sorry, no 2-piece

As of now there have been several specific SKU's that will be produced, and then if a retailer wants a specific custom made stick to stock their stores we can make whatever they want provided they order enough to make it worthwhile.

We had a TON of interest at the show, so keep your eye out for different tackle stores worldwide stocking our product.

Oh, and BTW, The Boyd Duckett Classic Gold series is almost as light as the Steez . In fact, the whole lineup of Ken's new rods are lighter than anything he produced before!

Ben

[Snidley]

B23 are there any 8' non flipping stick rods in the lineup? I use 8' Airrus CoMatrix rods out of my kickboat and love them. I'm hopeing that this new rod brand is not just a Bass fishing brand. snidley

[b23ball23]

It certainly is not just a bass brand- we have a 3-piece fly rod made from the Curran Technology, and we also have a 3-pc surf rod that won best of show saltwater rod category.

As for now, I do not think we have an 8 footer, that is non flipping.
We do have a 7'6 in the BD Classic Gold Series that is a Medium power, fast action. I look forward to use that one for DD22 fishing.

[Zman]

That rod looks wild. What's with the handle, is the design the same as the Pulsar and N'Sync, direct contact with the blank instead of a cork or hypallon grip? Any reason the split reel seat wasn't used?

That's great that Duckett had The Trophy to show off at the e21 display!

[Darkman]

Just got back from ICAST myself,
I did not care for the carrot stix.

the technology behind it is great but and Ken Really does come with great stuff every year, but at the end when I vote it comes to two things Can it sell(or would I buy it) and how new is it(some totally new, never seen you know inovative) well thew part was a no brainer but the sell part is a factor, its UGLY (It does matter if its visualy pleasing, do not let any one say it is not) last year winner (airrus) was a much better rod over all and I found 2 rods that were better than the carrot stick.

Ken is a True genious hey not only thinks out side the box hear crushes it

but his rods just DO NOT SELL
no one really ask for them

Top rod makers:

Loomis
St Croix
Shimano
Diawa
Lamiglas(Dobyns rods, I know they are a separate company but they are marketed together at shows so just go along)
Powell

Airrus is not one of the
E21 will not be one of them(just my opinion on E21, I could be wrong in the future)

[T Mike]

I just got bcack from Icast this morning and I agree with Darkman. I looked at the E21 rods at the New Products area for a good bit while I was there. Guys my honest opinion, the design is very interesting. Other than the looks the rod feels very heavy... Nice looking rod but if your a stickler for weight your prolly not going to like these rods.

I also have lost ALL respect for the so called Icast best of category awards. A bass crankbait with a retracting spring loaded leader wheel inside the bait attached to the hooks won best of show in the hard lure category LOL. It was a pathetic looking crankbait to say the least. It's up there with the blinking crankbait that won last year or was it the year before. But man there was some HELLACIOUS looking swimbaits there that should have been considered!! ooooshhhh!! Tru Tungsten, Lucky Craft, Reaction Strike, Castaic Soft Bait etc etc had some awesome new baits!!

For best of show in the rod category for new stuff I probably would have picked the new Shimano Cumara with the split reel seat and the interesting keeper that you read about on the front page of Tackle Tour.

Sometimes the buyers and media of the show that vote for these Icast best of show awards don't always agree with the hard core tackle junkies point of view. My opinion only of course.

Mike

PS I can't believe Darkman is color sensitive LOL.

[ShoreBound]

...Sorry, no 2-piece...

None, eh? ... Oh, well. I guess I'll have to wait for the redesigned Avids. I hope they've added some 2-pc 'casters.

[Zman]

Ken is a True genious hey not only thinks out side the box hear crushes it
but his rods just DO NOT SELL
no one really ask for them

I'm sure the sales are nowhere near the big names you mentioned. But I think the main difference is how long they've been in business, and marketing/promotions. Airrus rods did sell. Even now with Ken gone it sounds like the Pulsars are impossible to keep in stock.

When a few national publications gave Airrus some well-deserved press, the Airrus stock seemed to get cleaned out. I know, because I probably called every month the past 3 years to order something and had to wait many times. (The obvious argument is their stock is much lower, so they sell out quickly - but they sell none-the-less.)

They might not sell on the level of big companies, but that's a result of Ken needing to put together a pro staff, get some real marketing and distribution. He's now done most of these things. Also Airrus didn't always include the biggest retailers to carry his rods, but they sold elsewhere. I've bought over a dozen of them myself, from 6 different places - online and in stores.

The e21 rods will sell. Especially with the backing of what appears to be a financially sound and somewhat established company (from what little knowledge I have of it). The public relations and marketing presence is already apparent at e21, something that, again, Airrus lacked (it was a 1-man show, cut Ken some slack!)

Ken will probably need to bite the bullet and get the rods to the major e-tailers, and on the racks at BPS or Cabelas, maybe Gander Mountain or Dicks. But the more people learn about e21, the more will sell. And I only think that because I am confident in Ken. I know very little about this new venture and haven't talked to him since he left Airrus.

This is all just one fool's opinion.

[Darkman]

"They might not sell on the level of big companies, but that's a result of Ken needing to put together a pro staff, get some real marketing and distribution. He's now done most of these things. Also Airrus didn't always include the biggest retailers to carry his rods, but they sold elsewhere. I've bought over a dozen of them myself, from 6 different places - online and in stores."

First off I do like the way you made your point, on a lot of web site (this one included) people can get nasty and personal and you didn't...thanks you.

I might be wrong here but Ken founded Airrus, and so the brunt of marketing must fall on his shoulders. he was a one man show and airrus will do well but it will not do as well cause kens not there, it went from Airrus won again to Ken won again in a heart beat(best rod)

E21 makes a very good Golf shaft I think this is where the were doing first (I'll go over my literature)

your right he will have to expand his marketing a great deal, then after that we'll see how the rod stands

Ken has a very loyal base(for good reason) but the fact that he is not one of the top sellers and that he has been in business for as long as he has
is why I say his rods don't sell, he should of been a bigger player by now with airruss and he was not, I do wish him success with E21, But like I said his Airrus rod was a MUCH better rod than the carrot stick(a lot better)and there were flat out much better rods out there this year.

Thanks you again for your well argued response, you have earned my respect

[Snidley]

Darkman you were at ICAST, which rods did you feel were best? I'm dying to hear some news of the new rods at ICAST this year and for some reason the boys have not written anything yet. Snidley

[spinningreel]

im new to this "ICAST", when will the product be available to the public? moreover, the new shimano stradic

More likely December.

Watch out at Tackle Direct, they get the novelties among the fastest.

[Want]

Carrot stick, eh?... Call me crazy, but I can't see too many bass guys using a bright orange rod with "carrot stick" written on the side.

Maybe not bass guys but do you remember a rod called "Ugly Stick"? Made some people VERY rich.

[mrgadget]

...do you remember a rod called "Ugly Stick"? Made some people VERY rich.

Yeah... Shakespeare and WAL-MART! Gadget

[Want]

HEY Gadget: I know some very good Muskie guys who use Ugly Sticks for trolling. Tiger sticks are also considered good rods by others. Not recommending them but who knows, maybe "Carrot stick" will have marketing appeal. Name recognition and all that. We've all seen strange brand names and they came up winners in the sales game.