Innovative gear steal the show at ICAST 2024 – Outdoor News

Orlando, Fla. — America’s largest sportfishing show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), ran July 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., and attendees witnessed another incredible year of angling innovations.

ICAST is produced by the American Sportfishing Association, a national, nonprofit trade group made up of more than 800 member companies and organizations that share a stake in promoting sport-fishing for community and commerce.

This year, the show’s 14,000 attendees came from 75 countries. More than 950 brands had booths inside the Orange County Convention Center, featuring an array of products from full-size bass and bay boats to camper trucks, live trolling motor demonstrations, lounges, and social hours.

“Best of Show”

Of the 41 category winners voted on by members of the media and retail buyers at the New Product Showcase, the Penn Fathom Electric Reel from Pure Fishing took home the prized Best in Show Award. The reel is the world’s first with an integrated battery, providing anglers impressive torque and power. It has an LED display screen showing a true line counter, auto-stop functionality, and customizable settings.

Almost 1,000 products were submitted to the New Product Showcase, which included expanded fly fishing categories and submissions from more than 260 companies. See winners below.

Top new launches

Minnesota-based Rapala won several Best of Category awards at this year’s show.

The company has expanded its soft/plastics CrushCity line first introduced last year with the Mooch Minnow, and also added the PXR Jowler 127 topwater bait, a walking bait that offers maximum surface disturbance. There’s also the Gold Miner 30 deep-water trolling crankbait (perfect for Great Lakes fishing), which quickly dives to depths of 30 feet. It features a distinct rattle and a wide tail action to entice fish to bite in a variety of conditions.

Rapala also has introduced its Venture Backpack. Built for anglers on the move, the new Venture 13 Backpack allows anglers who enjoy shore and kayak fishing to store and organize all of their fishing lures and accessories in one location and take it with them, hands-free.

For fun, there’s also Rapala’s USA Original Floating Giant Lure designed to bring patriotism to fishing garages, restaurants, man caves, and homes.

Last year, Rapala acquired 13 Fishing, and its new product offerings include the Oath Spinning and Casting Rods and Tact Spinning Combo.

From VMC, there’s the new Tungsten Mooneye Jig available in 12 pro-inspired colors. It has a bulging 3-D holographic eye to make any walleye presentation come alive and it provides a strong return for forward-facing sonar.

Anglers think winter when they think Clam, but the Rogers-based business unveiled a few new products in Orlando. They included the Ice Opps Folds of Honor Shelters (available in a two-person flip-over called the Ranger, and available in a hub style with the X-600 size), the all-new series of Clam Heaters in three different models, a new lineup of ice fishing plastics called Niku, the Rise Suit RV3 IceArmor by Clam suit, a tough Jason Mitchell Meat Stick rod, and several new tackle items.

Daiwa is upgrading destination-fishing anglers to first class via its quality, featured-filled telescoping and multi-piece Ardito rods series. Of special note are the new Ardito ‘Jitte’ casting and spinning rods, with a self-contained telescoping rod design concept. The uniqueness of the Ardito “Jitte” design come from how the 6-foot-7 casting and spinning rods have eight guides that telescope into themselves with the handle to make it totally protected and self-contained.

Wisconsin-based St. Croix Rods won the show’s Rod & Reel Combo Category with its GXR Bass Systems, which offer eight technique-specific precision-matched models (four casting and four spinning). GXR Bass Systems combine SCII carbon fiber blanks, stainless-steel hybrid guide trains, premium-grade traditional split-grip cork handles, and smooth and powerful SEVIIN GXR casting and spinning reels.

The company has expanded its SEVIIN GS casting series and GF spinning reel options for 2025. There are six highly tunable 150-size models are available in three gear ratios on the casting side and five all-new efficient and durable models on spinning side.

In rods, St. Croix expanded its technique-focused PHYSYX rods to 28 for 2025 with three all-new extra-fast and fast-action spinning models engineered for minnow-shaking techniques. St. Croix also unveiled its 36-rod Black Bass Series to appeal to bass anglers at all levels; it has 24 casting models and 12 spinning models, optimized for every high-performance bass presentation.

