Bill Lewis Lures’ Big Gizz can be fished like a blade blade, spoon or lipless crankbait. (Photo courtesy Bill Lewis Lures)
July 30, 2025
By Alan Clemons
Whether you fish in spring and autumn when the weather’s nice, or year-round as a no-matter-what diehard, the best new bass fishing gear introduced each summer at the annual ICAST Show sparks interest any time of the year.
The show brings together industry manufacturers, reps, news media and others for four days of new products, updated items, networking and more. This year’s event had a good vibe and attendance, but some manufacturers didn’t blow out the walls with new products. Many intros were subdued in light of the ongoing financial situation between the U.S. and other countries.
One trend this year is a slew of “fuzzy” baits riffing on the OSP Saikoro Dice lures from Japan. Those were spawned from Field Side, a small Japanese lure-maker, and hit the U.S. in mid-2023. The “dice baits” were scoffed at but then quietly added to tackleboxes. When cast and retrieved with subtle or sharp pops, the whiskers puff and mimic ... something. Shad? A ball of fry? A couple of fleeing baitfish? Whatever it is, companies now are adding their own whiskered balls, blobs, worms and creatures. Yamamoto, Z-Man, Strike King, Big Bite Baits and Geecrack are offering fuzzy baits this year to look for online and in stores.
More New Gear from ICAST For the non-fuzzy interests, there was plenty to see and ogle, including these items for bass anglers:
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Great Lakes Finesse Ned Bug Great Lakes Finesse Ned Bug is great on smallmouth bass. A subtle tweak to the new Great Lakes Finesse Ned Bug offers a different profile of this effective bass bait. The ribbed, 2.3-inch craw-like bug has a slit in the head that allows it to bend to expose more of the hook. It stands at a 45-degree angle instead of sticking straight up, and a ribbed body helps hold added scent. It is designed to pair with the new GLF Ned Head, but also fits well on the Stealth Ball Jig Head and Stealth Football Jig. It is available in 10 colors. Learn More
Daiwa Tatula TW 150 Daiwa Tatula TW 150 baitcasting reel The palmable Tatula TW 150 from Daiwa aces numbers of the most popular bass fishing techniques, from diving crankbaits to skippy topwater frogs. The reel’s Long Cast Concept has an advanced spool and braking system, which stabilizes the spool during casts and helps reduce backlash. This was developed for baits with funky aerodynamics, such as frogs with skirts, chattering bladed jigs or buzzbaits that may fly erratically. It’s available in four right-hand and two left-hand models from 5:3 to 8:4. Learn More
Bajio Greenland Bajio Greenland sunglasses The new Bajio Greenland sunglasses offer a large fit and full wrap, offering super clarity and protection from the sun’s harmful rays. The model comes in three frame colors and seven lens tints in the most popular shades for bright sun, shade, overcast and open water. Glass and polycarbonate lenses are offered, along with reader and prescription possibilities. Vented rubber nose pads and side shields help prevent slippage even when you’re sweaty. Greenland lenses block 90 percent of harsh yellow light, 95 percent of blue light and 100 percent UV light. Learn More
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KastKing Drop Shot Bait Kapsule KastKing's Drop Shot Bait Kapsule
If you’ve ever tried to hook a drop shot on a rod or reel and not have the weight flopping around, you’re in luck. The new Drop Shot Bait Kapsule from KastKing keeps everything contained so nothing tangles or snags and the weights don’t bang on your rods. Ventilation holes allow for drying or drainage. The polypropylene molded shell protects the rig and works for Carolina and Texas rigs as well as drop shot, wacky and neko rigs. Learn More
Fusion19 Hybrid Jighead Fusion19's Hybrid jighead for bass fishing The Fusion 19 Hybrid Jighead has a forged light-wire 90-degree hook for strength and finesse performance. The double-conical point is durable and sticky sharp for effortless and constant hooksets. The hybrid realistic head design cuts through cover and water with a low center of gravity to maintain balance and orientation, and a conical bait keeper grips all types of soft bait materials. Comes in multiple weights and hook sizes. Learn More
