ICAST 2023

Staff picks from ICAST 2023

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B.A.S.S. Staff
The Bassmaster digital content team roamed the floors of ICAST and made their top five picks of new items coming out in 2023. Check out their picks!
Kyle Jessie
Minn Kota Ultrex Quest – The products I chose were a mixture of items that I’ve already had the opportunity to use and products that simply caught my eye as I walked the floor at ICAST. A few weeks back I had the opportunity to use the Minn Kota Ultrex Quest in Northern Iowa, and I was blown away. Every boat that my dad and I have owned since I was able to fish from a boat have been powered by a Minn Kota, and to be honest I didn’t really know what they could possibly do to make the Ultrex better, but they did it. The most notable differences were the sheer power and ultra quiet operation that the Ultrex Quest processes.
Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop – I’ll just say it — I’m a complete sucker for topwater fishing. Growing up in Central Arkansas, throwing a topwater was always a big part of my fishing from April until November, so naturally the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop caught my attention. Available in two sizes, the 3DB Wake Prop can be fished slowly across the surface or fished quickly to cover water. This bait is sure to grab the attention of the big ones.
Strike King Gravel Dawg – Throughout my childhood and during my time at the University of Arkansas, I have always loved fishing the White River Chain Lakes — Bull Shoals, Beaver Lake, Table Rock and Norfork Lake. As soon as I heard about the new Strike King Gravel Dawg I knew it would be a hit on all of those lakes and any other lakes where cranking rock is a dominant pattern during the winter/prespawn period. Greg Hackney described that the Gravel Dawg offers a lot of the same features as the old-school Wiggle Warts which should get any cranker excited.
SEVIIN Series Reels – St. Croix grabbed a lot of attention with their introduction to the SEVIIN family of reels at ICAST. The series currently features two spinning reels — the GS and GX and one casting reel — the GF with potential for more models to come. I’ve had the opportunity to use the GF Series casting reel for several weeks now, and I’ve been extremely impressed by the casting distance and power the reel provides. It’s as good as any casting reel I’ve ever used in the $120 price range.
Rapala Crush City Cleanup Craw – Like many other anglers, I have more tackle than I could ever reasonably use in a lifetime, but the older I get the more I try to simply my approach when loading the boat or even loading up a tackle bag before going fishing with a buddy. With that said, the new Crush City Cleanup Craw in an incredibly versatile bait that can be used for a variety of applications. I’ve already had a good bit of success using the Cleanup Craw flipped on a Texas rig and as a trailer to a compact flipping jig.
Chase Sansom
Shimano Poison Ultima – Picking just five items for this gallery from all the new things at ICAST 2023 was quite the challenge. This was my first ICAST ever so I was pretty overwhelmed with how much new stuff there was. So, I picked mine around products that I felt like suited my style of fishing. I’ve always been a huge fan of Shimano products and pretty much my whole line of rods consist of Shimano rods, so naturally the new Poison Ultima caught my eye. By far the lightest rod I have ever held in my hand but it also comes with the strength and durability in the Spiral X wrap which I have used for years and loved. Comes with a newly designed handle that helps keep the rod straight in your arm as well as the already loved CI4+ reel seat.
Great Lakes Finesse Snack Craw – I might be the only one, but this little guy gives me the vibe it’s pretty good at catching big pressured smallmouth. We used tiny baits like this at home in West Virginia, so this little guy caught my eye when walking around ICAST. It comes in six different colors, it’s 2.1-inches long and can fit perfectly on a ball-head jig. One super nice feature is that the pinchers float and the whole body doesn’t float with it. This gives the bait kind of a defensive look when a fish is looking at it.
Missile Jig Ike’s Mini Swim Jig – Back to the mini stuff, the Ike Mini Swim Jig is a perfect little swim jig when trying to catch pressured bass out of cover. In my mind, I think of pressured fish in river systems with a lot of grass and laydowns to fish where this thing could really shine. Another use would be if you are fishing an area with a ton of grass but want to switch to something a little smaller to give the fish a different look.
Berkley Nessie – It was my first time ever seeing a soft plastic glide bait. I knew Berkley had been working on this but getting to see this thing up close in person was pretty cool. I’m not a huge swimbait guy by any means, but the action of this bait shown in videos kind of made me a fan. It has a different action and is available in three different sizes, 5, 7 and 9 inches. I think I’ll be adding a few of these to my tacklebox.
Bait-Pop – This was an item I noticed beside the press room at ICAST that was getting a lot of attention. They didn’t have a big fancy booth, but they have a product that can enhance forward-facing sonar. It’s called Bait-Pop, and it’s a scented and colored gel that goes on soft plastic lures. Sometimes with forward-facing sonar it’s hard to find your bait, but with Bait-Pop it intensifies your bait and helps you see it better.
Craig Lamb
AFTCO Mojeaux 1/4 Zip – Why would I include a women’s product in my favorite new ICAST 2023 products? The answer is because AFTCO recognized that more women are engaged at a serious level of participation in fishing. They want the same technical features as AFTCO’s proven men’s performance gear with the fit and finish for a woman. Proving those points is the Mojeaux shirt designed inside and out by Capt. Moe Newman, who spends hundreds of days inshore and offshore from the world-class fishing port of Venice, La. Her Mojeaux performance shirt utilizes award-winning Air-O Mesh ventilation fabric with UPF 50 sun protection, DWR stain release, quick dry/moisture wicking, a stealth zipper pocket and thumb loops for added sun protection.
