ICAST 2025 Highlights: Our Top 10 Must-See Picks You Need This Season

When the bite turns tough, finesse turns hero, and Great Lakes Finesse is building a reputation for being the go-to brand when every cast counts. This year, their newest soft plastics and terminal gear brought ultra-precision to the finesse world, proving once again that sometimes less is definitely more.

Let’s talk specifics: the GLF Drop Minnow is one of the most dangerous finesse tools on the market right now. This bait is the definition of "match-the-hatch" perfection, designed with a sleek, baitfish profile and tight subtle action that drives pressured smallmouth and spotted bass wild. It excels on a dropshot in gin-clear lakes or high-pressure conditions. But here’s where it gets spicy, it also crushes on a finesse Underspin. That combo delivers just enough flash and thump to trigger reaction bites without overwhelming finicky fish.

This isn’t your average underspin rig. GLF’s micro-sized Underspin is built specifically to carry light plastics like the Drop Minnow with balance and realism. The wire is ultra-fine, the blade spins at low speeds, and it keeps your bait horizontal on the retrieve. Add in a little forward-facing sonar? That’s a deadly one-two punch for suspended fish.

Now let’s get into the new Micro Series, which in my opinion is one of the most exciting finesse expansions we’ve seen this year. The Micro Lineup includes a full family of tiny-profile soft plastics and matching jig heads, purpose-built for pressured waters and finesse-first tactics. Think mini tubes, ned-style bodies, creature profiles, and shad imitators, all scaled down, but still packing movement, texture, and strike-triggering detail. Pair them with GLF’s jig heads, and you’ve got a tool for every mood swing those fish throw at you.

One of the most talked-about releases at ICAST 2025, the Bates EDC 100, is built on a simple idea to make a reel that's both affordable and bulletproof. Spinning in at just around 5 oz (100 size), it maintains overall rigidity and minimal flex thanks to its machined aluminum frame. But the real star is its D.A.B. braking system: a digital, user-programmable brake that gives anglers real-time control over spool speed like never before.

Instead of manually adjusting brake magnets or centrifugal weights, the D.A.B. brake lets you dial spool control with digital precision, adjustments on the fly via tactile dial or optional app-based interface. Whether you’re launching heavy swimbaits or dialing in dropshot finesse, the system adapts to changing lure weights or line tensions instantly.

One reel to rule them all. The Bates EDC (Everyday Carry) reel is lightweight, battle-ready, and smooth as butter. With its high-speed drag system, and aluminum gearing, it's built to perform whether you're punching mats or skipping docks. It’s the reel we didn’t know we needed - until we used it. Plus, it just looks downright bad-to-the-bone.

Humminbird didn’t just update their tech - they dropped a full-on sonar supercomputer into your boat and called it the XPLORE. And trust us, this isn’t a simple upgrade from your average HELIX. This is a total evolution in how we scout water, track fish, and understand what's happening below the surface.

For over a decade, HELIX units have been the dependable workhorse on the console or bow of nearly every serious angler’s setup. Durable, clear, easy to use, and packed with value. But XPLORE? This is the high-performance race boat version of fish-finding tech.

First off, the screen. The XPLORE features a full-HD multitouch display - think smartphone crispness, but on the water, even in blazing sun. It’s bright, responsive, and makes scanning side imaging or MEGA Live footage feel like watching a live broadcast. Behind the screen is a quad-core processor that makes switching views, zooming, or adding overlays lightning fast. No lag, no freezing, no waiting on redraws, just fluid functionality exactly when you need it.

XPLORE also plays perfectly with Humminbird’s full One-Boat Network, which means seamless control of Minn Kota motors, Talons, Raptors, and MEGA Live. If it’s smart and in your boat, XPLORE’s talking to it.

Here’s where things get borderline unfair, in a good way. XPLORE takes the best of MEGA 360 and MEGA Live and enhances them. Not only is the detail sharper, but the response time is crazy fast. Watching your bait drop on screen, seeing how a fish reacts in real time, adjusting your retrieve - all of that happens faster and more accurately than ever before.

Whether you’re targeting suspended bass with MEGA Live, scanning weed edges for pike, or precision-spot-locking for walleye over mid-lake humps, XPLORE gives you the confidence to know what’s down there and how to get bit.

Everything old is new again. Throwback Swimbaits took retro vibes and paired them with modern swim tech for baits that look vintage but move like 2025. Think 90s hardbait paint jobs meets advanced resin bodywork and precision-tuned joints.

Throwback Swimbaits isn’t just another lure brand - it’s a throwback to the roots of custom craftsmanship, built by anglers, for anglers. Founded by Kyle Buchholz, a small-town craftsman from Minnesota. Throwback is the modern embodiment of angling nostalgia fused with fierce innovation. Kyle first turned heads in the spring of 2020 when the wedding‑videography business he ran literally dried up overnight. With time on his hands and a love for fishing, he carved a wooden lure out of pure instinct, then reverse-engineered it into resin through countless trial-and-error sessions. That humble start quickly evolved into handcrafted swimbaits that now sell out in minutes. 

By early 2022, less than two years later, Throwback had vaulted from hobby‐garage to national recognition. Kyle’s first signature bait, the Wake Walker - a 6¾″, 2.75 oz glidebait - set the tone. Anglers from coast to coast began chasing giants on it, and collectors started snapping up box sets. Every batch of 75 to 100 sold out in minutes. His story became a perfect small‑business success: start with one hand‑carved sample, build molds, scale carefully, and keep your quality sky‑high 

Throwback Swimbaits might be young on paper, but the heritage they evoke, paired with genuine quality, is timeless. It’s not just about catching fish; it’s about honoring tradition and bearing witness to pure, unfiltered craftsmanship on every cast.

