11 awesome pieces of new fishing equipment

11 Essential New Bits Of Fishing Tackle For The Summer

Looking for some hot new fishing gear for the summer? Reckon some of that ageing fishing equipment could be replaced with something fresh and new? Or maybe you just feel like trying something new and different? Fear not, for Trade-a-Boat has done the research for you.

 

11 awesome pieces of new fishing equipment

Halco C-Gar

This delicious-looking Halco C-Gar is a weighted stick bait made for targeting surface-feeders like mackerel, queenfish, tailor or salmon, but equally effective on aggressive sub-surface predators. The lure action is less splashy than a popper and produces enough surface action to entice a strike from wary fish. Attached are heavy-duty Mustad 1/0 trebles and Halco’s strong fish rings for the ultimate lure-to-hook connection.

The C-Gar is 120mm long and weighs 40gm, for long, accurate casts into strong headwinds. There’s also a colour to suit every taste, available in seven new clear polymer and traditional finishes.

  • Halco C-Gar price: $16 RRP
  • More info: halcotackle.com.au

 

Omoto GTR T20

Based on Omoto’s renowned Poseidon series reels, the GTR T20 provides a more economical option for anglers watching their pennies, by swapping out the aluminium frame for a rugged graphite build. This right-hander is a single-speed overhead reel, with four stainless steel ball bearings and an overall weight of just 816gm.

Made in Taiwan, these Omotos are imported exclusively by JRoc Tackle and have made inroads into the competitive Aussie market with robust construction and sensible pricing. Gear ratio on the GTR T20 is 3.8:1 and you can load up 270m of 30lb line, ready to crank out a maximum-rated 13kg of drag when the going gets tough.

Omoto GTR T20 price: $130 RRP

More info: jroctackle.com.au

 

BX Jointed Shad

Built with a balsa core and a durable outer shell, the BX Jointed Shad combines the responsiveness of a lightweight body with the durability and colour options of plastic.

The partially-transparent body allows the balsa heart to show through, while the internal metallic plating creates natural flash.

The BX Jointed Shad has a very strong body-kicking action, responding to the slowest of retrieves, while still tracking straight at higher rates. Slow rise on the pause allows the angler to accent the aggressive action with long pauses.

Bite sized at 6cm, this 7gm segmented lure is a perfect choice casting the shoreline for species such as bass, trout and bream.

  • BX Jointed Shad price: $15 RRP
  • More info: rapala.com.au

 

Mercury Motorguide Xi5 trolling motor

Available in freshwater or saltwater spec, the Mercury Motorguide Xi5 electric trolling motor is designed for both reliability and longevity.

Ready for wireless operation straight outta the box, the Xi5 delivers precise control and stealthy steering from anywhere on your boat.

The wireless foot pedal is standard for freshwater models, while the saltwater version is packaged with a handheld remote.

Battery status is easy to see via LED indicators and the new composite shaft is guaranteed for life against breakages, so feel free to drive into as many snags as you like!

The Xi5 is also compatible with Merc’s Pinpoint GPS tech that lets you hold station in one spot or record your route, while linking with your Lowrance plotter.

  • Mercury Motorguide Xi5 price: from $1275 RRP
  • More info: motorguide.com

 

Juro Tailgunners

These clever little Juro lures blend the quick dive and retrieve of a metal jig with the action of a soft plastic, making them deadly on freshwater species such as trout, bass and redfin, and even saltwater-dwellers such as bream.

At 7cm long and 6.5gm, the Tailgunners can be jigged, cast or trolled for an effective baitfish imitation in bright, natural colours. They’re stacked with a treble at the front and a rear double hook, and come with a spare rubber tail for each lure.

  • More info: jurofishing.com

 

Rhino Rack

Tired of towing your tinnie, torn between touring with the boat or towing a camper? Could be you need the Side Boat Loader. This inventively-named device from Rhino Rack takes the headache (and backache) out of loading a boat onto the roof of your car.

A clever worm-drive (powered by a 12V cordless drill) means just one person can easily winch a tinnie up the side rails and securely onto the roof of any vehicle. Bringing it down is just as easy.