St. Croix Mojo Bass TRIGON – Everything looks the same as my favorite Mojo Bass rods except the handle, which is a game changer. What’s different is anthropometric design, which St. Croix engineers mined from a database of human hands. The St. Croix guys explained their research showed the human hand does not form a circle when closed, so TRIGON features a curved, triangular profile with a rounded inner apex and flattened top. The results are a more comfortable grip so anglers can fish longer while exercising increased control to maximize power and accuracy. This next-generation Mojo Bass TRIGON expands to 34 models – 25 casting and nine spinning – so you can choose from a rod that fits any angling style. 
Simms Pursuit Shoe – These shows caught my eye as my daily footwear consists of hybrid trail runners, but I obviously can’t wear them in the water. These new shows resemble and perform like wet-wading cross trainers, and they are powered by an upstanding grip that’s equally at home on gravel river bottoms, inside the slippery deck of a sit-on-top kayak or even a bass boat deck. Perfect for wading smallmouth streams too around my home in middle Tennessee. All that’s made possible by an ultra-breathable, quick-drying mesh upper, with a stretch collar and more. A quick-lacing system makes them easy to adjust as needed on the fly. Coming this fall.
Z-Man ChatterBait Elite EVO – Does the world need another ChatterBait? Of course, if you add the features of the new Elite EVO model. It’s built around a 5/0 custom heavy-duty needlepoint black nickel hook, and there’s barb placement for optimal performance with a hook set. You get all the ChatterBait necessities, like pro-designed head paint schemes, oversized 3D eyes and stainless-steel blades with painted and glitter finishes. I plan to give the fish a different look with this newest iteration of a proven favorite.
Daiwa Tatula 100 – In recent years, lure manufacturers began downsizing popular full-sized lures to expand our finesse arsenals for pressured fish (which is universal just about everywhere). I prefer throwing those shrunken favorites on a baitcaster for better lure control and overall presentation over a spinning rig. The new Tatula 100 delivers at 6.9 ounces with the featherweight spool that extends casting distance, a plus when trying to avoid spooky bass in clear water. The reel is also comfortable, and most of all, there are no compromises to durability and performance that I expect from Daiwa’s beefed-up models. A win-win all around at $179.99.
Tommy Sendek
Lunkerhunt Compact Popping Frog – It seems like bass will eat a standard size frog less and less due to increased fishing pressure. That is where smaller, more compact topwater frogs come into play. The Lunkerhunt Compact Popping Frog offers that weedless spitting action in a smaller topwater. This frog is still heavy enough to throw on conventional tackle, and you can set the hook just as hard as the hook isn’t any weaker.
Yamamoto Ichi Worm – Believe it or not one of my favorite ways to fish is throwing a big worm in the summer months. The new Ichi worm offers the big worm profile with ribs built in similar to that of the Yamamoto Slinko. This profile puts off a ton of vibration and features their Mega Floater Formula that allows the bait to float up off the bottom.
Buckeye G Buzz – After moving to Birmingham and fishing the lakes around central Alabama, I learned the trick of throwing a skirtless buzzbait with a plastic trailer. This has allowed me to put more fish in the boat. The new G Buzz will continue to elevate my buzzbait fishing game due to its variety of weight and color options and its unique wire bend.
Lew’s Custom Lite Rods – The new Lew’s Custom Lite rods offer the tremendous value of a lightweight and sensitive rod without breaking the bank. Coming in at $149.99, the new line of rods will blow you away with features seen previously on higher-end rods only.
Sufix 832 Sunrise – Sufix 832 is already my personal choice of braid; I utilize it for both my spinning gear and casting gear. I prefer a high-vis color on my spinning gear to help detect bites. This new color, sunrise, adds a new touch of color to spinning gear that will continue to allow for increased bite detection.
Chad Manering
Rapala Crush City Bronco Bug – Rapala’s crossover into soft plastics is Crush City. The whole product line looks well-designed with every possible attention to detail. They sold me when the Bronco Bug jumped across the lake bottom and the presentation screen at the release event.
Old Town ePDL Hybrid Kayak Pedal Drive – Just so we’re on the same page, kayaks no longer use paddles. Kayakers pedal with their feet driving little props on small outboards. Old Town takes even this to the next level with their equivalent of a hybrid. The assisting motor on the ePDL will take you further and to places you would not otherwise go under your power alone.

Westin Cam Fishing Line Camera – I love technology, so this is an easy choice. The next time I fish in clear water, I would love to have this camera on the line capturing underwater footage and delivering it in real-time. You can even cast it!
Grundens SeaKnit Water Shoes – My kids have called me out on my choice of summer shoes. I like something quick to dry and protective. The SeaKnit shoe looks like it does both without offending my fashion consultants.
AFTCO Women’s Stout Shacket – Flannel Jacket – Whether you like to feel cuddly flannel or cuddle with a friend, the Shacket is a good start. AFTCO says this new AFTCO product is part blanket, and it is hard to disagree. Part lifestyle and part technical cold weather outerwear, this jacket is all cool.

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