The Claptail’s uniquely designed segmented tail delivers a loud, aggressive “clap” on every twitch or pause, sending sharp sound waves and surface disturbance that trigger explosive reaction strikes from wary bass. This isn’t just surface commotion - it’s a carefully calibrated sensory assault that bass find irresistible in low-light conditions, overcast days, or early mornings.

Designed to be both versatile and intuitive, the Claptail lets anglers adjust their retrieve speed and cadence to dial in the perfect rhythm, whether you want a slow, teasing crawl or a quick, aggressive pop. Its compact profile and tight wobble also help it slip past pressured fish that might ignore bigger, louder topwaters.

For anyone chasing that heart-pounding strike on the surface, the Rapala Claptail delivers a deadly combination of sound, action, and precision that’s been proven on tournament waters by a top pro, making it a must-have for your topwater arsenal in 2025.

Bringing back the Firetiger colorway wasn’t just a flex - it was a tribute. If you’ve ever cleaned fish under a tailgate spotlight or on a dock rail in the glow of sunset, you know the feeling this knife brings. It’s the fishing world’s version of restoring an old hot rod: take a classic that already gets the job done, fine-tune the performance, and give it a paint job that turns heads. That’s exactly what Rapala did here.

The Firetiger Fillet Knife blends heritage and horsepower. The blade is razor-honed stainless steel, perfectly balanced for long, clean cuts whether you’re skinning crappie or slicing through thick lake trout fillets. The soft-grip handle fits your palm like it was poured in there, even when wet or slimed, and the tactile control is perfect for fillet-table precision.

And then there’s the design: bright, bold, and unapologetically old school. It’s a throwback that sparks memories of spinnerbaits in the 90's and your first fish fry with grandpa, but make no mistake, this knife performs like it’s from the future. No flex where you don’t want it, no rust after a few uses, and it holds an edge like a blade with something to prove.

This one’s a bladed jig on caffeine. The headline upgrade is the internally chambered rattle system. Unlike the original, which featured external rattles or hollow heads, the new design traps multiple loose rattles inside the jig’s blade, creating a louder, deeper, and more complex sound profile. This new rattle generates vibrations bass can pick up from farther away, especially in murky or stained water conditions. The multiple rattles shift independently, making a pulsing “thump-thump-thump” that bass can’t resist.

The blade on the Rattling Thunder Cricket is slightly larger and more aerodynamically shaped for a more aggressive flutter during retrieval. The vibration is sharper and more pronounced, which means it grabs fish attention instantly. Compared to the original’s solid, steady buzz, this model pulses with a rhythm that can coax reaction strikes from bass that otherwise won’t commit.

The new jig features a stronger, corrosion-resistant hook with a wider gap, perfect for holding big, toothy bass and larger trailers. The Strike King Rattling Thunder Cricket is a bass angler’s best friend who just got a serious upgrade. It takes the proven formula of the original and adds layers of sound, vibration, and durability to push bites in any situation. Whether you’re dialing in late-summer post-spawn bass or grinding through pressured lakes, this deserves a spot in your tackle box.

Sinking line without the lead, and without compromise. The KastKing Hammer Depth Charge is a forward-thinking answer to the growing demand for environmentally conscious tackle. Instead of traditional lead-core construction, KastKing engineered this line with a non-toxic, high-density sinking fiber that delivers serious depth control without the environmental downside.

This line isn’t just for finesse casting - it’s a troller’s dream. Whether you're pulling crankbaits for walleyes or slow-trolling deep points for suspended bass, the Depth Charge gets your presentation down fast and keeps it there. It maintains a steady descent rate without needing additional weights, making it perfect for subtle, natural presentations.

The outer braid features a slick coating that improves casting distance and drastically reduces water drag, and the inner core provides consistent sink performance that’s easy to track on electronics.

Unlike stiff lead-core lines, this stays limp and casts clean, even in cold temps. It’s perfect for anglers who want to fish deep and leave less of a footprint while doing it.

This setup is a finesse dream team. The VMC Minnow Shaker Jig pairs perfectly with the new Mooch Minnow sizes for a bite-sized combo that dances with every rod twitch. But what really sets the Minnow Shaker apart is its smart design. The dual mono bait keeper holds your soft plastic perfectly in place, preventing slippage even after multiple fish. No more adjusting your bait after every short strike.

Its 45-degree vertical line tie isn't just for looks, it allows for a more natural horizontal presentation, keeping your bait balanced and realistic in the water column. This angle also helps the hook ride cleaner on vertical drops and sharp lifts, making it ideal for precision fishing.

And yes, it’s a front-facing sonar dream. The horizontal profile and clean sonar return make it easy to track on screen, and the subtle shimmy of the Mooch Minnow under the Shaker head looks exactly like a dying baitfish. It’s an ideal setup for targeting suspended fish, brush piles, or vertical structure. With new size options for the Mooch Minnow, you can now match more forage profiles and stay locked into the bite window longer.

Whether you’re a gear junkie, tournament angler, or weekend warrior, these are the tools that caught our eye at ICAST 2025. The future of fishing looks strong, and we are proud to bring that excitement back to our customers. Swing by your local store or keep an eye on our socials as we roll out the season’s best.

Tight lines, The North 40 Crew