Glenn

Sounds like the common denominator is IOS/Safari. I did a quick Google search and found this:

Guys, There's nothing awry with the site or server. I just checked the error logs and ran multiple tests and checks, and everything checks out fine. Nothing is wrong. But something on your end is triggering it. likely a VPN, ad blocker, or anti-virus setting. I refer you to this page: https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/270224-login-and-registration-support-forum-help-help-desk/ There's a TON of helpful info in there beyond clearing cache and cookies.

I want to address the click-bait videos proclaiming ICAST is dying. I do not believe the evidence supports saying that overall ICAST attendance collapsed in 2026. Officially, it was approximately the same size as 2024 and larger than the reported 2025 registration count. However, I believe the observation is valid in a more important sense: Why? The industry is sending smaller teams, scheduling more meetings, limiting travel, conducting more business privately and relying more heavily on digital product information. That produces a show that can technically report 14,000 attendees while feeling substantially quieter to someone who has attended for many years. Specifically (transparency note: I used AI to help calculate some of the figures below): 1. The attendance number is not the number of buyers walking the aislesThe 14,000 figure includes exhibitors and their employees, media, professional anglers, manufacturers’ representatives, association personnel, guides, international visitors and other credentialed attendees—not simply retailers shopping the show. Exhibitors receive four discounted badges for every 100 square feet of booth space, meaning thousands of the people counted may be working inside booths rather than creating aisle traffic. That makes the real question: ICAST has not yet released a detailed 2026 breakdown by badge category, so we do not know whether buyer attendance increased, decreased or remained flat. 2. More business is happening away from the general show floorICAST has intentionally added more appointment-driven programming. The new Meet the Market event puts buyers and manufacturers into prearranged meetings before the exhibit floor opens. There are also retailer breakfasts, private meeting rooms, seminars, lounges, demonstrations and other events pulling people away from the aisles. This may produce better-quality meetings while making the show appear less crowded. In other words, the show is becoming less about thousands of people wandering around and more about smaller numbers of decision-makers arriving with scheduled appointments. 3. Retailers and manufacturers are controlling travel expensesThe fishing business has been operating in a difficult environment. Reported U.S. tackle sales declined approximately 8% from 2023 to 2024, while the estimated number of licensed anglers declined more than 8.5% between 2021 and 2023. That affects ICAST directly. A retailer that previously sent six employees may now send two. A manufacturer may bring fewer sales representatives, sponsored anglers and marketing personnel. Smaller companies may skip the show entirely. Therefore, the company may still be represented and counted—but with a much smaller contingent. 4. Tariff uncertainty is making the industry cautiousFishing tackle companies continue to face uncertainty involving tariffs, imported components, manufacturing costs, pricing and future inventory. ASA was still issuing policy updates about potential fishing-tackle tariffs immediately before ICAST 2026. When companies cannot confidently predict landed costs or retail pricing, they become more conservative about: Travel and entertainment expenses Booth staffing New-product commitments Retail orders Marketing expenditures That uncertainty does not necessarily stop companies from attending, but it encourages them to send fewer people and conduct shorter, more targeted visits. 5. Much of the traditional media function has moved onlineYears ago, attending ICAST was one of the only practical ways for retailers and media outlets to discover new products. Today, manufacturers send digital catalogs, host video meetings and announce products through YouTube, social media, email and retailer websites. Major retailers now publish extensive ICAST coverage online almost immediately. My inference is that this has particularly reduced the need for: Large media teams Regional writers Marginal content creators Retail employees who are not directly involved in purchasing The people who remain are more likely to have specific meetings and less likely to spend three days roaming every aisle. 6. The floor is large enough to dilute the crowdICAST occupies roughly 200,000 square feet of exhibition space. Even 14,000 registered people do not appear simultaneously. They are spread across several days, the New Product Showcase, private meeting rooms, demonstrations, restaurants, seminars and off-site events. A similar total attendance distributed across more activities can produce noticeably thinner aisle traffic. 7. Friday is no longer a meaningful measure of attendanceThe 2026 exhibit floor closed at 3:00 p.m. Friday, with product pickup beginning at noon and exhibitor move-out beginning immediately after closing. Many buyers and media members leave Thursday night or early Friday. Consequently, Friday can make the entire show appear poorly attended even when Wednesday and Thursday were reasonably productive. This is nothing new. It's been happening this way for decades. This last point is important, because the videos and pictures produced as "evidence" of a declining ICAST were shot on the last day, after nearly everyone had left. The dead-giveaway is people walking around with orange buckets, which were only available on the last day. Those videos and pics are misleading and were created solely for clicks. Bottom line: The most revealing figures would not be total attendance. They would be unique retail-buying companies, buyer badges, media badges, average days attended and buyer-to-exhibitor ratio. Those numbers have not yet been publicly released. So it's premature to proclaim ICAST is in trouble and, therefore, in dire need of inviting the public to the event. I would, however, welcome a change in venue to bring in new faces and companies to the event, which has been held at the same place for about 15 years.

