Another ICAST show is in the books and it was a good one. This was not the first since the pandemic canceled the event in 2020, but last year's event was smaller and without an international presence. This year, it was back to regular business and companies big and small had their latest products on display for media members and retail buyers.
The annual awards for best in each category included big, well-known brands and upstarts, but many of the products found on the show floor were very innovative but didn't get as much media attention. The following products caught my eye for various reasons and deserved some praise for their innovation and uniqueness.
Bubba Pro Series Electronic Scale
Bubba has made big waves in the fishing industry, mainly with great knives and tools, but they make plenty of other items. Their new scale is likely the most technologically advanced scale on the market.
It's a solid frame and good scale with a culling system, but that's just the beginning. Connecting to your phone via Bluetooth will record all the location information from each catch. This gives you a way to store all your catches for a particular body of water, with sizes and times, for excellent record keeping of your fishing trips.
There's also the ability to store your weights for culling in a tournament situation. You can also share your trip data with friends and compete in virtual tournaments with others with the same scale. It runs on a rechargeable lithium battery or standard batteries and comes in a waterproof case. MSRP is $229.99 and it will be available in Spring 2023.
Float Tail by FloatZilla
Some soft plastics float, but most do not. The Float Tail from FloatZilla is straightforward, but when attached to a bait via a screw-in design, it will make the tail of any bait float vertically. This is a unique way to get a new look for your Texas-rigs, shaky heads, and more.
They come in different colors to match baits and are really easy to add or remove from a bait. MSRP is $5.99.
SPRO Outsider Crankbait
Crankbaits are everywhere and there are some excellent ones on the market. SPRO has many good ones, but their new Outsider series is pretty unique. Most crankbaits have internal weighting systems, weigh-transfers, and rattles that help balance the bait and allow it to cast long distances. The Outsider series has the weight molded on the outside of the bait, which gives it a unique action.
The bait is said to be more responsive with excellent casting distances. It's available in three sizes: the SR55, a 3/8-ounce lure that dives 3 to 4 feet, and the MR 60, which hits 7 to 9 feet. The biggest is the DD80, which dives 19 to 21 feet and weighs over an ounce.
PLANO EDGE Frog Box
The Plano EDGE series of tackle boxes have been well received for their unique design, but the new frog box may be their best yet. Anyone who loves frogs knows they can be a pain to store correctly. Sure, you can jam them in a box together, but you risk damaging them and finding the right one when you need it can take more time than it should.
The new EDGE box stores them vertically on little hooks that keep them perfectly straight and they'll dry that way too. This series of boxes is all about organization and keeping things from rusting, which this box should help with both. It will store 50 frogs, which is more than enough to keep on the boat, even for a serious frogger.
Z-Man HellRaiZer
The company that's best known for the ChatterBait released another unique bait that may take people by surprise. Designed by Ron Davis, who created the ChatterBait, the HellRaiZer is a very interesting bait that uses some of the same design but in a topwater stick bait.
It spits and walks very forcefully on the surface and should get some vicious strikes on top. The bait is a 5-inch size, 5/8-ounce and will be available in several colors. The bait is so unique that you'll have to find a video of the action to better understand this cool bait. It's been a prototype for many years and it's finally getting released and should be a very fun bait to fish.
Each year at ICAST, the parade of new products is endless, with some bright ideas from all exhibitors. While many of the items are new takes on existing baits, there are always a handful of things that get your attention in the sea of products. These items caught mine, and I could see using them in my fishing when they are released for sale in the coming months.
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