Anyone going to ICAST this year?

 

If so why do you go? What do you do at ICAST?

 

Looking for new products? Networking? Filling the swag bag? Business?

 

I know for some they bring family and play golf and hit the theme parks as well. Some fish.

 

Today was supposed to be a fishing tournament but it may be in jeopardy due to weather. Yesterday was golf and wed. Thurs. And Friday will be main show.

 

I was hoping Gary Loomis would make it another year but I'm afraid this legend may be getting too old.

 

Hope to hear from others here why you attend ICAST.

The 4-1/2” mooch minnow has me intrigued. 

I'm there.  It's my 18th year of attending.  I'm interested in new products, Networking, and Business.  A bonus is seeing friends I only get to see once a year.

 

I just wish it wasn't in Orlando every year.  Aside from the weather, it's a very long travel day each way.  I wish they'd go back to Vegas, or heck, even Houston would be better.

Anything New from Ragetail 

Glenn,

 

How can members find you at ICAST?

 

Will you be there through Friday?

12 minutes ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

How can members find you at ICAST?

Just look for a trustworthy mustache, of course!

I was really hoping Dobyn’s would refresh the champion extreme hp line. They came out 10 years ago! 

1 hour ago, woolleyfooley said:

I was really hoping Dobyn’s would refresh the champion extreme hp line. They came out 10 years ago! 

Well I just bought one so I'm glad they didn't

The new st croix rod already looks like best in show...just wish they would make a batch of spinning rods with a split grip instead of a foregrip every once in a while...I realize I'm in the minority but I'd argue they are leaving money on the table (especially after their update to the mojo line) and the fact that Dobyns spinning rods and even the ones Wheeler designs are split grips tells me I'm not completely insane...or if I am at least I'm in good company.

 

Aside from that I got a laugh out of that spro bait with 3 fish attached together...probably gonna pass on that unless I win the lottery but still wish some more rod manufacturers would at least consider taking the extra 30 seconds to make some of their rods with the same exact grip just turned upside down and then giving people an option instead of pretending like they are some sort of dictator that gets to decide how you should prefer to hold your spinning rod.

 

/end rant (and I'll probably still own one of the casting models at some point)

@FloridaFishinFool have fun man! I always wanted to go when I I lived I Florida and fill my swag bag lol. But never made it. Hope ya meet some cool folks and se lots of new stuff. 
 

id mostly be there for swag and to try and meet some of the legends. And other bass resource members. I don’t generally jump on the new lure bandwagon. 

On 7/16/2025 at 2:05 PM, woolleyfooley said:

I was really hoping Dobyn’s would refresh the champion extreme hp line. They came out 10 years ago! 

Gary sold his business and no longer involved.

Tom

10 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

Just look for a trustworthy mustache, of course!

Nailed it! 

 

I'm mostly in meetings throughout the show, but have a few breaks here and there where I try to walk the floor and meet new people.

 

11 hours ago, bowhunter63 said:

Anything New from Ragetail 

Well I went over to the booth, found Big-O who immediately introduced me to the guy he was talking with....who was none other than Steve Harvey.

 

 

Ya, that guy.  He loves bass fishing, so we ended up shooting the breeze for about 20 mins.  He said he was going to check out Bassresource tonight. He's probably reading this post right now. 

 

What is a “Swag Bag”?

@Ski 

Swag is this context = merchandise. 
So a swag bag just means getting a bunch of merch. 

The frog monkey gonna get my money again this year.  Scum frog and frog factory and snag Proof came in hot with some fire.

Ya...no swag bags at ICAST.  Vendors aren't selling or giving away anything except maybe hats and water bottles. LOL

 

This is not a consumer show.

Yamamoto’s got so many additions to their line, I’m gonna be busy all year trying them out.  Fuzzy nuts and the whole fuzzy line to name just a few. 

11 hours ago, Glenn said:

Ya...no swag bags at ICAST.  Vendors aren't selling or giving away anything except maybe hats and water bottles. LOL

 

This is not a consumer show.

