ICAST 2026 unfurls top new angling tackle and gear

Orlando, Fla. — America’s largest sportfishing trade show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) ran July 14-17 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

If there was a clear takeaway from this year’s show, it was that the fishing industry continues to invest heavily in technology while refining rather than reinventing traditional gear. On the tackle side, there’s a growing number of finesse-oriented presentations and big swimbaits that will reach retailers later this year and into the 2027.

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. Many smaller companies used ICAST primarily as a wholesale buying show. Their goal is less about unveiling “the next big thing” and more about getting products in front of distributors, tackle shops and independent retailers.

Best of Show

Every year, the ICAST New Product Showcase embodies the sportfishing industry’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit and rewards that ingenuity with awards in several categories.

More than 850 new products were entered across 39 categories, making this year’s show one of the largest ever. New categories – including separate braided and non-braided line divisions and an extreme-weather apparel category – also highlighted changing consumer demand.

Members of the media and retail buyers at the New Product Showcase selected the Best in Show and unveiled it Thursday night, July 16. The winner for 2026 came from Rather Outdoors – the Rhino 30 6-foot, 6-inch 2-piece Medium Spinning Combo. It pairs an ultra-durable rod and an exceptionally engineered reel with Asyx Drive gears that increase tooth contact for maximum torque.

Top new products

“Urchin” and dice-style soft plastics were one of the hottest lure categories, with many companies introducing compact, highly textured finesse baits designed for pressured bass.

Targeting that bass fishing trend, Rapala unveiled its new soft plastic CrushCity The CEO – a complete system built to simplify the “urchin” game. Built around a weighted glass powder core, premium Super TPE construction and Smart Injection Technology, The CEO delivers exceptional castability, a precisely controlled fall rate and remarkable durability right out of the package.

Designed alongside the VMC RedLine Series Urchin Neko Hook, it’s engineered to simplify rigging. Available in two purpose-built sizes, 15 mm and 21 mm.

MORE GEAR COVERAGE FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

Eric Morken: Gear that stood out from the 2025 hunting season

A beginner’s guide to building your own hunting arrows

How modern smartwatches can help your hunting, fishing, and outdoors lifestyle

Lunkerhunt also jumped into the urchin game with its Black Tusk Series – Kimera Worm. Its versatile worm body that can be rigged in a variety of ways, like Neko rigging.

On the hardbait side, Rapala pitched its new PXR Stryda 180, a large-profile glidebait designed for trophy predators, continuing the industry’s emphasis on oversized glide-style presentations.

Sonar masters Garmin unveiled its LiveScope 2 Series, which in addition to offering improved image clarity, also has integrated image stabilization, reduced noise and better target separation to help anglers see fish and lures more clearly as they move through the sonar beam in real time.

Wider sonar angles improve the coverage in all three modes – Forward, Down and Perspective – and fast processing speeds and low latency help anglers see fish react and time their hookset accordingly.

Designed to give anglers flexibility based on how they fish, the series features three new transducers, including one for hardwater anglers.

Fellow electronics kingpin Lowrance featured its Recon trolling motor along with the ActiveTarget 2 XL live sonar. The new XL transducer provides Forward, Down and Scout viewing modes from a single housing with a 180-degree field of view. Lowrance says combining two of its XL transducers creates a live 360-degree view around your boat.

Shimano unveiled an updated version of one of fishing’s most popular baitcasters, the Curado DC 150 A. Digital braking continues moving into more affordable mainstream reels. Shimano added another premium jerkbait to its freshwater lineup with the Zumverno, emphasizing precise suspending characteristics and refined darting action for clear-water bass and walleye fisheries.

Rod and line manufacturers weren’t standing still either. Wisconsin-based St. Croix earned category honors with its Triumph Freshwater rod, while Seaguar won with its new Brawlr monofilament, a reminder that even traditional fishing line continues to see meaningful innovation.

Okuma introduced new Tournament Concept Series casting rods and Inspira spinning rods. The updated TCS rods continue Okuma’s collaboration with professional bass anglers, while the Inspira series targets the mid-priced spinning market. The company also has its Safyre Low Profile Baitcast reel for the bass market via an affordable reel.

Probably Daiwa’s biggest freshwater launch, the Zillion TW 150 is a premium low-profile baitcaster built for heavier applications. It features Daiwa’s new LC Concept Magforce-Z Boost Spool, which increases casting distance while minimizing backlashes, along with the company’s T-Wing System to reduce line friction. It’s designed for heavier braid, larger lures and techniques such as frogging, swimbaits and heavy cover bass fishing.

The company also unveiled the Tatula MQ Elite, its highest-end Tatula spinning reel. Built around a one-piece Monocoque body with a Zaion Airdrive rotor, the reel is designed to combine rigidity, light weight and smooth startup. It’s serious tournament bass anglers fishing finesse techniques.

One of the surprise category winners was the Synch Fishing Artisan Wake & Crank, a subsurface wake bait from American Baitworks, which captured Best Freshwater Hard Lure honors. The Wake & Crank features a three-piece body and added bill design.

