Scene & Heard: Lunker Bass Fishing, New Gear Demos and a Whole Lot of Rain—ICAST 2025

Big bass ruled the morning for the annual ICAST Cup tournament Tuesday as part of the country’s largest fishing-trade show in Orlando. The tournament, held at Lake Soho from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m, began the unofficial first day of the annual show, which officially opens Wednesday morning at the Orange County Convention Center.

The Yo-Zuri team of Bobby Blackwell and Robert Blackwell won the abbreviated tournament, catching a three-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 3 ounces. The limit included a big fish weighing 7-8.

FishNFX (Michael Muenzner, Paul Shenep and Sheila Crowe) finished second with three fish weighing 14-15, which included a 7-3 bass. Toho Marine (Grady Johnson, Tripp Berlinsky and Bryce Dimauro) was third with a total weight of 13-13. Big fish for the tournament was an 8-3 bass caught by the Power-Pole team of Dan Benson and Cal Lane. Find more results here.—Scott Bernarde

Rainy Tuesday

Tropical moisture covered much of central Florida Tuesday, dampening events like the ICAST Cup and then, later, the On the Water product demonstrations outside the convention center. The wet weather kept show attendees inside early, but the weather cleared up enough for a sizable crowd to gather by noon.

The event gave attendees a chance to try out new gear—rods, reels, lures, kayaks and more—that is being introduced at ICAST.

Drawing particular attention was Garmin’s new Force Current kayak trolling motor. The cool Force Current, which can run in freshwater and saltwater, allows anglers to wirelessly fish and maneuver at the same time. Power steer pedals allow the user to steer without hands, as well as access key features like anchor lock and heading hold. Wireless throttle and steering can be accomplished with the foot pedals, handheld remote or compatible smartwatch.

"Turn your boat quickly with full forward and reverse thrust in any direction," Garmin says. "Weave through tight timber, turn in a tight circle, sneak along shorelines and creep through weed beds while you fish."

The Garmin Force Current lists for $3,599.99 with foot pedals, $2,999.99 without.—Scott Bernarde

Here Comes the Fuzz

The recent trend of dice-style (or cube) soft-plastic lures was noticeable Tuesday as some of the industry’s bigger players have unveiled their own versions of the Japanese-influenced bass catcher. The lures sort of resemble already chewed gum surrounded by hairs. We're not sure exactly what the lure imitates.

Strike King’s Tumbleweed doesn’t resemble anything natural, but it will catch fish, the company says. The lure ($10.99) has a unique 12-sided dice design that delivers lifelike action. “It is truly an amazing lure," Strike King pro Kevin van Dam said Tuesday. "This one has blown me away."

Not to be outdone, Z-Man Fishing has three "fuzzy" introductions this year—Fuzzy Nuggetz, Fuzzy TRD and Fuzzy Bugz. The Nuggetz, which look similar to the Tumbleweed, is designed for wacky, drop-shot and free rigs. The TRD is great for whacky, drop-shot and Ned rigs. The Bugz works well with a weighted wacky setup, as well as for Ned and drop-shot rigs.

The Z-man lures list for $9.99 each.—Scott Bernarde

Whitewater Warm Weather Merino Wool Hoodie

With the tropical wave moving across Florida Tuesday, it actually felt a little bit like fall as heavy clouds, some wind and heavy rain doused the area. Almost, that is.

But close enough that we found something that made us think of both fishing and fall hunting, thanks to the new Spindrift hoodie from Whitewater, a lightweight sun protection garment featuring what Whitewater calls a warm weather merino wool design. A technical piece of men’s apparel, the hoodie is made from Betaspun yard, the garment is 82.5 percent merino wool, 16 percent nylon, and 2 percent Lycra, the later to help the hoodie resist abrasion. Checking in with 120g of fabric and a UPF 50+ sun protection rating, this garment is a choice on all but the hottest days in the Florida Keys or Texas Gulf Coast, thanks to the naturally moisture-wicking fiber that helps to regulate an angler’s body temperature thanks to the evaporative nature of merino wool.

Soft, easy to care for and anti-microbial, the flatlock seams and the built-in hood make this a sun protection hoodie that offers cooling and warming in the same garment. Available in a marine gray color pattern, it will be a winner for early season bass, tarpon when a north wind is blowing, and even toting a flyrod into shady areas to look for a big snook.

And when those fall hunting seasons roll around in a few weeks, well, the Whitewater merino wool hoodie can be pressed into service when you’ve got a bow, a shotgun, or a rifle in hand.—Lynn Burkhead

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