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Gear Guide · ICAST 2024
ICAST 2024 New Product Releases
ICAST week is when the industry’s top brands show off their newest gear. Here are the early ICAST 2024 releases you can buy now, plus the soft baits, hard baits, jigs, rods, reels, and terminal tackle that debuted on the show floor.
Last updated: October 2026 · By: FishUSA Staff
ICAST week is an exciting time for anglers everywhere, as the industry’s top brands release their newest, most innovative products. In this article, we’ll show you the early ICAST 2024 releases and the new bass, walleye, panfish, and salmon and steelhead gear that came out of this year’s show, from forward-facing sonar baits and micro finesse plastics to new rods and reels. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for first looks at new gear, and see what’s new this year in our ICAST 2025 new products roundup.
ICAST 2024 Early Releases
These ICAST 2024 releases are available right now. Many of them are built for finesse smallmouth tactics like hover strolling and drop shotting; for more on that technique, see our drop shot setup for bass fishing guide.
Great Lakes Finesse Hover Minnow
The Great Lakes Finesse Hover Minnow is a product developed to excel at arguably the most effective technique in bass fishing right now, hover strolling.
This 2.75” bait is designed to be fished as a jighead minnow and will be deadly for big smallmouth, largemouth, or spotted bass that are feeding on small baitfish. The Hover Minnow has a concave belly that allows for unique spiraling and darting actions. It also features neutral buoyancy to allow it to hang perfectly horizontal at all times.
Great Lakes Finesse Matte Finesse Jig
Finesse jigs are killer for big smallmouth. They do an excellent job of representing crawfish, gobies, and whatever else may be lurking on the bottom where smallmouth may be hunting. The crew at Great Lakes Finesse knows this and set out to build the perfect finesse jig for catching trophy smallmouth bass.
The Great Lakes Finesse Matte Finesse Jig is built on a strong 1/0 Gamakatsu 604 hook which is small enough to be stealthy but strong enough to land giant fish. Its ball head design allows it to crawl over rocks easily without getting snagged and has a matte finish to keep it looking as natural as possible.
Great Lakes Finesse Stealth Football Jig Head
Football Jig Head Great Lakes Finesse Stealth Football Jig Head 1/0 Gamakatsu hook | 1/8–3/8 oz | 4 matte colors
Shop Stealth Football Jig HeadThe Great Lakes Finesse Stealth Football Jig Head is the perfect match for your finesse swimbaits or other small soft plastics, such as the Great Lakes Finesse Snack Craw or Flat Cat.
The fine wire 1/0 Gamakatsu hook allows for easy penetration in the fish’s mouth while being plenty strong enough to land giant fish. The matte powder coat finish is available in four colors: Matte Green Pumpkin, Matte Brown, Matte Black, and Pearl White. The Stealth Football Jig Head is also available in four different weights: 1/8 oz, 3/16 oz, 1/4 oz, and 3/8 oz.
Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow – New Size
The 2.75” Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow became an instant staple in any smallmouth angler’s soft plastic box. Its neutral buoyancy, ribbed body, and thin tail gave this bait all the attributes required to be deadly.
Great Lakes Finesse has introduced a new size of this extremely popular soft bait. Coming in at 3.25”, this new addition to the Drop Minnow family is more appealing to fish feeding on larger baitfish. It will also catch the eye of big, lethargic largemouth as well as smallmouth.
Evergreen Last Ace 128S Swimbait
The Evergreen Last Ace 128S Swimbait is another bait that will excel hover-strolled as a jighead minnow. However, its 5” length, slow sinking ability, curved tail for natural rolling action, and long, thin profile also make it great fished on an EWG hook as a weightless jerkbait or on a slow, steady retrieve.
The Last Ace 128S is an extremely detailed soft plastic. It features very realistic looking eyes, colors that match a variety of forage, and a dotted side to represent a lateral line.
Evergreen Last Ace 140 Swimbait
The Evergreen Last Ace 140 Swimbait was designed to turn pressured bass that cautiously follow a swimbait into biters. This 5.5”, 3/4 oz swimbait has a slow sink and an irresistible natural swimming action. It also features 3D fins to provide stability and extremely detailed paint jobs.
The Last Ace 140 is a line-through swimbait, meaning there is a hole in the head to insert your line through before tying on the included size #2 treble hook.