Berkley Forward Braid Berkley's Forward braided fishing line
With eight sizes from 4- to 17-pound test, the new Berkley Forward Braid in white, chartreuse or moss green is specifically designed for forward-facing sonar. Forward Braid is designed for longer, smoother casts and faster sink rates with smaller baits, yet retains high sensitivity so anglers can detect bites. It is available in white, chartreuse and moss green. Learn More
Hobie Cove Float Sunglasses Hobie Cove Float sunglasses Cove Float sunglasses from Hobie takes the clean-lined silhouette of the original Cove and introduces Hobie’s ultra-light, floatable frame technology. The polarized nylon lenses offer super protection from ultraviolet light, shed water, sweat and other fluids, have strategically placed rubber grips to prevent slippage, and are available in prescription models. They are created from 100-percent upcycled Hobie kayak plastic. Other new Hobie models include the Mya, designed for active women, and the Commander, which has a stainless steel frame and classic design. Learn More
Mustang Survival PFDs Mustang Survival PFD Inflatable PFDs are great for several reasons, among those being that they work like a champ at crunch time. Improved technology has all but eliminated surprise inflations due to rain, boat spray or humidity. Mustang Survival has two new models this year, the Elite 120 and Elite 190. The Elite 120 is a re-engineered version of the Elite 28 and maintains the same 28 pounds (120N) of buoyancy. A breathable mesh back and a shorter chassis prevent ride-up on all body types, even at high speeds. Designed for coastal sailors and cruisers to offshore boaters and anglers, the Elite 190 offers 42 pounds of buoyancy in a slightly pared, lighter profile. That might be overkill for Joe BassAngler, but if you’re concerned with safety ... perhaps not. The Elite 190 includes optional accessory compatibility for leg straps, spray hood, and emergency light, and supports AIS and PLB devices for added safety on longer expeditions. Both models are certified to the Harmonized Level 70 standard, recognized by both the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Transport Canada (TC). This dual approval helps boaters select a PFD best suited for a particular activity and environment, and allows easier travel between the US and Canada. The PFDs use the Hammar MA1 inflator, designed to activate only when submerged and that humidity, rain, or spray won’t cause accidental inflation. Learn More
Booyah Builds Flash Point Arsenal Booyah Flash Point jerk bait Booyah offers new, smaller versions of its popular Flash Point and Flash Point Deep jerkbaits designed for forward facing sonar. The Flash Point Jr and Flash Point Jr Deep are a ¼-inch smaller, which helps match diminutive forage and adds appeal to fish turned fussy by weather, water conditions or added fishing pressure. Both new models feature the Flash Point’s custom, embedded blade, which creates a vivid return on forward facing sonar. The baits have a narrow profile, broader rounded back and belly, etched scales and fins, along with a nose-down suspending posture, irresistible action and tungsten-weight casting system. Learn More
Buckeye Bubbler Blade Buckeye Bubbler Blade spinnerbait for bass fishing The new Bubbler Blade from Buckeye Lures is a topwater spinnerbait that can be reeled over laydowns and through emergent grass. Yep, it looks unique. It’s a hybrid bait with a plopper-style “blade” on a traditional spinnerbait frame. It features a premium Mustad hook and hand-tied skirt, in six colors. Learn More
Bill Lewis Big Gizz Bill Lewis's Big Gizz bass lure Different presentations are available with the new Big Gizz from Bill Lewis Lures . It can be fished as a spoon, blade bait or magnum lipless crankbait. The 6-inch Gizz features an adjustable snap that allows anglers to customize its action based on the scenario, as well as swivel hook hangers that increase both hookup and land ratio. It is equipped with Mustad Triple Grip hooks, and available in eight colors. Learn More