Under the Pure Fishing family of companies, the Ugly Stik GX2 took the crown for 2024 ICAST’s Best of Category for Freshwater Rod. Pure Fishing has reintroduced the GX2 series of rods and combos for 2024 with an updated cosmetic look, and new features that make it even stronger and more sensitive than the original GX2.

Berkley’s Krej shined bright among stiff competition to win the Best of Category award for Freshwater Hard Bait. With its upturned bill, the innovative hard bait was designed to mimic the natural, upwards fleeing reaction of a baitfish.

The upturned bill of the Berkley Krej (that’s “jerk” spelled backwards) allows it to work its way upwards in the water column, only to fall backwards towards the fish chasing the bait. It’s purposefully designed to excel with forward-facing sonar.

Gamakatsu built its new JDM King Cobra Jig around the Gamakatsu 60-degree Nano Alpha hook. Nice and wide with compact profile, it can – combined with its heavy weedguard – go through any cover. Skirts on these babies are hand-tied. Available in five sizes and three hook sizes in six JDM style craw colors.

Gamakatsu Crankbait Circle Hook is a compelling product that aims to allow anglers to fish crankbaits through grass and heavy cover without snagging. By removing the treble hooks off your cranks and replacing them with the inline these crankbait circle hooks, it creates a nearly weedless profile to target new fish habitats previously off-limits.

The Abu Garcia Max lineup received a major upgrade and is redesigned to offer anglers technology normally only found in higher priced spinning reels. Using the V-spool and V-rotor design, originally developed for the Abu Garcia Zenon spinning family, combined with the AMG CNC-machined gear system, the Max Elite offers ultrasmooth gear feel with a low-inertia rotor.

This delivers exceptional, effortless reeling and durability, making it the ideal choice for anglers who are looking for performance at an exceptional value.

Also in the Pure Fishing lineup, Plano re-introduced its popular “Weekend” tackle bags series with a sleek new look and molded waterproof base.

Okuma has introduced the Okuma Guide Select “B” Swimbait Rods – a fine choice for anglers seeking precision and performance when targeting trophy-sized fish with swimbaits. Crafted with precision engineering and packed with features, the rods are built for responsiveness and sensitivity. For anglers on the go, the Okuma Guide Select “B” Swimbait Rods are also available in fourpiece travel rod models. Each comes with a protective tube for easy transport, allowing anglers to take their fishing adventures to new locations with ease.

Forward-facing sonar has electrified fishing, and Garmin won the ice fishing category with its all-new Panoptix PS22-IF Ice Fishing Bundle. It includes an Echowmap UHD 73cv touchscreen combo with keyed assist and three types of sonar. The bundle includes a swivel pole mount for the Panoptix transducer, 12Ah battery with charger, power cable, grommet and foam float – all in a glove friendly portable bag that makes it easy to go from ice to open water.

In soft goods, Blackfish quickly has become a dominant player, and for 2024, it offers its Gale Soft-Shell Pullover and Stromskin Gale jacket. Both are designed for ultimate warmth, comfort, and weather protection. Their thermal snare technology uses a combination of premium fleece bonded with a windproof shell, keeping heat inside and creating a thermal barrier against wind and cold.

The electronics wizards at Lowrance have unveiled Recon trolling motors, which are new generation electric-steer units for fresh and saltwater. They feature Freesteer, a lightweight, wearable joystick remote providing full 360-degree precision steering. It works with a wireless foot pedal with programmable keypad and seamless display integration via NMEA 2000.

Shimano has added a swath of products to its lineup including two new editions to its Curado rod series. The company’s new Vanford Spinning Reel won best freshwater reel. It got cosmetic upgrades and has new features like infinity drive and Durawash drag washers and anti-twist fin (when working a shaky or drop-shotting).

