The world’s largest sportfishing trade show, ICAST 2024, has once again taken Orlando, Florida by storm! This year’s event was held July 16-19 and brought together the industry’s top manufacturers, retailers, and media to showcase the latest products and trends in the fishing world.
With over 15,000 attendees, the show floor was buzzing with excitement for the new products to be released.
ICAST 2024 covers every niche in the fishing industry. With kayak fishing growing more popular every year, this show did not disappoint. Kayak bass fishing was well represented.
Innovative Products
ICAST 2024 highlighted several great products that are set to make your kayak fishing experience more enjoyable. A few of these products that stood out to me include kayak-specific fishing rods, advanced kayak electronics, and the newest kayak models.
Here is a brief rundown of the kayak products I was able to check out.
Kayak Bass Fishing Rods
First off, I want to give a huge shoutout to the owner of YAKRODS™, Tandi Foil. She was grateful enough to invite me after having her on the May Contain Fishing Podcast.
I am a huge fan of their kayak rods. as well as a new component they entered into the “New Product Showcase” at ICAST 2024. I am confident that every kayak angler is going to love and want. But first a little background about the company.
YAKRODS™ is a custom-built rod company from Idaho that specifically builds rods for kayak anglers. Since kayak bass fishing has grown in recent years, they saw that the average fishing rod design did not meet certain needs that kayak anglers face while on the water.
These specific kayak fishing rods are smaller, shorter, and more maneuverable than traditional rods. We all know that kayaks have limited space, unlike bass boats.
But what makes these kayak fishing rods unique? YAKRODS™ introduced a new innovative cutting-edge fishing rod technology. The “Magnetic Tethered System” is their newest innovation that is specifically designed to keep you from losing another rod into the deep muddy waters!
Now, I won’t go into a lot of detail here, but I can tell you this. It’s a game-changer for the kayak bass fishing world.
You can watch my video on my YOUTUBE channel to see the new product and get a rundown from one of the company’s representatives. Trust me, you will want to see this!
New Kayak Releases
Bonafide released their XTR130 which allows for an optional second angler seat placement. According to Bonafide.com, this kayak offers the latest in power and electronics integration ample space, and exceptional stability.
Wilderness Systems released the Tactical Pro 128 which allows you to use dual motors. It also has enough storage for all your kayak accessories.
Electronics
With the big buzz around forward-facing sonar, Lowrance released their new product Eagle Eye™ 9”, specially designed for kayak anglers. It boasts a 9-inch screen, with forward-facing, down, and side imaging.
Key Takeaways from ICAST 2024
ICAST 2024 was not only about showcasing products for me but also about building relationships with companies and individuals. It’s a great place to collaborate and meet fellow kayak enthusiasts.
One of the standout moments for me was when I got to sit down with the guys from Paddle N’ Fin Network to discuss adding me to their group of podcasters.
The May Contain Fishing Podcast will be partnering with Paddle N’ Fin Network and we are truly excited and can’t wait to be a part of their great podcasting network. If you have not subscribed to the podcast, please do so!
On the Paddle N’ Fin Kayak Fishing Podcast, you can listen to beginning kayakers as well as those who have been doing it for quite some time. This group of kayakers share their experiences and interview guests providing you with the latest information out there about kayak fishing.
I would like to give a special thank you to Randy Newton, John Rapp, and Brian Schiller for this great opportunity.
Wrapping It Up
While attending ICAST 2024, the wife and I attended several Lunch and Learn Business Seminars that were sponsored by Quantum. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the industry and we even obtained valuable tips on how to grow my business as well as my podcast.
The ASA (American Sportfishing Association) provided attendees with valuable information and 2024 statistics that will help us determine what new anglers are searching for and need to get on the water. They also discussed the latest trends and provided a 2024 Special Report on Fishing.
Several prominent social media influencers were present to provide information on how to become an influencer. All of these influencers are passionate about fishing and are big advocates in their communities.
Once again, we would like to give a big thank you to Tandi and Chris from YAKRODS™ for the invite.
Make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube channel and Facebook page as we are planning to provide you with great content relating to the kayak bass fishing world.
Be sure to check out the new SEGKBF merch!
