In a sea of baitcasting gadgets and saltwater fishing rigs, ICAST 2024 was hooked on the fly … and deck boots. A once-tiny niche category at the Orange County Convention Center, fly fishing now dominates a wall-to-wall stretch of the show floor, including an indoor casting pond. Not only that, but it was a fly fishing brand that dominated the stage at the awards banquet, securing more awards than any other company.
Oh, and there were piles of new deck boots. Everyone made a new deck boot. ICAST felt like an Oprah Christmas episode when it comes to dang deck boots. More on that later.
The Rise of the Trout
Simms Fishing’s domination secured four ‘Best of Category’ Awards and one very prestigious Best of Show award from us here at GearJunkie. Sure, two of the ICAST categories were fly fishing specific, but two of them weren’t and still saw the Montana-based fly brand scooping them up.
The brand’s ICAST Category awards include:
- Best Cold-Weather Tech Apparel: Simms Pro Dry Suit
- Best Fly Fishing Backpack, Bag, and Luggage: Simms Tailwind Rod and Reel Vault
- Best Warm-Weather Tech Apparel for Women: Simms Women’s Latitude Hoody
- Best Fly Fishing Chest, Sling, Hip, Pack: Simms Headwaters Sling Pack
On that note, let’s dive into the GearJunkie Best in Show Awards for this year, with the most obvious place to start.
GearJunkie’s Best of Show ICAST 2024 Awards
Because most of these products are unveiled at the show, the majority are not quite available to purchase yet, so we’re here to build the hype for some of the new treasures you can pinch your pennies for and get excited about when 2025 rolls around. Drum roll, please.
Best Women’s Technical Gear: Simms Fishing Women’s G3 Guide Jacket
Available spring 2025: MSRP $600
Kicking it off with the show’s big winner of the year, the team at Simms Fishing spent more time walking to the stage than it probably had on the water this season. Though the Women’s G3 Guide Jacket didn’t snag any category awards from ICAST, it did earn top honors with us here at GearJunkie.
Fortunately, a torrential Florida thunderstorm rolled in during the New Product Showcase Preview at this year’s show, leaving me to have the whole floor to myself in the final hour. I spent it wearing this jacket around the showcase. It wasn’t my original choice for this category’s winner, but dang it, it feels good on.
Built with waterproof three-layer waterproof GORE-TEX, it’s about as bulletproof of a river jacket as it gets. With an adjustable storm hood, watertight sleeve cuffs, and plenty of pockets (including pass-through pockets), it’s everything I look for in a late-season fishing jacket.
Best Men’s Technical Gear: HUK Pro Series Jacket and Bib
Available spring 2025: MSRP $500 each
HUK may be one of those brands you think of when you think of warm water and good times, but the brand is serious about performance. The Pro Series Jacket and Bibs are a testament to that. This set (sold separately) is about as high-tech, performance-driven, and thought-out as it gets.
Granted, they aren’t available in my size (I should have eaten my vegetables as a kid), but that didn’t stop me from slipping into them and getting a feel. Everything from the double, adjustable cuffs to the fully seam-sealed construction all but guarantees comfort on the water.
One of the best features: this pair will cost you several hundreds less than many of the comparable options. They aren’t cheap (MSRP $500 each), but they are more affordable than many of the comparable sets.
Best Watercraft: ISLE 12’6 Flywater Inflatable Kayak + Micro-Skiff Hybrid
Available autumn 2024: MSRP $1,695
This puppy scoots across the water. In the words of the brand, this hybrid inflatable is “designed to fly over the shallowest of waterways with an ultra-efficient, low-draft catamaran design that maximizes speed and range while paddling or under power,” and that’s exactly what it does.
The ISLE 12’6 Flywater Inflatable Kayak + Micro-Skiff Hybrid might not look like it’s much different than many of the other inflatables on the market, until you take a peek underneath. The 6-inch center lift means far less drag on the water. It feels less like you’re pulling or pushing yourself through water and more like you’re gliding over it because you are.
I spent some time buzzing around the water during ICAST on one of these bad boys, and I can tell you firsthand that it moves with ease. Whether powered with a motor or paddle, it feels effortless, and I can’t wait to test one in a bit more harsh conditions.
