It’s like the fishing industry’s senior prom, but even though ICAST has long been regarded as the event for companies to release their latest and greatest offerings, that doesn’t mean it’s all about catering to experienced, professional anglers.
Sure, this year’s International Consortium of Allied Sporting Trades brought an impressive array of baits, tackle, gear and gadgets designed for serious rod-benders. However, Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center also saw plenty of new items well-suited for the beginning or causal angler.
We’ve curated a roundup of examples here.
Freshwater baits
Strike King Tumbleweed – The “fuzzy dice” craze sweeping the bass fishing industry offers a technique anyone can successfully use on a dropshot, or a Neko style rig. The many strands running through a central body contract when pulled and expand/wiggle when paused, for an artificial look most fish (fresh and saltwater) rarely see. Strike King’s Tumbleweed presents a rounded 10-sided bait with floating and salted (heavier) options. $10.99 , strikeking.com/en
Big Bite Baits Fuzzy Stick – With the “fuzzy” thing extending to shapes beyond cubes and spheres, Big Bite Baits introduced their accented version of the stick worm. Probably the most versatile and easily fished soft plastic, the stick worm fits in wacky, Neko, Texas rig, or shaky head presentations. Adding those silicone strands levels up the presentation. $8.99, baits.com/
Strike King Hog Father Jr. – Bringing the glidebait category’s big-bite potential to an affordable level, Strike King collaborated with the popular Tater Hog brand to create a budget-friendly 7-inch bait resembling the much pricier original Hog Father. $44.99, strikeking.com/en
Other affordable glidebait introductions include the Bucca Brand 8-inch Trick Shad ($38.99-$44.99, baits.com/trick-shad/) and the Yo-Zuri Pro Series Glide Bait ($24.99, yo-zuri.com/)
Rapala Claptail 110 – Rapala united two proven bass attractors, spinning props and flashing blades, in a tantalizing topwater with cast-and-reel simplicity. The Claptail 110 sports a back blade that strikes a metal prop to create a two-tone sound that bass can’t ignore. A weight balanced ensures long casts. $18.99, rapala.com/us_en/rapala
Missile Baits Freedom Flyers – Bassmaster Elite and Missile Baits owner John Crews designed this large minnow style bait with realistic head and gill moldings, along with what he calls “up-pitch elevators” — angled wings that deflect water to create the rolling action that imitates a real baitfish. Fish the Freedom Flyers unweighted on a wide gap hook, use it as a spinnerbait or Chatterbait trailer, or rig it on the new Missile Baits Eye Roll jig head for any version of the jighead minnow techniques. Available in 4.25- and 6-inch sizes. $6.99, missilebaits.store/
Saltwater baits
Z-Man Prawn StarZ LB – Last year, Z-Man released the original pre-rigged Prawn StarZ, but the lasted LB (Loose Body) version allows anglers to rig this crustacean imposter however they wish. Made of Z-Man’s durable proprietary ElaZtech material, this lifelike bait comes in 12 hand-painted patterns. (Best in Show – Saltwater Soft Bait)$9.99, zmanfishing.com
Fishbites Saltwater Soft Lures Fight Club 5-Inch Mullet – A durable proprietary Hydrogel material flavor and scent appeal is molded into the shape of a common saltwater forage — the finger mullet. Fishbites also introduced its Longer Lasting E-Z Mullet ribbons, packaged in 1/2-inch wide, 12-inch strips. Cut small pieces and fish them on surf rigs or tip your jigs for added appeal. Both options $7.49, fishbites.com/saltwater/fight-club-lures
Shrimp Walker – A handy rigging tool that secures a circle hook to a medium to large live shrimp without piecing the bait. A rubber fitting mounted to the plastic hook holder slips over the shrimp’s horn, while a lip on the rig’s underside latches onto the rear edge of the crustacean’s carapace. So rigged, the shrimp maintains complete leg and tail motion and lasts longer than a pierced hooking. Sold in 2-, 5-, and 10-packs. $5.89-$27.99, palmbeachtackle.com/
Tackle
ICAST brought out several new rod/reel combos offering dependable quality at reasonable pricing.
Daiwa D-Shock Combo II – Conceived for the goal of increasing youth fishing participation, this new kid-friendly combo includes a reel with an ABS aluminum spool loaded with Daiwa JBraid and Daiwa’s powerful Digigear system and a 2-piece graphite spinning rod with length options of 5-foot, 5-6, 6-6 and 7-0. $39.99, daiwa.us/
Okuma Veros Inshore Combos – Six spinning models with 7-0 to 7-6 lengths featurelightweight and responsive 24-ton carbon blanks and Ultimate Flex Reinforced rod tip technology. Reel sizes 2500-4000 include Okuma’s Cyclonic Flow Rotor technology, which enhances airflow through the ported rotor to hasten drying and avoid corrosion.