Born in the state of hockey, the Minnesota Mullet from Northland Tackle is a big, flowing, hovering, water-pushing hair jig. Its synthetic fiber material creates a breathing, lifelike appearance in the water while also providing flotation to the jig. This allows bass anglers to hover it over flats, weed beds and suspended fish while pulsing the hair, then its tantalizing back feather teases big fish. Available in ½- and ¾-ounce and four forage-mimicking colors.

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2024 ICAST New Product Showcase Best of Category Winners

BEST OF SHOW WINNER: Penn Reels

Freshwater Reel
Vanford FA – Shimano

Freshwater Rod
Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod – Pure Fishing

Freshwater Soft Lure
Shadtron LT Swimbait – Z-Man Fishing Products

Saltwater Soft Lure
PrawnstarZ – Z-Man Fishing

Freshwater Hard Lure
Berkley Krej – Pure Fishing

Ice Fishing
Panoptix PS22-IF Ice Fishing Bundle – Garmin USA

Saltwater Hard Lure
FishLab BBZ Hard Mullet Swimbait – Okuma Fishing Tackle Corp.

Rod and Reel Combo
GXR Bass Systems – St. Croix Rods

Saltwater Reel
Penn Fathom Electric – Pure Fishing

Saltwater Rod
E-Rod Jigging and Bottom Rod with integrated power supply – Dominion Rods

Fly-Fishing Rods
Elevare – Temple Fork Outfitters

Fly-Fishing Reels
Hardy Averon Fly Reel – Pure Fishing

Fly-Fishing Waders and Wading Boots
Vector Zip Stockingfoot Wader – Grundéns

Fly-Fishing Backpacks, Bags and Luggage
Tailwind Rod & Reel Vault – Simms Fishing Products

Fly Lines, Leaders, Tippet and Line Accessories
Magnitude Smooth Tarpon Full Clear – Scientific Anglers

Fly-Fishing Rod & Reel Combo
Shakespeare Cedar Canyon Fly Combo – Pure Fishing

Fly-Fishing Tools and Accessories
Xtreme Pliers 140mm – AFN Fishing & Outdoors

Fly-Fishing Technical and General Apparel
Portal Gore-Tex Wading Jacket – Grundéns

Fly Tying Vises, Tools and Materials
C2303-MR – Renzetti, Inc

Fly Fishing Chest Pack, Sling, Waist Pack and Vest
Headwaters Sling Pack – Simms

Fishing Line
Sufix Revolve Ultra Thin Finesse Braid – Rapala

Terminal Tackle
VMC Redline Series Tungsten Swimbait Jig

Tackle Management
BKK OCD Tackle Storage System – BKK Hooks International

Kid’s Tackle
Create-A-Lure Shark Edition – Create-A-Lure

Electronics
XPECE One: Waterproof Fishing Drone – XPECE

Fishing Accessory
Brutus Landing Net with Boat Hook – KastKing

Cutlery, Hand Pliers or Tools
Water Collection – Benchmade

Soft and Hard Coolers
Rugged Road 115

Custom Tackle and Components
Hover Jig Mold – Do-It Molds

Men’s Cold Weather Technical Apparel
Pro Dry Suit – Simms

Women’s Cold Weather Apparel
Armorloft Zip Hood – Rapala

Lifestyle Apparel for Men
Coastal Layer Hood – AFTCO

Men’s Warm Weather Technical Apparel
Tough Sun Masked Hoodie – Grundéns

Women’s Warm Weather Technical Apparel
W’s Latitude Hoody – Simms

Lifestyle Apparel for Women
UA Fish Pro Hybrid Women – Under Armour

Footwear
UA Charged Sherman Deck Boot – Under Armour

Eyewear
Costa 580G Gold Mirrored Lens in Grand Catalina

Novelties and Wellness
USA Rapala Giant Lure

Boats and Watercraft
Wilderness Systems Tactical Pro 128 – Pelican International

Motorized Boating Accessories
Dual Bladed Powered by One Pump – Power-Pole

Non-Motorized Boat Accessories
Connect-Ease YAK EASE Power Pad Pro – Connect-Ease

Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2024/07/24/innovative-gear-steal-the-show-at-icast-2024/