ICAST Once Again Stands Atop the Sportfishing World as the Industry’s Largest Business Event
More than 12,000 representatives from the global recreational fishing industry were in attendance
Recreational fishing’s future continues to look bright, as the industry’s largest trade show, ICAST, returned to form this week. In total, more than 12,000 exhibitors, buyers and media converged on the Orange County Convention Center to showcase the widest array of fishing gear, tackle, accessories and apparel available in one location.
ICAST is produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), a national, non-profit trade association made up of more than 800 member companies and organizations who share a stake in promoting sportfishing for community and commerce.
“The show was fantastic,” said ASA President Glenn Hughes. “The show exceeded our expectations, and most importantly exceeded exhibitors’ expectations. Everyone I spoke with said how wonderful the show was and how the energy is as good as it has ever been. The fishing tackle industry is alive and well and looking strong for the future.”
“When you think about it, the fishing industry is born out of ideas,” said ASA Chairman of the Board Jesse Simpkins, VP of Marketing, St. Croix Rod. “At ICAST, there are new products and new ideas at every booth. This is the best place to showcase them. Most of the major retailers already have meetings set up with the big guys when they come here. But they’re also looking for that 10×10 booth that may have a unique product they can blow up into the next multimillion dollar seller.”
“This year, 73 countries were represented at ICAST as well as all 50 states and Puerto Rico,” said ASA’s Trade Show and Membership VP Blake Swango. “The show floor was very busy this year, with exhibitors reporting back-to-back meetings and shoulder-to-shoulder attendance at their booths.”
“There was a great vibe on the floor,” said Trade Show Committee Chairman Travis Owens, VP, Pure Fishing, GM, Fin-Nor/Van Staal. “The show has positive momentum and is going in a good direction. We had record attendance in the number of countries represented and an increase in participation in ICAST On The Water Product Demo Day and in the New Product Showcase.”
First Time Exhibitor Wins “Best of Show” at the New Product Showcase
It was a brand-new idea born from a 10×10 booth that became the signature story of this year’s show.
The 565 exhibitors at this year’s ICAST entered more than 900 new products into the show’s revered New Product Showcase for a chance to be recognized with a “Best of Category” and ultimately the “Best of Show” honor. And while 30 category winners took home a prestigious prize as the top product in their class, newcomer PacBak stole the show by taking home its top prize. In a field of competition featuring some of the most recognizable brands in fishing, the ICAST 2022 “Best of Show” winner came from an Alaskan startup with a story for the ages.
After persevering through personal trauma and homelessness, PacBak founder Brian McKinnon focused his energy on creating a one-of-a-kind cooler and sealer system to help anglers keep their catch fresh in the backcountry.
“We are brand new,” said McKinnon. “We are still on Kickstarter right. One of the retailers we talked to told us we needed to come down to check out ICAST. Now, we are getting so much press and interest. We couldn’t have done that without ICAST.”
All New Product Showcase entries are available for viewing on the ICAST website and on the ICAST app for Apple and Android devices.
Friday is Youth Angler Development Day
On Friday, ICAST doors opened to high school fishing clubs affiliated with Major League Fishing and B.A.S.S. to give them an inside look at the business side of sportfishing.
Designed to showcase job opportunities within the fishing industry, ASA’s partnership with the two largest grassroots bass fishing organizations on the planet was designed to show the young anglers that there are careers in sales, marketing, tech, product development and logistics in the sportfishing industry.
ICAST 2023 will be held in the North/South Building at the Orange County Convention Center July 11-14, 2023.
ICAST 2022 New Product Showcase Best of Category and Best of Show Winners
For product details, images and other information please contact the individual award winners’ contacts listed below.