A few items that may not be grabbing the headlines as much: Nishine BQ Frog - Its design allows you to easily walk-the-dog without modification. Plus you can switch between "normal mode" and "heavy cover" mode for better hookups. Also, it has a unique vent slit system that keeps water out while allowing the bait to collapse when a bass strikes. BONUS - it's available now on their website in limited quantities https://www.nishinelureworks.com/products/bq-frog Missile Baits Ike's Dice Jig - Combines a dice bait and a jig with a unique weighting system. It solves the rigging problems associated with these baits. Yamaha Crosswave - It combines a Waverunner with a fishing boat. In essence, they built a deck around a Waverunner to give it storage and a place to mount a trolling motor. It's a competitor to the SeaDoo FishPro. While it didn't debut at ICAST, it is new for this year.

In this video, pro John Crews breaks down how to catch bass with crankbaits during the summer, from shallow water to deep structure.

Yes, you're safe to ignore it. No, I wasn't aware of it, however I cannot reproduce it either. It's secure for me. I'm curious if anyone else is seeing it and, if so, what URL(s) they're getting it.

Suzuki Marine is extending its popular Ultimate 7-Year Limited Warranty offer through July 31, 2026, on qualifying new 150-350hp pleasure models with no participation fee. From offshore fishing trips and family sandbar days to sunset cruises and weekend escapes, there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy the reliability and performance Suzuki Marine is known for. If you’ve been thinking about repowering or purchasing a new boat, now is the time to visit your authorized Suzuki Marine dealer or visit suzukimarine.com to learn more about this extended summer promotion.

