Here’s what I really think is worth the money.
Walking the floor at ICAST is always an overwhelming adrenaline rush. It feels like miles of aisles filled with hundreds of product debuts and cutting-edge technology designed to make our time on the water better, smoother and more productive.
Here are the absolute standouts, game changers and hidden gems that stole the show at ICAST.
Women’s Gear Categories
1. Fishewear Brookie 1/4-Zip Thermal
Taking top honors for technical design, this top blends high-loft warmth with breathable fleece, patterned in Fishewear’s signature brook trout print.
2. Bajío Concho Sunglasses (Dark Blue Camo / Blue Mirror)
Lightweight, plant-based frames engineered specifically to fit narrower facial structures without light bleed, paired with high-contrast glass lenses built for spotting fish.
3. Simms Women’s Freestone Z Stockingfoot Waders
A massive win for convenience on the water, these waders feature a waterproof TIZIP side zipper for easy entry and a tailored fit built around natural body movement.
4. Grundéns Women’s Deviation Sherpa Ankle Boot
A 100% waterproof rubber exterior backed with warm Sherpa lining and a high-traction lug outsole that keeps your footing secure on slick boat decks.
5. Huk Women’s Pursuit UV Performance Hoodie
Light as air, quick-drying and packed with UPF 50+ protection, complete with a fitted hood and a ponytail-friendly opening.
Women’s Wear & Apparel
1. AFTCO Women’s Overcast Sweatshirt
Crowned Best Women’s Lifestyle Apparel, this fleece crewneck offers ultra-soft comfort with a subtle DWR coating to shed morning dew and light spray.
2. Fishewear Tailwaters Sun Shirt
Ultra-breathable UPF 50+ fabric decorated with vibrant, artist-commissioned fish artwork that transitions seamlessly from the dock to dinner.
3. Pelagic Women’s Oceanflex Performance Shorts
Lightweight four-way stretch fabric equipped with multiple quick-access tool pockets made specifically for life on the deck.
4. Xtratuf Women’s Ankle Deck Boots (Seasonal Prints)
The undisputed standard in deck boots returns with fresh color accents and the brand’s famous slip-resistant Chevron outsole.
5. Gill Marine Women’s OS3 Coastal Jacket
Built for heavy downpours using recycled fabrics and a high thermal collar to keep wind and rain completely blocked out.
Rods
1. St. Croix Triumph Series (Freshwater)
Reengineered SCII carbon fiber blanks, upgraded guides and 29 technique-specific models.
2. Bull Bay Tackle Co. BASHEE BG (Saltwater)
Blends raw power with extreme sensitivity to pull stubborn inshore species out of heavy cover.
3. St. Croix Imperial Fly Rod (Fly)
Fast-action graphite construction designed to turn over big streamers with minimal effort.
4. Okuma STLHD Series (Casting/Spinning)
Premium carbon construction designed for longer casting distance without sacrificing sensitivity.
5. Megabass Orochi X10 (Finesse)
Organic Fiber Blank construction delivers increased vibration transmission while maintaining incredible sensitivity.
Reels
1. Shimano Curado 150 DC Casting Reel
Upgraded with refined I-DC4 digital control firmware that checks spool rotation 1,000 times per second to virtually eliminate backlashes.
2. Daiwa BG LT / BQ SW Spinning Reel
The ultimate workhorse gets lighter and stronger, featuring Daiwa’s PowerDrive Rotor and DigiGear for massive cranking power.
3. Abu Garcia Revo X VoltiQ
A low-profile casting reel offering micro-adjustable braking control and rock-solid drag under heavy strain.
4. Loop Classic X Multiplier
Precision fly reel engineering that delivers hyper-fast line retrieval with classic styling.
5. Lew’s Custom Pro LFS
An ultra-lightweight magnesium frame houses 11 bearings and an effortless cast control system.
Rod & Reel Combos
1. Zebco Rhino 30 Medium Spinning Combo (Best of Show Winner)
Unbeatable durability featuring a solid-tip TriAx blank paired with a super-smooth, tough-as-nails spinning reel.
2. St. Croix Triumph Travel 3-Piece Combo
Travel-ready packability without compromising the crisp action of a high-quality one-piece rod.
3. Zebco Bottomland Spincast Combo
The ultimate entry-level setup built with durable gearing and Mossy Oak camouflage styling.
4. Abu Garcia Max X Spinning Combo
A lightweight graphite body and 3+1 bearing system offer smooth performance at a price point that’s hard to beat.
5. Penn Battle III LE Combo
Heavy-duty Full Metal Body construction and HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers built to conquer harsh saltwater conditions.
15 New Baits You Need in Your Box
1. Rapala CrushCity “The CEO”
Features a weighted 21mm glass powder core that gives it a perfectly tuned spiral fall rate.
2. Synch Fishing Artisan Wake & Crank 130
Hand-finished with UV glow eyes and soft plastic fins that create incredibly lifelike wake action.
3. Z-Man ChatterBait Elite EVO HD
Upgraded with a welded ring line tie and heavy-duty 5/0 hook built for pulling big fish out of heavy cover.
4. Rapala CrushCity IMPOSTER
A hyper-realistic TPE shrimp soft bait built to withstand toothy saltwater predators.
5. Shimano LEDGERUNNER LR200SA
A high-action saltwater hard bait designed for rapid depth diving and strong vibration.
6. G-Ratt Baits Urchin Rig
An innovative terminal tackle and soft bait hybrid designed to trigger reaction strikes from suspended bass.