Best of Show – Soft and Hard Coolers
Product: P88-MK Combo | PacBak
Contact: Brian McKinnon
Best of Category — Novelties and Wellness
Product: Garmin Quatix 7 Smartwatch – Sapphire Edition | Garmin USA
Contact: Carly Hysell
Best of Category — Boating Accessories
Product: Frabill ReCharge, Deluxe Aerator | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Boats and Watercraft
Product: BOTE Rackham Gatorshall + APEX Pedal Drive | BOTE
Contact: Suzy Nicholson-Hunt
Best of Category — Footwear
Product: AFTCO Ankle Deck Boot | AFTCO
Contact: Matt Florentino
Best of Category — Ice Fishing
Product: Garmin LiveScope Plus Ice Fishing Bundle LI | Garmin USA
Contact: Carly Hysell
Best of Category — Eyewear
Product: Roca | Baijo Sunglasses
Contact: Shauna Metz
Best of Category — Lifestyle Apparel for Women
Product: Women’s Reaper Softshell | AFTCO
Contact: Matt Florentino
Best of Category — Lifestyle Apparel for Men
Product: CocoBoardies Boardshorts | AFTCO
Contact: Matt Florentino
Best of Category — Warm Weather Technical Apparel
Product: SolarFlex Guide Cooling Hoody | Simms Fishing Products
Contact: Charlie Fowler
Best of Category — Cold Weather Technical Apparel
Product: Barricade Rain Suit Acid Camo Colorway | AFTCO
Contact: Matt Florentino
Best of Category — Soft and Hard Coolers
Product: P88-MK Combo | PacBak
Contact: Brian McKinnon
Best of Category — Electronics
Product: MEGA Live Imaging TargetLock | Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics
Contact: Bailey Eigbrett
Best of Category — Cutlery, Hand Pliers or Tools
Product: BUBBA Saltwater Multi-Flex Fillet Knife | BUBBA
Contact: Logan Waddell
Best of Category — Fishing Accessory
Product: Frabill WITNESS Weigh Net | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Kids’ Tackle
Product: Kid’s Tributary Wader | Simms Fishing Products
Contact: Charlie Fowler
Best of Category — Tackle Management
Product: Plano EDGE Frog Box | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Terminal Tackle
Product: DieZel Eye Jigheads | Z-Man Fishing Products
Contact: Cory Schmidt
Best of Category — Custom Tackle and Components
Product: RBS Pro G2 Power Wrapper | Mud Hole Custom Tackle
Contact: Stuart Crawford
Best of Category — Fishing Line
Product: SpiderWire DuraBraid Hi-Vis Yellow | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Freshwater Soft Lure
Product: Berkley PowerBait PowerStinger | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Freshwater Hard Lure
Product: Berkley Slobberknocker | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Saltwater Soft Lure
Product: Kicker CrabZ | Z-Man Fishing Products
Contact: Cory Schmidt
Best of Category — Saltwater Hard Lure
Product: LIVETARGET Live Shrimp | LIVETARGET Lures
Contact: Victor Cook
Best of Category — Fly Fishing Rod
Product: Banshee Fly | Bull Bay Tackle Company
Contact: Dustin Phillips
Best of Category — Freshwater Rod
Product: Legend Tournament Bass Rod | St. Croix Rod
Contact: Savannah Stenlund
Best of Category — Saltwater Rod
Product: Ugly Stik Carbon Innshore Rod | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Rod & Reel Combo
Product: Shimano Spheros SW Combo | Shimano
Contact: Amy Lee
Best of Category — Fly Reel & Fly Fishing Accessories
Product: Hardy Fortuna Regent Saltwater Fly Reel | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Best of Category — Freshwater Reel
Product: Shimano STELLA FK | Shimano
Contact: Amy Lee
Best of Category — Saltwater Reel
Product: PENN Authority Spinning Reel | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Contact: Kimberly Hoffman
Thank You ICAST 2022 Sponsors!
ASA extends our sincere thanks and appreciation to our members for their generous support of ICAST 2022.
Platinum:Take Me Fishing™, Under Armour and Wired2Fish
Gold:AFTCO, Crocodile Bay, Engel Coolers, Fishing Tackle Retailer, Guy Harvey, Major League Fishing, Pure Fishing, St. Croix Rod and VisitOrlando
Silver:ANYTHINGpossible Brands, Bonnier Corporation, Lunkerville, Raymarine and Roswell Marine
Bronze:Eagle Claw, Kistler, MAGMA, Mustad, Ocean Waves Sunglasses and What the Fin?
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the sportfishing and boating industries as well as the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry and anglers a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic, conservation and social values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 55 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through Keep America Fishing, our national angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate more than $50 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for 825,000 people.