It sounds like there are a number of misconceptions about ICAST. So hopefully this clears the air: Common Consumer Misconceptions About ICAST ICAST is often portrayed online as a giant fishing show where every new product is tested, judged and released. In reality, it is primarily a business-to-business sportfishing trade show connecting manufacturers with retailers, distributors, media and other industry professionals. Misconception Factual response 1. “ICAST is open to any angler who buys a ticket.” ICAST is not a public consumer show. Attendees must qualify under an approved industry badge category, such as retailer, wholesaler, manufacturer, media, guide or industry associate. 2. “ICAST is basically a huge fishing expo.” Consumer expos are designed to sell products, entertain anglers and meet fans. ICAST is structured around product sourcing, retailer orders, distribution, media coverage, networking and industry business. 3. “You can buy all the new products at the show.” Retail sales of exhibitors’ products are prohibited. Manufacturers may take wholesale orders inside their booths, but attendees generally cannot purchase rods, reels and lures to take home. 4. “Everything announced at ICAST is available immediately.” ICAST is usually a product preview, not a retail launch. Many newly introduced products are represented by only a handful of samples, final prototypes or pre-production units. Full-scale production may not have started, there may be no saleable inventory, and the show is sometimes the first opportunity for a manufacturer’s own sales representatives, distributors and retail customers to see the finished product. Officially, ICAST is where retailers evaluate new product lines, meet with manufacturers and plan or place future orders. The people attending ICAST are not an elite group taking all the new products home before everyone else. When production inventory becomes available, the initial commercial shipments generally go to distributors and retailers so they can sell the products to consumers. A limited number of media members or sponsored professionals may receive evaluation samples, but those are not retail inventory. In most cases, consumers purchasing through retailers are the first people who can actually own the finished production versions. 5. “Every product displayed at ICAST is brand-new.” Booths contain both existing product lines and upcoming products. For the official New Product Showcase, “new” primarily means the product was not sold in North American retail distribution before January 1 of that show year. 6. “Every new fishing product is entered in the New Product Showcase.” Showcase participation is optional and restricted to registered exhibitors. Companies decide which eligible products to enter, and submission limits apply, so many legitimate new products never appear in the competition. 7. “Consumers choose the ICAST award winners.” Consumers do not vote. New Product Showcase winners are selected by attendees holding qualified buyer or Media-Editorial credentials. 8. “Manufacturers vote for one another’s products.” Exhibitors and their representatives are not permitted in the New Product Showcase during the initial voting period. Voting is reserved for credentialed buyers and editorial media. 9. “Best of Category means it was scientifically proven to be the best.” The awards are determined by voting, not standardized laboratory testing, long-term durability testing or controlled fishing comparisons. A win means the product impressed eligible voters at the show—not that it is objectively superior for every angler. 10. “An award winner will automatically be the best value.” Innovation, presentation, uniqueness and perceived market potential can influence voting. Price, durability, personal fishing style and long-term performance may lead consumers to prefer a different product. 11. “If a major company skips ICAST, something must be wrong.” Exhibiting is a business and marketing decision involving membership, booth expense, staffing, travel and launch timing. Companies must also be active American Sportfishing Association members to exhibit, so absence does not automatically indicate financial trouble or a lack of new products. 12. “Every important fishing brand attends.” ICAST is large, but it is not a complete representation of every manufacturer. Some companies launch products independently, attend other events, meet retailers privately or concentrate their budgets elsewhere. 13. “ICAST is mostly about bass fishing.” Bass fishing receives considerable coverage, but ICAST represents the broader recreational-fishing industry, including freshwater, saltwater, fly fishing, ice fishing, boating, electronics, apparel, accessories and conservation interests. 14. “The professional anglers are there primarily to meet fans.” Most pros are working. Their schedules frequently include sponsor appearances, product demonstrations, media interviews, retailer meetings and content production. Since the show is not public, it is not organized as a traditional fan meet-and-greet. 15. “Everything can be fully tested at ICAST.” Some products can be handled, cast or demonstrated in designated areas such as casting ponds, lure tanks and On the Water events. That is useful for a first impression, but it is not equivalent to fishing the product repeatedly under real-world conditions. 16. “Seeing a product in an ICAST video means the reviewer endorses it.” Show coverage is often reporting, not reviewing. A media outlet may demonstrate or discuss a product simply because it is new; genuine evaluation normally requires considerably more time on the water. 17. “Media outlets cover every important product.” No outlet can realistically cover everything. For perspective, the 2025 show included roughly 600 exhibitors and 811 New Product Showcase entries, forcing media teams to prioritize products relevant to their audiences. 18. “The products receiving the most coverage must be the most innovative.” Coverage is also affected by brand recognition, scheduled appointments, booth access, media relationships, presentation quality and how easily a product can be explained on camera. Visibility is not necessarily a measurement of quality. 19. “ICAST awards predict which products will become successful.” An award can generate attention, but consumers, retailers and product performance ultimately determine long-term success. Some winners become category leaders; others face limited availability, strong competition or little consumer demand. 20. “ICAST exists mainly to create hype.” Product publicity is part of the event, but its larger purpose is industry commerce: introducing manufacturers to buyers, establishing distribution, writing orders, forming partnerships and discussing business, conservation and fisheries policy. ICAST should be viewed as an early look at what the fishing industry may be offering, not as a final verdict on what anglers should buy. Announcements and awards identify products worth watching, but meaningful consumer judgments should come later—after retail versions are available, specifications are confirmed and anglers have accumulated genuine on-the-water experience. Hope that helps! * Full disclosure: I used IA to help group my thoughts and create a legible Q/A format *

