MIAMI, FL – Honda Marine announced last week at the Miami International Boat Show it planned to introduce a Honda branded electronic shift and throttle system for its popular V6 outboard engines. The new Honda in-cowl system will provide shift and throttle actuation within the current outboard cowling envelope for ease of use and an integrated design.  Read Full Story

TULSA, OK – Not too far from historic Lincoln, N.M., of Billy The Kid fame, and well after the outlaw's demise, for many years there was a small roadside bar with a path behind it that led to a grave marker. On the marker was the inscription, "This is one of the few places where Billy The Kid is not buried." It's only a relative point because the 2012 Bassmaster Classic being held this week in the Shreveport, La. area just might present a similar scenario as to how something not necessarily in the center of the spotlight will still benefit from its shine. Today's hottest thing in bass fishing is a castable umbrella rig, a multi-armed contraption that resembles the wireframe of an umbrella and makes it possible to present several lures at the same time to look like a real school of baitfish. It's an adaption from what anglers chasing striped bass have trolled with for years.  Read Full Story

CHAMBERSBURG, PA – Catfish are beautiful. Or if not exactly beautiful, then at least maybe we can agree on adjectives like distinguished, pleasingly plump and vaguely cartoonish—like big swimming caricatures of themselves. Cats are unexpectedly bright, too, like running into a bar-bouncer and finding out he possesses a genius IQ.  Read Full Story

FLIPPIN, AR – Measuring 17 feet, 6 inches and rated for 115 horsepower, the all-new Ranger Z117 is available with a wide range of precision-matched outboards and delivers the advanced fishability and best-in-class heritage of the Ranger Z Series for under $30,000. In addition to the low price tag, show-stopping great looks and Ranger’s well-known resale values, this boat and matching single-axle trailer can be easily towed with compact trucks and SUVs and will fit into most garages. Plus, the popular 115-horsepower designation consumes less fuel and oil – making the Ranger Z117 accessible to anglers who would otherwise be forced to purchase used boats or boats that lack Ranger’s reputation for quality and fishability.  Read Full Story

MIAMI – Fifteen marine products were honored Thursday for innovative achievement by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) at the 71st annual Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail. Thirteen companies took home the prestigious boating industry 2012 Innovation Award and two the Honorable Mention during NMMA’s State of the Recreational Boating Industry Breakfast, held this morning at the Miami Beach Convention Center.  Read Full Story

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Recreational boaters who rely on global positioning devices to keep them safely on course can breathe a sigh of relief since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans on Tuesday, February 14 to revoke conditional approval of a proposed cellular telephone network that could interfere with GPS signals. The decision came after the U.S. Commerce Department advised the Commission that "At this time there are no mitigation strategies" that could prevent interference with GPS signals if the cell phone network planned by a private company, LightSquared, were to be built as proposed.  Read Full Story

The latest creation by Great Lakes smallmouth guru Joe Balog may be his best yet. Balog, creator of the first-ever goby imitating lure, the original Drop Shot Goby, has created the most realistic goby bait ever, Joe Balog’s Goby Replica, and initial tests have proven incredible.  Read Full Story

Listening to the voices of thousands of activist anglers, on February 14, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once again rejected the most recent petition to federally ban lead fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act. KeepAmericaFishing thanks everyone who took action on this important issue.  Read Full Story

PROVIDENCE, RI – Acme’s K.O. Wobbler spoon is known by freshwater anglers everywhere for its unique ability to attract fish with a combination of side-to-side action, flash and sound.  It just so happens that this same deadly combination is very effective when tempting wintertime gamefish through the ice. The K.O. Wobbler’s design —wide at the base and tapered sharply at the front —gives this spoon the short, wide profile of a fat baitfish.  It also gives the K.O. Wobbler an enticing, side-to-side wobble as the lure is jigged vertically over the bottom or structure.  It takes very little rod tip motion to create this action on the rise or drop, providing the ideal combination for getting cold-water predators to strike — a satisfying meal they won’t have to work too hard to catch.  Read Full Story

LANSING, MI – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds everyone the annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 18 and Sunday, Feb. 19. On that weekend, residents and non-residents alike, can fish without a license, although all other fishing regulations still apply.Michigan has been celebrating Winter Free Fishing Weekend annually since 1994 as a way to promote awareness of the state's vast aquatic resources.  Read Full Story