One of the most fun parts of the ICAST season is trying to guess what’s coming next. Some trends are easy to spot months in advance, while others seem to come out of nowhere and end up shaping the entire fishing industry for the next year. (Like last year’s fuzzy bait invasion.) Whether it’s a hot new lure category, advances in electronics, or innovative tackle that changes the way we fish, ICAST has a way of setting the tone for what’s ahead.
With this year’s show right around the corner, the Wired2Fish editorial team got together to share our predictions for the biggest tackle trends we’ll see over the coming year. From new bait categories and specialized gear to electronics and everything in between, here are the products and trends we think will make the biggest splash at ICAST and beyond.
Nick Dumke Is Rolling The Dice
My prediction for the coming year is that it won’t just be more fuzzy baits — it’ll be everything that comes with them. And that brings up a question: Are fuzzy baits and urchin baits the same thing? Or are they slightly different in their size, design and action? I’m expecting to see a lot more accessories and gear in this category, like specialized hooks and weights, new rigging options, and even rods designed specifically around fishing fuzzy baits.
I’m sure we’ll still get plenty of new fuzzy-bait and urchin-bait designs, along with more sizes and colors of the ones that are already popular. But I think the bigger opportunity is in finding new ways to rig and fish them. It feels like we’ve only scratched the surface there, and there’s still a lot of room for companies to come up with creative ideas that make these baits even more versatile and effective. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some of those innovations show up at the show, with even more rolling out as the year goes on.
Sam Hudson Thinks Things Get Heavy
The word is out: Z-Man is introducing ElaZtech baits that sink. What is ElaZtech? Z-Man was the first company to bring this thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material to mainstream fishing. ElaZtech is unique because it’s tough, stretchy and floats. Just as important, these baits last through multiple fish fights. But now we’re onto a new phase: a dense and sinking ElaZtech. I think that will be the buzz at the show.
So what sinking baits will Z-Man introduce later this year? I know it won’t be all SKUs, but I have a guess at two of the baits. I’d wager Z-Man creates a stickbait and jerkbait with the new material. Stickbaits are often rigged naked with no weight. The same can be said with fluke-style jerkbaits, rigged to a weightless, weedless swimbait hook. These baits still need to be presented to fish subsurface. In the past, Z-Man recommended inserting weights or using weighted hooks to get the desired presentation, but now I don’t think that’ll be an issue.
Will Stanley Gets Technical
With the obvious urchin-style bait craze going on right now, I think it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing more products built specifically around fishing them. There are already plenty of tackle options that work, but I don’t think we’ve even come close to seeing all the ideas companies will come up with.
I wouldn’t be surprised if ICAST brings a bunch of purpose-built gear, whether it’s specialized hooks, unique weights, new rigging systems, or even rods designed specifically for throwing urchin-style baits. As these baits keep growing in popularity, it makes sense that manufacturers will start focusing just as much on the accessories and techniques as they do on the baits themselves.
Ben Swanson Thinks Small Boat Electronics Are Going Big
Besides all the urchin-bait stuff, one thing I always look forward to at ICAST is the electronics. It seems like every year there’s at least one really cool announcement that gets everyone talking, and I have a feeling this year will be no different.
I think kayak fishing electronics are going to be a big focus. We saw some of that last year, but kayak bass fishing and kayak tournament fishing have really exploded over the past few years, so it feels like there’s still a lot of room for companies to push things further. Maybe we see a new trolling motor that’s better suited for kayaks, an updated forward-facing sonar system, or even some clever new mounting and rigging solutions that make it easier to fit all this technology onto a small platform.
I’m really curious to see what companies come up with. It feels like the kayak market is growing fast enough now that it’s starting to get the same level of attention as the traditional bass boat market, and I think that’ll show at ICAST.
Joe Albanese Thinks Small Water Gets More Attention
One of the trends I’ve noticed is anglers rediscovering small water, returning to the ponds and creeks they grew up fishing. These small bodies of water often hold a lot of fish, have relatively little pressure, and offer a whole lot of fun. I don’t think folks will abandon their bass boats, but the boat will get left in the driveway from time to time while anglers throw on an old pair of tennis shoes and wet-wade their local creek.
With the focus on small water, anglers are growing increasingly interested in light setups, including BFS gear. Manufacturers seem to have picked up on this too, with more finesse gear hitting the market, including BFS (Bass Finesse System). I predict there will be an increase in small creature baits, building on the success of Rebel’s LIVEFlex series and others.
What Will The Future Bring?
So what will hit the floor at ICAST 2026? What will be the next big thing in tackle in 2027 and beyond? Will fuzzy baits continue their takeover? Is the next big trend hiding in a new material, a breakthrough in electronics, or something none of us saw coming? In just a few days, we’ll find out. Until then, these are our best guesses.
Now it’s your turn: What do you think will be the biggest trend to come out of ICAST this year?
