2018 Canadian Sport Fishing Gear Guide

nizations represent the premier showcase
for the latest innovations in fishing
gear, accessories and apparel in
North America. It is a trade-only show,
which means that you as a consumer
can’t attend. So we go for you.
Each year, buyers and media representatives
like us, compare thousands
of products from hundreds of
companies in 26 categories, which
have been entered into the New
Product Showcase based on their level
of usefulness, innovation, execution,
and workmanship.
UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
While Canada long ago adopted the
metric system, the US has not, and as
a result, much of our use of the imperial
system remains entrenched in our
fishing culture. Rather than provide
metric equivalents that none of us
use, we have kept the old imperial
units where they are in normal use.
CURRENCY
Many products had not been released
as we wrote this gear guide, so often
all the suppliers had to give were
manufacturer’s suggested list prices
(MSRP) in USD, as they were waiting
to see where the dollar was when
Canadian retailers had to pay for their
orders. Wherever possible, the MSRP
is listed in Canadian dollars (CAD).
CHOICE OF GEAR
We haven’t listed every piece of fishing-related
equipment for sale in
2017. Some of it is too poorly built to
be worth mentioning. Much of it you
are already familiar with. If you are
new to fishing, you should be looking
at the new for 2018 gear anyway, as
it incorporates the latest technologies.
We’ve also kept it to gear that you
can use to fish Canadian waters and
species. So you won’t find your favourite
tarpon or marlin bait here.
WARRANTIES
We were tempted to list the warranty
for each model, which typically range
from one-year to lifetime transferrable,
but no warranty covers the
physical damage you do to the equipment
– just the rather ambiguous
‘manufacturer’s defects.’ The true test
of a warranty is not in the fine print,
but in the application of it – you say it
broke, and they replace it.
From personal experience, I can
tell you it doesn’t matter if you buy
new gear, clothing, or tech this year.
It’s not important if you fish with
a stick and some string, or top-ofthe-line
equipment. It doesn’t matter
where you are in the world. The only
thing that counts is that you enjoy
it, and take yourself fishing as often
as you can. We hope this guide helps
you do that – on the water, or from
your couch.
2018 GEAR GUIDE / 5 / SUNCRUISERMEDIA.COM