I know this will get locked or removed quick but I think a response to Glenn’s ICAST remarks are necessary. Members on here get chastised and locked down for less than that. That response is exactly why so many anglers are feeling this aura of elitism exuded by the Industry and its professionals. Since all us plebs are spending our hard earned money on your industry’s crap (and apparently just wanna give you more and more by going to icast as a consumer) maybe don’t bite the hands that feed you.

Oh and judging by the explanation what ICAST actually IS, I don’t think I was very far off in my understanding - and that’s coming from someone who “ain’t part of the community.”

It has nothing to do with elitism, it's a TRADE show and its sole purpose is for b2b networking and sales/leads (among other things). Lots of trades/industries have them and is not exclusive to the fishing industry. If your'e not in the trade then there is simply no purpose to be there.

I guess I don’t understand why some are up in arms that ICAST is closed to the public? As stated above, this isn’t just a fishing industry thing. I think it was explained perfectly what ICAST is about and what goes on there and in my opinion, it’s understandable why it’s closed to the public. On top of that, if most products at ICAST are yet to be released and are intended for the next year, how are you going to spend your hard earned money on a product that isn’t in production yet?

The Classic Expo is open to the public with some great deals. There are fishing expos all over the country with excellent deals. That isn’t enough? Hell, some companies release new products at the Classic Expo instead of ICAST. That isn’t enough?

Spending hard earned money and biting the hand that feeds you was also brought up. Each year we see more complaints about holiday deals (or lack there of) and how the percentage off isn’t what it used to be in previous years. Companies don’t have to run sales and we would still buy their products yet here we are complaining about how crappy the sales are.

What are we doing here folks?

Is it really that big of a deal that a trade show isn’t open to the public?

I think the general sentiment was that ICAST has been getting smaller - what are some ideas to address that. One suggestion was to open it up to the public. That suggestion had been made outside of this forum as well by others close to the industry. The response to that suggestion had a tone that wasn’t well received by a few, that’s all.

The public would affect the U2U (urchin 2 urchin) sales.

BTW just let me know when this stops being funny.

12 minutes ago, RichF said:

that’s all.

It sure seems like there was more than that in some of the posts. I guess if the people that are involved with ICAST aren’t concerned, then why should we?

This is just an assumption here, but if it were open to the public, it wouldn’t increase sales.

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 *

44 minutes ago, RichF said:

I think the general sentiment was that ICAST has been getting smaller

The big boom after 2020 was driven by the pandemic. A cooldown afterward is not unexpected #nothingburger

2025: Attendees 12,000 (-14.3%) | Exhibitors 600 (-5.5%) | New Products 811 (-26.3%)

2024: Attendees 14,000 (+5.3%) | Exhibitors 635 (+9.5%) | New Products ~1,100 (~0%)

2023: Attendees 13,300 (+33.0%) | Exhibitors 580 (+2.7%) | New Products 1,100+ (+22.2%)

2022: Attendees 10,000 (+11.1%) | Exhibitors 565 (+13.0%) | New Products 900+ (+12.5%)

2021: Attendees 9,000 | Exhibitors 500 | New Products 800+

2020 Cancelled; Covid

The ICAST coverage all over YouTube, podcasts, TW, etc. is plenty “public” enough for me. I’m a tackle nerd but if I can observe this much from a distance, I don’t see a reason to let the public in (physically). If anything, having the on-site coverage come through vetted professional sources makes it more credible and interesting.

I have attended and worked more trade shows, like ICAST, than I care to remember. Go once and hear the words... "Hello. Welcome to the (insert business name) booth. May I scan your badge?" And you may never go again. 😀

All jokes aside, ICAST is a show for companies to show off their new products and get vendors to purchase them for their business. This is nothing new for trade shows. ICAST just gives consumers an opportunity through social media and the internet to get a first hand look at what is available or is coming out for that year.

The first trade show I went to was when I worked as a retail manager/buyer 30+ years ago, https://www.magicfashionevents.com. Back then our company was buying clothing from vendors that would hit the shelves 2-3 years later. We were aware of the new trends before the magazines and especially the consumers and no-one was the wiser. I have since moved on to a different career path. Here is what I attended now, https://www.printingunited.com. Again, these snooze fests are not for the average consumer. There is no real elitism. Just business.

Been to a few myself, it's fun until lunch on the first day, by day two or three ugh...I actually think h*ll is a trade show, except every day is the third day of it.