Premium components include BKK treble hooks, heavy-duty swiveling hook hangers, UV glow glass eyes and soft plastic fins and tails to give a lifelike profile.

The newest evolution of the wildly popular ChatterBait, Z-Man’s ChatterBait Elite EVO HD adds a redesigned hex blade, upgraded hook and improved head design to create more vibration and better tracking. Bladed jigs remain one of the hottest bass lures in the country, and this model earned the Best Wired/Skirted Lure category award.

Heddon revived one of its classic topwater concepts in a downsized package aimed at bass and panfish with the Spin’n Image Jr. The prop-style bait combines flash, vibration and surface disturbance, making it an intriguing option during summer schooling activity.

Although Seviin is still a relatively new reel brand, its Lunex 300 attracted attention as a large-frame freshwater casting reel built for muskie, northern pike, stripers and heavy-cover bass fishing. It features a lightweight frame with the power expected from a 300-size reel.

Wausau, Wis.-based Piscifun highlighted two key new freshwater products at ICAST. Its Carbon X3 Spinning Reel continues the evolution of one of Piscifun’s most recognized lightweight reel series. Built for anglers who care about comfort, smoothness, and control, Carbon X3 brings upgraded performance to finesse fishing, bass fishing, and long days on the water.

The company’s Alloy M2 Baitcasting Reel is designed for anglers who want longer casts, smoother control, and reliable strength in a compact baitcaster. It features advanced braking, a strong frame structure, and refined handling for castability and on-the-water efficiency.

On the knives front, Benchmade highlighted its new 5-inch Fishcrafter fillet knife, expanding the company’s Water Collection with a compact option aimed at panfish and detail work. Its flexible trailing-point blade uses corrosion-resistant CPM-MagnaCut steel and SelectEdge sharpening for precise cuts around rib cages and pin bones. A textured Depth Blue Santoprene handle provides a secure grip when wet.

Vosker introduced its VKX-M portable cellular security camera at ICAST 2026 for monitoring boats, trailers, docks and outdoor equipment. The battery-powered camera operates without Wi-Fi or external electricity, installs within minutes and can be moved wherever surveillance is needed. Users can remotely monitor their property through Vosker’s cellular network and mobile app.

Best Of Category Winners

Rod and Reel Combo: Rhino 30 Two-piece Spinning Combo
Freshwater Rod: St. Croix of Park Falls Triumph Freshwater
Freshwater Reel: Shimano Curado DC
Saltwater Reel: Daiwa 2026 BQ SW Spinning Reels
Saltwater Rod: Bull Bay Tackle Company BANSHEE-BG
Kid’s Tackle: Zebco Bottomland Spincast Combo
Motorised Boating Accessory: Garmin USA Spy Pole Mount
Electronics: Garmin USA LiveScope 2 HD
Energy: ePropulsion Technology Limited ePropulsion kMax Battery
Wired And Skirted Lure: Z-Man Fishing Products Chatterbait Elite EVO HD
Freshwater Hard Lure: American Baitworks Co. Synch Fishing Artisan Wake & Crank 130
Freshwater Soft Lure: Rapala CrushCity “The CEO” 21
Saltwater Soft Lure: Rapala CrushCity Imposter
Saltwater Hard Lure: Shimano Ledgerunner
Terminal Tackle: G-Ratt Baits Urchin Rig
Braided Fishing Line: Daiwa J-Braid Grand X8 Ocean Splash
Non-Braided Fishing Line: Seaguar BRWLR Monofilament
Boats and Watercraft: VoyaX MOSSA Series Motorized Kayak
Women’s Lifestyle Apparel: AFTCO Women’s Overcast Sweatshirt
Men’s Lifestyle Apparel: HUK Performance Fishing Tide Point KC Printed Shirt
Extreme Weather Technical Apparel: AFTCO Hydronaut Insulated Jacket and Bib
Women’s Technical Apparel: Fishewear Brookie ¼ Zip Thermal
Men’s Technical Apparel: Simms Fishing Products Challenger Suit
Eyewear: Bajio Sunglasses Concho Dark Blue Camo Matte Blue Mirror Glass
Footwear: Hey Dude HEY20 Flip
Cutlery, Hand Pliers, or Tools: BUBBA Pro Series Gen 2 Electric Filet Knife
Fishing Accessory: Rapala High Capacity Line Remover
Custom Tackle Components: BUZBE Magnetic Launch Pad
Tackle Management: BUZBE Basic Deep Urchin Bait Box
Non-Motorized Boating Accessory: Turtlebox Audio Turtlebox Cub
Ice Fishing: Evolution Fishing Ice Rod Locker
First Time Exhibitor Product: ArcPro Fishing Floating Aerator
Novelties and Wellness: Rapala Giant Lure Bald Eagle
Fly Fishing Reel: Looop Classic X Multiplier
Fly Fishing Rod: St. Croix of Park Falls Imperial Fly Rods
Fly Fishing Technical Apparel: Simms Men’s G37 Pro Stockingfoot Waders
Fly Fishing Tools And Materials: Asghar Export Kampus Premium Quality Fly Tying Kit
Fly Fishing Accessory: Simms Fishing Products Scout SlingBack