Ya, those naysayers fall into 2 categories: People who have never gone and are itching to get in to see all the gear, or People who used to go but don't anymore and are trying to justify why. The folks that go every year are the ones that get what they put into it. A lot of effort nets great rewards. But if you sit on your hands at your booth waiting for somebody to come by, wander around the showroom floor hoping to strike up a conversation with a big brand decision-maker, or worse yet, expect to get handouts and swag, you're going to be very disappointed. Professionals go there to work - hard - with a purpose and determination. The rest complain.

Leaders are not necessary for bass fishing. Just use straight braid or fluorocarbon, depending on the situation.

Better? No. Different. I've been to both nearly 20 times each. They're distinctively separate kinds of events. The Classic is a CONSUMER show. So yes, lots of giveaways and killer deals for consumers. Go if you can, or to an outdoor sportsman's show near you. It's a lot of fun. ICAST, on the other hand, is designed strictly for manufacturers, retail buyers, outdoor media, and industry professionals. It's where manufacturers meet with distributors (smaller tackle stores buy their gear from distributors) and big-box stores (Dicks, Sheels, Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, TackleWarehouse, etc) to place orders for the following year. This is why manufacturers/brands are showing off their latest stuff, even though - with few exceptions - none of it will be available until late fall or January. The distributors and big-box stores are buying for next year and need to know the new items they'll be able to get. This is but one of the reasons why NONE of it is for sale at ICAST. There is simply no inventory available on the new products. It's all samples. Once manufacturers receive their orders, they manufacture the products to fulfill them. Again, why nothing is available until much later. Outdoor media is there to cover new products, primarily for upcoming buyer's guides, Christmas wish list content pieces, etc, and to generate excitement for upcoming products. The pros are there primarily for the media - videos, photos, and stories. But also to help sell products to distributors and buyers. And finally, there is a lot of meetings about media sales (advertising) planning for the upcoming year between brands & agencies, and outdoor magazines/TV/Internet publications and creators. Do you understand it? No? That's ok. You don't have to. The show isn't for you because you're not in the business. Just know that everything you do in fishing is made possible because of ICAST.

July bass are hungry and active. Catch more fish with proven summer lures for grass, deep structure, shade, and open water. https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/6-summer-baits.html

Most anglers cast a crankbait and simply wind it back — and that’s why they miss a lot of bites. This video breaks down three highly effective crankbait retrieves that trigger reaction strikes when bass won’t commit: burning it, stop-and-go, and the yo-yo retrieve.

A big change for Dobyns is the lack of advertising. As with all GSM-acquired brands, marketing spend has been dramatically reduced, with reliance primarily on pros and pro-staffers instead. And even those have been reduced. It pretty much makes me question anyone endorsing Dobyns now, as there are likely incentives attached. There are several folks here that fall under that category.

Just got back from ICAST and the overwhelming sentiment from participants is that, "Yes, there are fewer people, but more of the RIGHT people there." The feeling is that ICAST is doing a better job of filtering out "the tire kickers", thus meetings and conversations were far more productive and meaningful since before Covid. Everyone was more focused and driven this year than in recent years. Overall, everyone was very happy with this year's show, and I have to agree. After 19 years, I can truthfully say this was the best ICAST I've attended from a business perspective, which is what it's all about at the end of the day. As for the people that I discussed the thought of opening up for the public, it was a resounding "NO". This is not place where you can buy products. Even asking for freebies beyond stickers and cozies is frowned upon and considered unprofessional unless first offered by the vendor. In short, it's a trade show for industry professionals and will remain that way.