Grab me a Daiwa hat, Garmin hat, Seaguar hat, Gamakatsu hat, Strike King hat, St. Croix hat, Okuma hat, and if you have time a Spro hat. 😂

5 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Grab me a Daiwa hat, Garmin hat, Seaguar hat, Gamakatsu hat, Strike King hat, St. Croix hat, Okuma hat, and if you have time a Spro hat. 😂

Actually, @Glenn could you get me a Daiwa hat?? I badly need a new hat. If you head down to southwest Florida I can show you some good peacock bass spots!

41 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

Actually, @Glenn could you get me a Daiwa hat?? I badly need a new hat. If you head down to southwest Florida I can show you some good peacock bass spots!

Knowing Glenn and his sense of humor he’ll post a boat load of links to where we can buy them. 😁

I need a Daiwa hat or BR one 

21 hours ago, bowhunter63 said:

I need a Daiwa hat or BR one 

I’d take a Daiwa or megabass as my first choices but heck I’d take anything. Beggars can’t be choosers!

16 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

I’d take a Daiwa or megabass as my first choices but heck I’d take anything. Beggars can’t be choosers!

Some would beg to differ.

Well ICAST 2025 is over.

 

I thought this show was light on rod companies. Disappointed some brands stayed away this year.

 

This was first year I saw a bunch of pro fishermen and did not recognize any of them.

 

It seemed really quiet at this show. Laid back. And it was't crowded. No long lines. The casting tanks were virtually empty.

 

I was ducking as I walked by the fly fishing tank as the line and lures whizzed by our heads out in the aisle and I was wondering about possible hooks but nah... They wouldn't do that would they? Still ducking just the same.

 

A really bizarre event happened at one rod company booth.

 

Some media crew shooting a video showed up at the booth. One of them examining rods grabbed a rod and proceeded to bend it tip to butt kind of  aggressively and snapped the rod in half.

 

The rod builder on site at the booth kind of went off on them and deservedly so. Man was he upset.

 

Later on when back at his booth he told us that red rod was a one of a kind prototype he brought through different countries to bring it to use to show where this company was going with their rods.

 

He brought it to Orlando to show specific people who also came to see it. And it was wildly broken right on show floor before its mission here was accomplished. Almost targeted corporate sabotage.

 

He showed us the guides on the broken rod. Silver frames with red insert.

 

I recalled the old Fuji ruby guides which today can cost more than $2000 for a set. He said his guides are diamond. Or I assume diamond hardness? I never got this explained so I'll dig into it more. He mentioned his guides were $1500. So that prototype rod someone broke had approximate value of $2000.

 

I tried talking with him about his spiral wrapped rods but there was no room for change in there right now. He believes all stripper guides must be straight up and down aligned with reel. Then his spiral starts on the rod. But he's open to new info and new ways so we'll stay in touch.

 

I read on here some wondered about Shimano curado and what is new.

 

I asked around the booth and found they changed the 300 size saltwater version. And the bass fishing size reel the 151 got a new lighter spool. And that's about it.

 

All in all another enjoyable show.

 

I really enjoyed seeing all the new electric motors for boats. I even saw what looked like jet propulsion on a kayak. And outboard motors now electric.

 

I learned of a new boat hull material I want to look into more. A Florida company to.

 

One thing I did not like seeing are the cheaper components used on high end rods.

 

But the best time I had at ICAST 2025 was spending time talking to state of Florida fisheries biologists. I made some new friends.

 

99.99% of everyone attending ICAST don't realize how important these biologists are to their fishing successes.

 

A lot of the trophy catch bass entries 8 pounds or bigger are being caught in man made waters like Stick Marsh, Farm 13, or Headwaters.

 

These bodies of water are created by biologists. The phosphate mines being reclaimed. All biologists. The reputation of lake Toho was invented by biologists and work done there.

 

All across Florida and country where you see fishing improvements we have biologists to thank.

 

So talking to them and finding out what they are doing is in my benefit big time. I've been in touch with fishery biologists for decades. They are the best source of fishing information.

 

The Orange County Convention Center was filled with pro bass fishermen today and my best fishing conversation is with biologists. Never thought it would be this way.

 

@Glenn if Steve Harvey joins the forum, I think he will be stiff competition for the most trustworthy mustache.