The system fits roof racks at least 1.25m across and boats up to 3.65m in length, but check on the Rhino Rack website to see if your car and boat are suitable for installation.

  • Rhino Rack price: $1800 RRP
  • More info: rhinorack.com.au

 

TomTom Bandit Action Cam

Here’s something that may knock the ubiquitous GoPro off its perch. Tom Tom (yep, the team who brought you in-car nav systems) has launched its Bandit Action Cam and by all reports, have done a fair job of it. Slightly bigger and heavier than a GoPro, the Bandit comes with a dive lens waterproof to 50m, but even without it’s still good to 1m for 30mins.

The TomTom Bandit employs a removable battery that can be plugged straight into a USB port for charging, and the Micro SD slot is here, too. There is also a GoPro mount-adaptor available – a smart move with so many high-quality GoPro mounts already available.

Standard shooting mode is 1080p at 60fps but can stretch to 2.7k video at 30fps, and there’s also slow-motion, still photos and burst-mode. There’s also an app available for your phone to make editing a simple affair.

  • Tom Tom Bandit Action Cam price: $600 RRP
  • More info: tomtom.com

 

Shimano Stradic FJ

Shimano’s time-proven Stradic FJ reels are available in a variety of sizes, all ideally suited to saltwater angling.  The spinning range comes in the original pearl white colour and incorporates a host of new technologies that breathe new life into this classic reel.

Of these, X-Ship will attract the most attention, making your whole day more enjoyable thanks to an ultra-smooth retrieve but with the grunt you need when cranking in big saltwater species.

The Stradic FJ comes in four sizes, from the compact 4000 right up to the jumbo 8000 model, making them perfect for offshore reef fishing and mid-size pelagics.

  • Shimano Stradic FJ price: From $200 RRP
  • More info: shimanofish.com.au

 

Plano Six Tray Hip Roof Box

Meet the godfather of tackle storage. Plano has long been top-of-the-tree for moulded tackle boxes, but these cantilevered multi-tray boxes are really something else.

Covering both organisation and security for your shiny lures, the Six Tray Hip Roof Box provides maximum flexibility and ease-of-access. The box opens to reveal more than 40 separate lure compartments, plus bulk storage for stashing larger items such as more of your favourite smaller tackle boxes. There’s also a pair of drinkholders built into the lid to keep your cans safe. Overall dimensions are 51x29x27cm.

  • Plano Six Tray Hip Roof Box price: $90 RRP
  • More info: jmgillies.com.au

 

Berkley PowerBlade

Designed in Australia and rigorously field tested by the Berkley pro team, the PowerBlade is the ultimate bream blade, proven to trigger bites in all conditions. But the PowerBlade is also versatile and tough enough to catch other species such as flathead, mulloway, tailor, trevally, whiting and bass.

Precision engineering allows the PowerBlade to emit a high-frequency, fish-attracting vibration with minimal rod action. On the way down, the PowerBlade glides naturally through the water column, enticing fish to follow it down and strike.

Built from laser-cut 0.9mm stainless steel frames, these fellas can withstand the toughest abuse and are available in a range of colours, plus lifelike 3D eyes and UV accents.

  • Berkley PowerBlade price: $16 RRP
  • More info: berkley-fishing.com.au

 

RinseKit portable pressurised shower

How handy would it be to have a hose nozzle nearby every time you got dirty? RinseKit is the next best thing; a portable, pressurised shower that’s like having a garden hose in the field.

The unit fills in 20 seconds before you leave home and stores eight litres of water under pressure for weeks on end – no batteries and no pumping required. When it’s time to clean-up, Rinse Kit delivers pressurised water for up to four minutes – great for rinsing the boat, washing sand off the kids, cleaning the dog, washing dishes or anything else you can think of. The spray nozzle offers seven different settings from jet stream to soaking shower and the RinseKit can be filled with hot or cold water. There’s even a built-in ruler to measure fish, a folding handle, and easy-to-remove lid to stand on while you’re changing.

  • RinseKit price: $149 RRP
  • More info: bluebottlefishing.com