The American Sportfishing Association knows this, and every year they hold an annual convention that showcases the latest and best in fishing and boating innovations. They give out a variety of New Product Showcase Best of Show awards in categories such as fishing accessory, boat, apparel, freshwater rod, saltwater reel and more.

Those awards are one of the reasons the fishing community keeps its eye on ICAST. It’s hard to go wrong with a winner, and many of those winning products are the same things that show up on the boats of the winners at the big tournaments.

One of my personal favorite additions to my boat was an item I discovered because it won the 2011 ICAST Best in Show Boating Accessory award. It is the Blade by Power-Pole®.

My Experience with the Blade

Realistically, I had been dreaming of buying a Power-Pole for a while but the cost kept holding me back. But when I heard about the new Blade, I was sold. I decided to take the plunge.

Installation was the first thing that impressed me. It really did take under an hour just like their ads say. There was no learning curve at all when it came to using it. A click or two is all it takes. The high tech C-Monster control system lets me control it in 4 different ways, from the switch installed on the dash, the wireless foot control, the remote control or from my smartphone. I like options!

One of my first times out with the Blade, I put down the anchor near the mouth of a river and there were some pretty strong currents. I was wondering how the Blade would handle it. I deployed it at high speed and my boat stopped exactly where I wanted it to. Even better, it held, despite the currents. I caught some of the biggest bass I’ve ever caught that day.

The Blade shallow water anchor has made a huge change in my fishing expeditions. I get more time fishing where I want to fish. I spend less time repositioning the boat and trying to find a good spot. I also get the stealth I want when I put down my Power-Pole – no more trolling motor to scare away the fish.

Help Yourself Be A Better Fisherman

Being a great fisherman means having the right gear. Choosing the right gear is a little tricky because there’s so much out there to choose from. My suggestion is to do what the pros do and follow the ICAST awards to learn what’s new and fantastic for fishing. Equip yourself like the pros and get better results each and every time you are out on the water. Check out the award winners from ICAST before you make your next fishing gear purchase!