7. Berkley PowerBait PowerBax Creature
Flapping appendages infused with classic PowerBait scent make this a great option for flipping heavy cover.
8. Megabass Jamaica Boa Buzzbait
Designed with unique propeller blade geometry that creates a distinct low-frequency acoustic knock.
9. Strike King Tour Grade Skip Dog
A weighted topwater stickbait specifically shaped to skip easily beneath overhanging docks.
10. Sixth Sense Gloss Swimbait 110
A multi-jointed glide bait that produces a smooth S-wave action on slow retrieves.
11. SPRO KGB Chad Shad 180 Floating
A premium custom-inspired glide bait brought to a production-friendly price point.
12. Savage Gear Kick Teez Soft Swimbait
Dual-slot channel construction folds instantly on the bite for impressive hookup ratios.
13. Yo-Zuri Hydro Monster Shot Heavy
A lipless sinking pencil bait built for extreme casting distance from the beach or the boat.
14. Z-Man Micro Finesse Dice Bait
Ultra-soft ElaZtech material perfectly mimics small forage for forward-facing sonar presentations.
15. Jackall Dowzswimmer 220SF
A three-piece swimbait that delivers an incredibly fluid swimming action.
Footwear
1. Hey Dude HEY20 Flip
Taking home the coveted Best Footwear trophy, Hey Dude entered the technical fishing market with a floating, ultra-lightweight deck sandal featuring quick-drain water channels, high-traction non-marking soles and all-day arch support engineered specifically for life on the boat.
2. Columbia Women’s PFG Dry Tortugas Deck Boots
One of the biggest crowd favorites at the show, combining athletic shoe comfort with a vulcanized rubber upper. Built with Columbia’s Omni-MAX™ responsive cushioning and razor-siped Omni-Grip™ outsoles for dependable traction on wet decks.
3. Grundéns Women’s Deviation Sherpa Ankle Boot
Designed for cold morning runs to the fishing grounds, featuring a 100% waterproof rubber exterior, warm Sherpa lining and a high-traction lug outsole.
4. Under Armour UA Kilchis & Sherman Deck Boots
Under Armour continues to expand its marine footwear lineup with drainable mesh river shoes and lightweight deck boots engineered for quick drying and dependable grip.
5. Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots
A longtime staple on commercial and recreational fishing boats, now offered with updated seasonal colorways while retaining the brand’s signature slip-resistant Chevron outsole.
6. Grundéns Vector Zip & Wading Boot Series
Took top honors in fly-fishing footwear thanks to rugged durability, aggressive cleat support for slick river bottoms and lightweight ankle support.
7. Simms Guide & Flyweight Boots
Designed for long approaches, pairing Vibram® Idrogrip rubber outsoles with lightweight synthetic uppers that won’t absorb water, helping reduce fatigue throughout the day.
Five Companies That Always Have Something Really Cool to Offer
1. Rapala / CrushCity
Whether it’s classic balsa lures or modern soft plastics, their lure research and development team continues to set the industry standard.
2. AFTCO
From award-winning foul-weather gear to innovative conservation efforts, AFTCO’s technical apparel continues to impress.
3. St. Croix Rods
Best Rod winners for a reason. Their hand-built American craftsmanship never fails to stand out.
4. Shimano
Shimano continues pushing reel technology forward with digital braking systems, MicroModule gearing and cold-forged construction.
5. Z-Man Fishing Products
Their revolutionary ElaZtech soft plastics and ChatterBait lineup continue changing the way anglers target bass.
Baits Built for Big Bites
1. Rapala Claptail 110
A topwater walking bait equipped with a hinged metal tail blade that produces a loud, hollow “clapping” sound with every twitch.
2. Strike King Hog Father Jr. Glide Bait
Designed in collaboration with custom swimbait builder Matt “Tater Hog” McBee, bringing true S-wave glide action to an affordable plastic body.
3. Z-Man ChatterBait Elite EVO HD
Built for heavy cover and giant bass, featuring a welded ring line tie and a stout 5/0 hook designed to pull fish from thick vegetation.
4. Dirty Jigs Weekender Swim Jig
A premium weedless swim jig featuring heavy-duty hooks at a direct-to-angler value.
5. Strike King Tumbleweed
Designed specifically for Neko and wacky rigs, featuring notched rubber strands that trap air bubbles on the fall before slowly releasing them on the bottom.
Organization & Boat Essentials
1. BUZBE Basic Deep Urchin Bait Box
Modular, crush-proof tackle storage designed specifically to keep soft plastics and trailer appendages from becoming pinched or tangled.
2. BUZBE Magnetic Launch Pad
Simply slap your lure onto this heavy-duty magnetic pad to quickly swap baits without leaving treble hooks loose on the deck.
3. AFTCO Overcast Sweatshirt
A DWR-coated fleece crewneck built to shed heavy morning mist and boat spray while running down the lake at 60 mph.
Already Itching for Next Year!
Unlike the standard Best of Category trophies, which are voted on exclusively by registered buyers and media members attending ICAST, the ICAST Anglers’ Choice Award gives everyday anglers across the country the final vote.
After the show floor closes, every Best of Category winner goes head-to-head in an online, fan-voted competition.
The Crown: The product with the highest public vote count takes home the Anglers’ Choice Award. YOU CAN VOTE NOW UNTIL AUGUST 21ST! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/icast-anglers-choice-2026
