Who Won Best-of-Category Awards at ICAST 2018?

July 11, 2018 By Scott Bernarde

ICAST 2018's Best of Show competition attracted more than 950 new products. (Photo by Scott Bernarde)

ORLANDO — Some of sportfishing's best-known manufacturers were Best of Category winners at ICAST 2018, but none fared better than St. Croix Rods, which snagged three awards Wednesday night at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

The Wisconsin-based rod company won the Best Fly Fishing Rod, Best Freshwater Rod and Best Saltwater Rod categories — the only manufacturer to win that many.

Reel-maker Shimano, LIVETARGET lures, YETI Coolers, and apparel-maker AFTCO each won two awards.

See all the winners below.

Each of the 25 category winners are eligible for ICAST 2018's Best of Show award, which will be voted on and announced Thursday.

ICAST 2018 Best of Category Award winners

Best Boating Accessory

Johnson Outdoors' Minn Kota Ultrex

Boats & Watercraft

Jackson Kayak's 360 Angler

Best Eyewear

When most anglers think of a crankbait, they picture a hard lure with a plastic lip at the front that enables the bait to dive to a certain depth in the water. But some crankbaits don't need a lip to get down into the water column and draw strikes from bass. These lipless crankbaits offer key advantages in some situations, making them more versatile than their conventional counterparts.

Fishing

Sling a Blade

Fishing

Sling a Blade

When bass move offshore after the spawn and as the water temperature rises, they go deep or suspend along humps or other bottom contours. They often target schools of baitfish such as shad. In this situation, one lure that excels at both matching the forage and reaching the bass is the blade bait.

Fishing

The No-Fail Neko Rig

Fishing

The No-Fail Neko Rig

They may not imitate any type of forage closely, but stick-style worm baits are proven bass catchers. There is just something about their profile and wiggly, lifelike action in the water that the fish can't resist. Several rigging techniques have been developed to play up this action, and the Neko rig is one that's especially effective at finessing bass from both shallow and deep water.

Gear

Protein Powered Ultimate Season Preparation

Gear

Protein Powered Ultimate Season Preparation

For Game and Fish Magazine editor John Taranto, there really is no off-season when it comes to chasing big whitetails. In the big buck rich Midwest, that can mean plenty of sweat equity spent moving deer stands, clearing shooting lanes, hanging trail cams, improving deer habitat and more. As the heat of the day builds, Taranto is definitely making sure he's got a good pair of work gloves and brush pants, stays hydrated with plenty of water, and has plenty of protein to fuel an energetic and focused day getting ready for fall hunting season. That means putting the convenience of Old Trapper Beef Jerky into his pack, anything from the tried and true Old Fashioned blend to Teriyaki, Peppered and even Hot & Spicy flavors for a sizzling day in the Sunflower State woods.

Learn

Strategies for Using Moultrie Mobile Edge Trail Cams for Hunting

Learn

Strategies for Using Moultrie Mobile Edge Trail Cams for Hunting

Game & Fish Editor John Taranto offers tips for hanging trail cameras to ensure great results.

Guns

Browning Auric Camo Now Featured on A5, Maxus II Shotguns

Guns

Browning Auric Camo Now Featured on A5, Maxus II Shotguns

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Fishing

Take a Swim

Fishing

Take a Swim

Anglers often think of jigs as bottom-bouncing baits—and they usually are. But the swim jig is a different case. This type of jig is designed for a steady horizontal retrieve, and it can produce big bites from fish lurking around cover without touching the bottom at all. Guiding a swim jig through bushes, brush piles, laydowns and other shallow woody cover is a fun power-fishing technique that can work throughout the warmer months of the year.