Big Bite Spotlight Minnow Big Bite Bait's Spotlight Minnow soft-plastic speed minnow Designed for forward facing sonar, the Spotlight Minnow from Big Bite Baits is designed to be a speed minnow. Pro angler Drew Gill, who designed the bait, said it’s perfect for heavy heads and aggressive retrieves. The Spotlight Minnow is available in 4.8-, 4.25-, and 3.25-inch sizes, in eight colors. Learn More
Bucca Brand Bull Shad, Trick Shad Bucca’s Bull Shad and Trick Shad swim baits Years ago, Mike Bucca of Georgia hand-carved his first Bull Shad swimbait and caught giant bass and striped bass on several Southeast lakes. Since then, the offerings from him and now Bucca Brand have grown, including this year’s new 8-inch Trick Shad and 5-inch Bull Shad . Featuring rotating hook hangers and a replacement tail, the ABS-constructed Trick Shad comes eight colors not found in resin models. Bucca says the bait works for muskie and big saltwater species, too. The 5-inch Bull Shad is an upsized version of the original Baby Bull Shad, features ABS construction, comes in eight colors and has a durable brush tail. Learn More
Frog Factory Sonic Boom, Mongrel Frog Factory's Sonic Boom and Mongrel frog lures for bass The new Mongrel from Frog Factory is a true hybrid, combining a hollow-body frog with the lines of a topwater walking bait. Designer and pro angler Fred Roumbanis, a longtime topwater aficionado, says the Mongrel is a champ for calling fish out from matted vegetation and around shoreline cover. It has internal rattles, a heavy-duty dual hook design and comes in six colors. The new Sonic Boom is a more traditional design, with a softer body that collapses easier on a bite, rounded eye tie and 10 colors. Learn More
LS Football Jig Big Bite Baits's L.S. Football Jig The L.S. Football Jig from Big Bite Baits is a “new” classic, an original Stanley Lures football jig but with new colors and upgrades. The bait features a premium Mustad black nickel hook and hand-tied silicone skirt. It comes in eight proven colors in 1/2-, 3/4- and 1-ounce sizes. Learn More
Turtlebox Ranger Turtlebox Ranger portable speaker Whether you enjoy music on the boat, at the dock or later in the evening after a day of fishing, the Turtlebox Ranger is a great option. This portable speaker is the smallest in the Turtlebox lineup yet pumps out great sounds. It has strong magnetic side mounts, rubber feet, stainless tie-downs and a top handle, and is waterproof, shockproof and dustproof. The Ranger has 12 hours of battery life on one charge, and connects via Bluetooth with other Turtlebox units when in Party Mode. Learn More
Flambeau Crank Bank Flambeau's Crank Bank crankbait storage box Crankbaits offer anglers various options, from lipless rattle baits to elongated stick baits and ultralight tiny minnows to big-time action-lipped cranks. Flambeau’s Zerust Max Crank Bank stores, organizes and protects crankbaits from corrosion thanks to Zerust VCI vapor technology. The VCI tech is a proprietary chemical formulation that releases an invisible, odorless, tasteless, and FDA-safe vapor that diffuses throughout the Max Crank Bank and settles on all exposed metal surfaces to form a protective molecular layer. This protective layer inhibits electrochemical reactions that cause rust and corrosion to form. The new Crank Bank has 24 removable cups to easily store hard baits and find and retrieve them. It works for round-bill crankbaits (15 feet or less), square-bill crankbaits (8 feet or less), and jerk baits (6 feet or less). Learn More
Savage 3D Bluegill Line Thru Savage 3D Bluegill Line Thru bass lure Bass love bluegills and anglers know throwing a bluegill swimbait in the right place can result in big hookups. The new Savage Gear 3D Bluegill Line Thru swimbait is designed to mimic the natural movements of a struggling bluegill. The multi-jointed swimbait has a realistic swimming action and unique hook release system, allowing its feathered treble hook to detach from the belly slot upon hookset. This helps ensure optimal hook penetration and reduces lost fish. Derived from actual bluegill and crappie scans, the photo-realistic colors offer true realism, while its multi-jointed body creates an enticing, fluid swimming motion whether retrieved steadily, paused, or fished as a wakebait. It’s available in four color patterns with top and bottom hook-rigging options. Learn More