Best Sunglasses: Costa 580G Gold Mirror Lens in Grand Catalina
Available now: $292
This shouldn’t be a surprise. We’ve already sung our praises for the Costa 580G Gold Mirror lenses and the revamped Grand Catalina frames. That love continues now. Listen, the frames are rad and have a very retro, cool kid vibe, but for me, it’s all about the lenses.
It’s hard to describe, but the gold mirror lens feels like a cozy blanket for your eyeballs. It’s like looking through them makes seeing less tiring. I know this might sound odd, but it’s real and cannot be described until you put them on.
Feel free to read our full review of them, but honestly, find a place that sells Costa shades and go try them on yourself.
Best Rod & Reel Combo: Toadfish Elite Series Near/Offshore Spinning Combos
Available now: MSRP $346
Yes, Toadfish makes fishing rods and reels, not just kitchen shellfish tools and rad drink holsters. They also seem to be doing them with some intention.
The Toadfish Elite Series Spinning Combos are sweet little rigs with serious attention to detail. The rods feel substantial in hand without being heavy, if that makes any sense at all. All of the angler/rod/reel connection points feel tight and ergonomic, from the rod handle/grip to the reel seat. It feels like a much more expensive setup than it is.
What’s not to like about that?
Best Fly Rod: TFO Elevare
Available now: $499
This one surprised me. I went into the showcase with a preconceived idea of which fly rod would get my vote. I stood there for several minutes, comparing it to the TFO Elevare on the show floor. In the end, once I had them both in hand, the Temple Fork Outfitters Elevare just felt balanced and responsive with seriously tight details that overshadowed the other rod … at half the price.
Granted, the two rods have very specific jobs, this one being a euro nymph specialist and all, but the quality at this price point just speaks volumes.
I’m not much of a ‘nympher’, but I might have to get this sucker in hand and on the water to give it go.
Best Tackle Management: YakAttack 16×16 ShortStak Upgrade Kit for BlackPak Pro
Available now: $65
This one is just simple, so I won’t go on and on about it. The ShortStak is essentially an additional box you can slap on the lid of your BlackPak Pro to increase your storage options.
I’m just a sucker for a good boat/kayak/canoe box, and I happen to really like the BlackPak setup. It’s simple and customizable, and it makes storage and use on the water quick and easy.
It’s a plastic box with a heap of attachment points … and we dig it.
Best Fishing Accessory: Benchmade Water Collection
Available now: Prices vary
Benchmade decided to hop into an entirely new genre of knives when the brand launched the Water Collection and oh boy, did the brand do it right.
I’ve used every knife in this collection, and if you’re looking for knives that will hold up to wet conditions, with a solid, secure grip and MagnaCut steel that will hold an edge longer than you’ve held a job, these might be the knives for you.
I won’t drag you through each knife because this article is already long enough, but I do break them down in the full lineup review.
With a category as obscure as “Best Fishing Accessory,” this wasn’t a shoo-in win. But, when it comes down to it, there just wasn’t another item on the table as deserving as this lineup of knives.
Available spring 2025: MSRP $115
And finally, we get to the boots. It seemed every major brand came out with a new, innovative deck boot this year. No one did it quite like UA.
Under Armour might not be the first brand you think of when it comes to fishing, but the brand known best for athletic apparel makes seriously technical fishing (and hunting) gear. It makes sense. The company has built a reputation for creating high-performance athletic gear. Why would they not make high-performance fishing gear?
The Charged Shoreman Deck Boot is a delightful combination of your typical waterproof boat boot and your favorite pair of athletic shoes. It’s time someone finally made an ergonomic deck, and Under Armour has done it beautifully.
Not only that, but these things are light. According to the company, at 15 ounces, they are the lightest weight of any deck boot on the market.
ICAST 2024 Wrap-Up
That’s a wrap for ICAST 2024. Fly fishermen continue to see the expansion of products on the showroom floor, apparel and footwear continue to dominate the new product showcase, and all the gadgets and gizmos you could possibly dream up were available to play with. There was even a fishing drone, which is a topic I’m sure we’ll dive into when it comes to ethics and what constitutes actual fishing.
Until next year, Orlando.
