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ICAST Scene & Heard: Electric Marine Power, Stand-Out Apparel, Fishing Packs, That's a Wrap!

Here's what's new, cool and weird from the final day at the annual fishing trade show in Orlando.

ICAST Scene & Heard: Electric Marine Power, Stand-Out Apparel, Fishing Packs, That's a Wrap!
A Stafu Pro Tasman sun shirt will get you noticed on the water. (Photo by Adam Heggenstaller)

The 67th International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) show in Orlando highlights the best and newest in fishing gear in numerous categories. Game & Fish editors are there to bring you info on the gear that matters to you.

Here's what is new, cool and weird from Day 3, the final day, at ICAST 2024.

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SCENE

Big Numbers at This Year's Show
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ASA president Glenn Hughes addresses the crowd at Thursday's Best of Show announcement at ICAST in Orlando. (Photo by Lynn Burkhead)

For Glenn Hughes, who has been coming to ICAST for nearly 30 years now in various capacities, including a decade as American Sport Fishing Association president, the 2024 version has eclipsed expectations.

“We don’t have final numbers, but we’ll certainly have a larger show than last year,” Hughes said Thursday. “We’ll break 14,000, which is great and we have more exhibitors than last year, which is great. Part of not catching up with exhibitor (totals) in 2019 (when the show set the record for most exhibitors at 600-plus) is that friends like GSM are buying up a lot of folks that had their own booths before.

“But our footprint is bigger by another 6,000 to 7,000 square feet, and so I hear great things here on Thursday afternoon about the crowd, about the enthusiasm, about people being excited about what’s going on here. So I am in a great mood about what’s happening here this week.”

While there was still plenty of business remaining before the 2024 show closed midway Friday, Hughes had ample reason to smile. The aisles were crowded, orders were being placed, and new products galore were being displayed by 635 exhibitors and more than 950 brands. All told, those 14,000-plus who attended from 75 different countries in 2024 saw nearly 1,000 new products this year.

After the show concludes, Hughes and his ASA staff will rest for a few hours, then go to work again to prepare for the 68th ICAST show, which will return to Orlando July 15-18, 2025.—Lynn Burkhead

HEARD

Here's What We Heard at ICAST 2024
  • “Out of the 630 exhibitors [at the 2024 ICAST show], we had about 260 companies put 983 products into the New Products Showcase this year, which is a great representation and really says a lot about what’s going on in the sportfishing industry. And I know there’s another 5,000 plus products out there.”—Glenn Hughes, American Sportfishing Association President
  • “When I think about what a truly game-changing product looks like, I think of a product that alters the way we approach the sport by adding a new value or technique.”—Jon Schlosser, Chief Product and Brand Officer for Pure Fishing, which won ICAST’s Best of Show with the PENN Fathom Electric saltwater reel
  • “There have been a lot of innovations in other categories in the past few years. For the winner to actually be a reel means a lot to us.”—PENN Brand Manager Ben Joyce

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WHAT’S COOL

Plano Backpack: Practical Options at a Nice Price
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Plano's Weekend Tackle Backpack

Tackle management and storage systems can be quite specialized—and pricey—so it’s nice to see that Plano has updated its Weekend Tackle Backpack to provide anglers with a bunch of practical options at a nice price. The pack holds up to three 3700-size boxes in the main compartment, while a smaller side pocket accommodates a 3600-size box perfect for hooks, weights and other terminal tackle. Smaller zippered pockets on the inside and front provide more organization, and exterior tool sleeves conveniently hold pliers and scissors. The rigid, molded base is waterproof and allows the pack to sit upright on decks, docks and banks. This little pack is perfect for pond-hoppers, kayak anglers or anyone who wants to stay mobile while fishing. $69.99; planooutdoors.comAdam Heggenstaller

Daiwa's Fantastic Travel Companion
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Daiwa Ardito Jitte telescopic fishing rod. (Photo by Alex Suescun)

Finding a good travel rod is often a tall task. Poor quality and inadequate configurations that won’t meet the airlines’ carryon restrictions are common hurdles. Daiwa took notice and designed the Ardito Jitte, a nifty telescopic rod it brought to ICAST this year. This 7-footer combines Daiwa's X-45 bias construction method and HVR NANOPLUS carbon technology for greater strength and to prevent twisting while keeping the rod extremely light. V-Flex ferrules that bend with the rod ensure a smooth, powerful action, while Fuji aluminum-oxide guides help add distance to your casts. The largest guide folds down to let the rod (when collapsed) fit neatly into a small tube that doubles as the butt section whenever the Ardito is in use, making it a fantastic travel companion you can easily keep in your car or stash in a backpack. $299; daiwa.usAlex Suescun

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WHAT’S WEIRD

You Can Be a Beacon on the Water
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Stafu Pro Tasman sun shirt. (Photo by Adam Heggenstaller)

If you’re the type of angler who likes to stand out from the crowd, wear a Stafu Pro Tasman sun shirt the next time you hit the water. Describing Stafu’s patterns as bold is an understatement. The hoodie provides 40+ UPF protection, wicks moisture and repels water and stains—not that anyone would notice a stain on this crazy design. $34.78; stafupro.comAdam Heggenstaller

Recommended


What Strikes a 29-Inch Plug?
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USA Rapala Giant Lure. (Photo by Alex Suescun)

Anglers decorating their office, den, basement or man cave and looking for the “pièce de resistance” need look no further than the winner of the “Novelties & Wellness” category in this year’s ICAST New Products Showcase. The USA Rapala Giant Lure, a 29-inch version of the original floating Rapala, is a fun conversation starter: “You shoulda seen the monster I caught on that.” It sports an American flag design and appropriately-sized treble hooks, and comes packaged in a giant Rapala style carton with legend story on the back. $69.99; rapala.comAlex Suescun

EDITOR’S CHOICE

The Finesse of Shimano’s New Spinning Reel
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The new Shimano Vanford A spinning reel.

Finesse-fishing techniques continue to become more advanced and precise, and the same goes for the spinning reels designed to help anglers make these presentations. Case in point: the new Shimano Vanford A, which was named Best Freshwater Reel at ICAST. Part of the MagnumLite lineup, the Vanford A includes 16 of Shimano’s top technologies, such as an MGL Rotor for high performance when fishing “start and stop” presentations, a CI4+ carbon-infused body for lightweight durability, InfinityXross gear design and Infinity Drive for retrieve efficiency and smoothness, and a DuraCross drag that that ensures consistently silky performance when fighting big fish while being as much as 10 times more durable than previous drag systems. Shimano will offer the Vanford A in six sizes, from the VF500A to the VFC5000XGA. $249.99 to $259.99; fish.shimano.comAdam Heggenstaller

Electric Power for Speed and Range
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Newport NT600 electric outboard. (Photo by Alex Suescun)

If you’re looking to power a small boat or skiff and want speed and range, as well as stealth to avoid alerting fish of your approach, the Newport NT600, a new electric outboard launched at the 2024 ICAST show, could be just what the doctor ordered. This ultra-efficient, easy-to-use motor fits boats up to 16 feet in length and quietly delivers 3,000 watts (equivalent of 6 horsepower) of push with a range of as much as 120 miles. The NT600 is both portable (weighs only 54 pounds) and maintenance-free, and it incorporates a customizable tiller handle, reverse and tilt lock, a removable carry handle and a large, LCD screen that provides all the crucial data at a glance. $1,999; newportvessels.comAlex Suescun




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