Z-Man Micro Finesse WormZ
The Micro Finesse WormZ are Z-Man’s newest addition to their very popular Micro Finesse series. These 2” worms feature Z-Man’s incredibly durable ElaZtech material, which is buoyant to allow the bait to sit perfectly horizontal when suspended under a float.
The Micro Finesse WormZ’s realistic look and profile make it deadly for all species of panfish and trout fished in a variety of ways.
Eagle Claw Lazer Pro-V Drop Shot Hook
The Eagle Claw Lazer Pro-V Drop Shot Hook improves both bait presentation and fishability. The Pro-V bend allows your drop shot bait to sit perfectly in place, meaning it will always be presented properly to finicky fish.
This design does not hinder fishability; in fact, it actually improves it. This needle-sharp, light wire hook penetrates easily and immediately slides the fish to the V of the hook, keeping them locked in.
ICAST 2024 New Products
Here are the new products that debuted at ICAST 2024, grouped by category. Walleye anglers should check out the new deep divers and color lineups in the hard bait section, which pair well with our picks for the best walleye crankbaits.
ICAST 2024 New Soft Baits
Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow
The Mooch Minnow is a bait that created a lot of buzz heading into the show. It was responsible for a good amount of earnings among pros who already had their hands on them, and it was one of the most talked-about soft baits at ICAST 2024.
Rapala CrushCity Pig Stick
This new stickbait from CrushCity is ribbed, durable, and available in a great selection of colors.
Rapala CrushCity Janitor
The Rapala CrushCity Janitor was designed to play cleanup, catching fish behind others or in water that has already been pressured.
Rapala CrushCity Hedgehog
A new creature bait from Rapala CrushCity with lots of appendages and action to attract a lot of attention.
Rapala CrushCity Freeloader – New Colors
New color options for the CrushCity Freeloader.
Rapala CrushCity Ned BLT – New Colors
New color options for the CrushCity Ned BLT.
Z-Man Graph ShadZ
A pre-rigged, line-through forward-facing sonar bait that is designed to keep your bait constantly running true. The line-through design eliminates the possibility of your knot shifting in a way that hinders the action of the bait.
Z-Man ChatterShad
A new chatterbait trailer design from Z-Man. The ChatterShad displays the same multi-jointed tail design as the ChatterSpike, but with a more baitfish-style body, profile, and tail.
Z-Man Drop KickerZ
This forward-facing sonar and drop shot bait has a unique tail design that gives it the perfect, subtle tail kick you’re looking for.
Z-Man Guppy GrubZ
A curly-tailed addition to Z-Man’s panfish-slaying micro finesse lineup.
Z-Man Shadtron LT
The Shadtron is a 6”, line-through, shad-profile soft plastic swimbait. Z-Man saw great success with the Mulletron and decided to continue to add to the family.
Yamamoto Covert Craw
A small creature bait with large, defined appendages. The Covert Craw is a good choice when fishing around small crawfish or for pressured fish.
Yamamoto Nuki Bug
Yamamoto found success with their dense, heavy soft plastic called the Yamatinuki. The Nuki Bug uses that same dense soft plastic material but adds appendages for extra action.
Yamamoto Shad Shape Swimmer
The Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm has been a staple in every smallmouth angler’s drop shot bait bag for many years. Now this proven bait profile is available in a paddle tail.
Yamamoto Scope Shad – New Size
The deadly Scope Shad is now available in larger 3.5” and 4” sizes.
Geecrack Imo Kemushi Cue Bomb
There is a recent trend in baits with long, thin appendages for finesse fishing. The Geecrack Cue Bomb is sure to catch the eye of any bass in the area.
Jackall DRIFTFRY 4.0
The DRIFTFRY is a unique soft plastic with a bill like a crankbait. It’s arguably one of the most sought-after forward-facing sonar baits on the market, and it’s now available in a 4” size.
Strike King Homing Minnow
A pre-rigged, soft plastic paddle tail built for hover-style fishing from Strike King.
Big Bite Nekorama
Designed in part with Drew Gill, a young professional angler who is experiencing great success. The Nekorama is a new finesse worm that had already won Drew some big money on tour.