$14.99-$09.99, https://okumafishingusa.com/
Quantum Merit Saltwater Combo – Winning the Saltwater Combo category, Quantum’s new pairing boasts extreme protection from water, salt and sand, thanks to Sealoq 6 technology (IPX6 standards), while the graphite composite blank blends powerwith sensitivity, and sports HD304 one-piece stainless steel guides for dependable performance. $129.99-$179.99, quantumfishing.com/en
Rapala 13 Fishing TACT Spinning Combo – When the big ones need finessing, you’ll appreciate a rod that ensures the right presentation and the strength to put the brakes on your P.B. A 6-6 medium-fast rod features Japanese PVG30T blank construction and tangle free stainless steel guides with zirconia inserts, while the reel includes 9 high performance ball bearings, zinc gear drive 6 disc drag system and CNC handle with cork knob. $129.99, rapala.com/us_en/13-fishing
St. Croix Rod New GXR Lite Combos – Targeting the panfish angler with a quality setup, St. Croix combines a carbon fiber rod with stainless steel hybrid guide train and premium-grade split-grip cork handles with a 2000-size SEVIIN spinning reel. $200, stcroixrods.com
Accessories
Buzbe Bucket – From bait, to tackle, to seashells and sand dollars, this collapsible bucket stores easily and expands when needed. $29.95, buzbe.com
Ninja FrostVault – This wheeled 45-quart cooler offers premium ice retention with fridge-temperature dry storage. The key feature is FrostVault Technology, which transfers cold into separate pull-out section that keeps food dry and safe from freezing. (Winner – Best Cooler) $299.99, ninjakitchen.com
Mustang Child Rev Foam Vest – Start early teaching young anglers the wisdom of wearing a personal flotation device on the water. Made with segmented foam for easy movement, this vest includes a zipper, buckle closure and adjustable crotch strap, along with a grab loop for emergency assistance. $59.99, mustangsurvival.com
Turtle Box Ranger – This lightweight portable speaker with a waterproof and drop-proof design, won the Non-motorized Boating Accessory category. $250, turtleboxaudio.com
BUBBA Folding Net – No excuse for letting your big catch get away when this sturdy net folds into an easily stored size. Made with PVC-coated nylon mesh, this net floats. $79.99, bubba.com
Morgan Manufacturing Extractor Line Cutter – Discarded fishing line creates environmental hazards for seabirds and other wildlife. This device with the tagline “Get-R-Cut” keeps a line cutter handy with a carabiner and hat/visor clip for quick access. $19.95, extractor.us/
Outdoor Bag Company COLLECTOR – Environmental stewardship starts with trash collection. Put any unwanted items in this soft mesh container and properly dispose of it all in the nearest garbage container. $25, outdoorbagcompany.com
Beyond Bait Pump Rechargeable Aerator – The glow-in-the-dark design ensures you can quickly locate your bait bucket at night. Made with a 4-speed bubble control and a durable water resistant seal, the pump has a 36-hour battery life on one charge. $27.99, beyondbraid.com
Paddlecraft
Kayaks offer an easy and relatively low-cost entry point for anglers that may consider advancing to outboard powered boats at some point. ICAST showed off several items for this category.
FluxJet Electric Jet Kayak – This electric powered kayak with an integrated jet drive can reach speeds of up to 5 mph. Fully charged with a standard marine battery, the FluxJet has a 16-hour runtime. (Best of Show award, along with Boats and Watercraft category winner) $2,749.99, fluxjetkayaks.com
Elsewhere, Hobie debuted the iTrek Angler 12, an ultralight inflatable kayak powered by the Hobie MirageDrive 180 pedal drive. Gear tracks for rod holders and other accessories, along with a motor mount make the iTrek fishing ready. $2,699, hobie.com/kayaks
Garmin’s Force Current Kayak Trolling Motor won the Motorized Boating Accessories category. With its hands-free, wireless throttle and steering system, this brushless motor includes full forward and reverse thrust. $3,599.99 garmin.com/en-US
Minn Kota’s new kayak trolling motor, the Terrova, includes an advanced GPS trolling system with the popular Spot-Lock feature. $1,499.99, minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com/us
Apparel
Whatever your fishing pursuits, whatever your level of experience, what you wear impacts your comfort and performance. ICAST showed us many items worth consideration.
Starting with nice headwear options from the broadly shading Mega Cap Lifeguard’s Straw Hat ($44, megacapinc.com/) and the lightweight Frogg Toggs Chilly Pro Sun Shade Hat. ($34.99, https://www.froggtoggs.com/)
A real standout was the HUK Watershed Hooded Shirt. Made with a polyester/spandex blend, this unique hooded button up style features Dricomfort technology for moisture management, thermal regulation, and UPF 50+ sun protection. ($70, huk.com)
Under Armour Kilchis River Shoes – This sharp looking shoe designed with a fast-drying, breathable upper, features a secure lacing system, a molded heel, contoured midsole and perforated EVA footbed (water drainage and airflow), and EXOGRIP outsole for reliable traction won Best in Show for the Footwear category. $100, underarmour.com/en-us/
HUK Rogue Wave Shoe – HUK’s original Rogue Wave Boot’s a nice option for wet, splashy scenarios, but the new shoe version offers a lighter option. This lower cut version offers comfort and performance features including full neoprene lining, non-marking Grip-X Outsole for traction on wet surfaces, molded EVA arch support, and commercial grade webbing pull straps for easy on and off. $90 huk.com
Strike King Winyah Bay Sunglasses – Made with Tri-Acetate Cellulose polarized lenses, Strike King offers stylish functionality at a budget-friendly price. $44.99,strikeking.com/en
