ICAST 2020 Trade Show Preview
You can learn a lot about the latest and greatest innovations in fishing gear by reading about them, but there’s nothing like seeing new products in person. That’s why manufacturers, buyers, retailers and professional anglers attend fishing trade shows.
And while there are several of these shows scheduled each year, ICAST is by far the most eagerly anticipated of the lot. The show kicks off next week (can you believe the year is half over?).
Dozens of manufacturers attend the event to show off their new products and drum up interest.
Dozens of manufacturers attend the event to show off their new products and drum up interest.
Over the past couple years, the show has unveiled fishing drones and fishing data recorders, all great stuff in FishingTech’s sweet spot. Of course, nothing can really compare to the great castable fish finder wars reveal earlier this decade, but we have similar high hopes this go-round.
We’ll explain everything you need to know about attending the event this year and run down a few of the most noteworthy things on the schedule below.
Logistics: When and Where Will ICAST 2020 Take Place?
ICAST is an annual four-day event that is organized by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA). This year, it is scheduled for July 9th through July 12th, and it will take place at the North/South Building of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Limited Access: Don’t Book Your Plane Ticket Yet
Unfortunately, ICAST is not open to the general public. Only those who apply for and receive a badge are permitted to attend the event.
Badges are awarded on a case-by-case basis, but they’re usually only granted to those who work in the fishing or outdoor industry. This includes those who own retail fishing outlets, sell outdoor products on the wholesale market, operate charter vessels, or work as guides.
However, there is a bit of wiggle room here, and people who make their living in other ways related to recreational angling may receive badges too. Additionally, credentialed members of the outdoor media are usually granted badges after applying.
Event Highlights
ICAST isn’t just about seeing cool new products – the schedule is absolutely loaded with fun, educational and entertaining things to do. Most of the really fun events take place on Super Tuesday, but there are plenty of things to check out and do throughout the duration of the event.
A few of the most notable events and highlights of the event include:
- The ICAST Cup 2020 kicks off with a bass-fishing tournament. The event is scheduled for Tuesday morning between 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM. The tournament is sponsored by FLW, and the proceeds will benefit Keep America Fishing.
- Golfers will love the Bass & Birdies Classic. This event is also scheduled for Tuesday morning, but it starts at 7:00 AM. This event combines gold and bass fishing in a unique way that your entire foursome will love.
- A special seminar entitled “How to Keep Pace with Today’s Digital Buyer” is scheduled for Tuesday between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
- The State of the Industry Breakfast is a great chance to learn about new policies and management decisions that’ll affect the fishing industry as a whole. It is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 7:15 AM and New York Times bestselling author Sally Hogshead will be providing the keynote speech.
- Industry press conferences will be held throughout the day on Wednesday and Thursday. Most of the press conferences will last about 45 minutes.
- Show floor demonstrations will occur twice each hour Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Most of the demonstrations will take place at the lure tank, but this year demonstrations will also occur at the ICASTing pond.
Note that tickets are required for some (but not all) of these events, including the Digital Buyer Seminar and the State of the Industry Breakfast.
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As you can see, ICAST 2020 is sure to be a blast for those who attend. Just visit the ICAST website to apply for a badge, check out photos from previous years, or find more information about the event.
The show is also offering their ICAST app for iOS and Android. Sure form and function won’t rival some of the better fishing apps out there, but it’ll do the job.