Keitech Swing Bait
The Keitech Swing Bait was already catching fish in Japan before making its way to the States. The Swing Bait has an extremely small tail, reducing roll and helping to get bites in clear-water, high-pressure situations.
ICAST 2024 New Hard Baits
Rapala Gold Miner Deep Diver
A new walleye crankbait from Rapala that’s designed to dive deep, very deep. The Gold Miner will reach depths of 30+ feet unassisted by any weight.
Rapala PXR Jowler Topwater Bait
This bait helped lead Patrick Walters to a win during the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series on Lake Murray. The Jowler is a walk-the-dog style topwater with a cupped lip to throw more water around.
Rapala PXR Mavrik 110 Deep Jerkbait
The deep-diving addition to Rapala’s deadly PXR Mavrik jerkbait.
Rapala Jigging Rap – New Colors
The Jigging Rap just got even deadlier with these new colors.
Rapala DT Dives-To Crankbait – New Colors
A few new paint jobs in the legendary DT series.
Rapala Jigging Shadow Rap – New Size and Colors
The Jigging Shadow Rap family just got larger with the addition of a new size and colors.
Rapala Shad Rap – New Colors
The Shad Rap has caught millions of fish, and these new colors are going to continue to up that tally.
Rapala X-Rap – New Colors
The X-Rap has some staple colors that always get the job done. Now there are a few more to fall in love with.
Bandit Walleye Deep Diver – New Colors
Eight new color additions to the Bandit Walleye Deep Diver family.
Bandit Walleye Shad
A new shad-profile bait in the Bandit lineup of walleye lures.
Bill Lewis Depth Charge
A drop-to-’em forward-facing sonar bait from Bill Lewis.
SteelShad Bottom Blade
A new blade bait from SteelShad that stands up when resting on the bottom.
Bucca 6” Trick Shad
Mike Bucca swimbaits are among the most popular hard-body swimbaits out there. The 6” Trick Shad is a new variety in the lineup.
ACME Flash Series Baits
New baits from ACME that have an unbelievable amount of flash thanks to their unique design.
Yakima Bait Double Flash Rooster Tail
The Rooster Tail family has a new addition: the Double Flash, a double-bladed version of the Rooster Tail.
Yakima Bait Cut Plug
This new cut plug is similar to the Yakima Bait Spin Fish; however, the cut plug is designed to be trolled much slower, even under 2 mph.
ICAST 2024 New Jigs and Chatterbaits
VMC Heavy Duty Swim Jig
A new swim jig with a sturdy hook for big fish and heavy cover applications.
VMC Weedless Football Jig
VMC’s new weedless football jig.
VMC Finesse Jig
A compact jig with a single wire weed guard. Perfect for fishing a variety of cover types, staying out of snags, and keeping big ones pinned.
Dirty Jigs JT Kenney Grass Wizard
JT Kenney teamed up with Dirty Jigs to design a jig that gets big bites in the grass.
Z-Man Tungsten ChatterBait Elite EVO
The ChatterBait Elite EVO now has a tungsten counterpart. Tungsten keeps the bait compact, helping it cut through grass more easily.
ICAST 2024 New Jigheads
Buckeye G-Stroll Jighead
A new forward-facing sonar jighead from Buckeye with a sturdy bait keeper.
Eurotackle Finesse ESR Jig Head
A new finesse jig head from Eurotackle optimized to show up better on your forward-facing sonar.
VMC Redline Tungsten Swimbait Jig Head
VMC Redline hooks are incredibly sharp and strong. Pair one with a tungsten jig head and a sturdy bait keeper and you have a finesse swimbait head that is easy to see on forward-facing sonar and is sure to get a good hook into your next big bite.
Bobby Garland Mo’Glo Head Turn’R Jig Heads
A unique new crappie jig that features blades on both sides of its head.
ICAST 2024 New Rods
St. Croix Black Bass Casting and Spinning Rods
St. Croix’s newest addition to their lineup of bass rods.
St. Croix GXR + Seviin Combos
A St. Croix rod paired with a Seviin reel to create the new GXR series of combos.
ACC Crappie Stix Scopin’ Stix
A 15’ rod for the angler who wants to drop baits on crappie’s heads using forward-facing sonar.
Daiwa Ardito Jitte Telescopic Travel Rod
One of the most advanced travel rods we’ve seen. Extremely compact but also very functional.
Daiwa Presso Air Ultralight Spinning Rod
An addition to Daiwa’s already very popular lineup of ultralight spinning rods.
Shimano Technium Salmon and Steelhead Casting, Spinning, and Centerpin Rods
A new line of salmon and steelhead rods from Shimano.
G. Loomis GCX Salmon and Steelhead Spinning, Casting, and Centerpin Rods
A new line of salmon and steelhead rods from G. Loomis.
ICAST 2024 New Reels
Seviin FG Spinning Reel
A new spinning reel from Seviin.
Seviin GSC Casting Reel
A new casting reel from Seviin.
Shimano Vanford Spinning Reel
The extremely popular Vanford received a facelift and some internal updates.
Daiwa Tatula SV TW 100 Casting Reel
A new reel with a great price point from Daiwa.
Daiwa Tatula SV TW 150 Casting Reel
A larger size in Daiwa’s new Tatula SV TW casting reel lineup.
Okuma X Series Spinning and Casting Reels
New high-end reels from Okuma.
Okuma Aventa GLS Centerpin Reel
A new addition to the Okuma Aventa centerpin family.
Okuma Coldwater “A” Series Linecounter Reel
The Coldwater series has been upgraded. These are also available as a levelwind reel for fishing copper or wire lines.
Okuma Coldwater “A” Series Linecounter Low Profile Reel
The upgraded low-profile version of the Coldwater series.
ICAST 2024 New Line, Hooks, and Terminal Tackle
Z-Man ZWG Worm Hook
An EWG-style hook built for ElaZtech baits.
Sufix Revolve Braided Line
New braided line from Sufix.
P-Line HP Panfish Copolymer Line
A copolymer panfish line at a great price point from P-Line.
Rapala 20 lb High Vis Digital Scale
A new tournament-worthy scale from Rapala.
FAQs About ICAST 2024 New Products
ICAST, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, is the largest sportfishing trade show in the world. It is held every July in Orlando, Florida, and is where fishing brands debut their newest rods, reels, lures, line, and accessories to retailers and media.
Early ICAST 2024 releases included the Great Lakes Finesse Hover Minnow, Matte Finesse Jig, Stealth Football Jig Head, and a new 3.25” Drop Minnow, the Evergreen Last Ace 128S and Last Ace 140 swimbaits, the Z-Man Micro Finesse WormZ, and the Eagle Claw Lazer Pro-V Drop Shot Hook.
Forward-facing sonar fishing drove many ICAST 2024 releases, including hover strolling minnows, line-through swimbaits, and jig heads designed to show up on sonar screens. Micro finesse baits for panfish and trout, tungsten jigs and chatterbaits, and new color lineups for classic Rapala and Bandit hard baits were also major themes.
New bass baits at ICAST 2024 included the Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow, Pig Stick, Janitor, and Hedgehog; the Z-Man Graph ShadZ, ChatterShad, Drop KickerZ, and Tungsten ChatterBait Elite EVO; the Yamamoto Covert Craw, Nuki Bug, and Shad Shape Swimmer; the Jackall DRIFTFRY 4.0; the Strike King Homing Minnow; and the Rapala PXR Jowler and PXR Mavrik 110 Deep.
Walleye anglers got the Rapala Gold Miner Deep Diver, a crankbait that reaches 30+ feet without added weight, the new Bandit Walleye Shad, eight new Bandit Walleye Deep Diver colors, and new sizes and colors for the Rapala Jigging Rap, Jigging Shadow Rap, Shad Rap, and X-Rap.
Salmon and steelhead releases at ICAST 2024 included the Shimano Technium and G. Loomis GCX lines of spinning, casting, and centerpin rods, the Okuma Aventa GLS centerpin reel, upgraded Okuma Coldwater “A” Series linecounter reels, and the Yakima Bait Cut Plug, which is designed to be trolled at speeds under 2 mph. For more on rod selection, see our guide to the best steelhead float and centerpin rods.
Final Thoughts
Thanks for following along with us for ICAST 2024! From hover strolling minnows and micro finesse plastics to deep-diving walleye cranks and new salmon and steelhead rods, this year’s show had something for every angler. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to be the first to know when new products become available, and browse the latest ICAST new products at FishUSA.