Each year, the fishing industry makes its way to Orlando, Florida, for the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST. The show is the largest fishing trade show of the year, representing every sector of the fishing industry. From offshore tackles to micro bass swimbaits and, of course, fly fishing. Our goal at every ICAST is to sort through the endless amount of conventional gear, seek out the fly fishing gear, and find the best gear for the year. After a week on the show floor, this is the best new fly fishing gear of 2025 and 2026.
Rods:
TFO Moment
The Moment is TFO’s newest and most expensive fly rod. It’s built as a premium saltwater stick on a fast action, and with a lightweight feel and swing weight. While it’s the most expensive TFO to date, it still falls into the wallet-friendly price point ($650), nearly half that of other flagship rods. Prior to ICAST, we fished this rod targeting redfish on the Gulf Coast. The rod threw tight loops with weighted flies accurately, and the 7-wt we used was able to put the brakes on reds heading to oyster bars.
St. Croix Legend Elite
Last year, we saw St. Croix debut its new Evos and Technica fly rods, two premium, purpose-built rods. Keeping with the theme, St. Croix is yet again revamping and adding to its fly rod lineup with the redesigned Legend Elite series. The series consists of two versions, the Legend Elite and Legend Elite Salt. Freswater anglers have options ranging from 3-wt to 8-wt, while saltwater anglers have models from 7-wt to 12-wt. These rods are made in the USA and come with a 15-year warranty.
St. Croix Tannic MP
We are a sucker for a good specialty rod, so when we came across the new St. Croix Tannic series, it was a clear pick for this list. The Tannic Musky/Pike series comes in sizes 10-wt through 12-wt and has all the features musky anglers expect. This includes an extended fighting butt for figure-eights and an extended handle for two-handed casting. The Tannic series also features a cactus cork grip, which adds texture for wet hands. For bass anglers, check out the Tannic Bass lineup.
Reels:
Epic Fly Fishing Trutta Hubless Reel
Many fly anglers know Epic Fly Fishing as a rod manufacturer, and while that is true, they also make fly reels. This year, they debuted their most interesting fly reel to date, the Trutta Hubless Reel. This reel is a click-style reel that has no center hub. As a result, you get a modern-looking, lightweight reel with the classic feel of a click reel.
Cortland Carbon Click Drag Fly Reel
We love a good, solid frame reel, and Cortland’s newest reel is the perfect blend of modern and classic styling. It resembles old-school trout reels, but features a carbon fiber plate instead of a metal one. This results in a lighter overall reel while retaining the benefits of a full-frame reel (eliminating pinching small-diameter lines). It does come with a small drag knob, giving anglers the ability to add drag, although much less than non-click reels.
Okuma Integrity Fly Reel
The new Okuma Integrity fly reel took home the honors of best new fly reel at ICAST. This reel features a cast aluminum frame and spool as well as a multi-disc drag system. We played around with it at the show, and the drag output is certainly smooth and fairly strong for a budget reel. Unfortunately, it does not come with a fully sealed drag, something that would have certainly helped this reel play a bigger role for saltwater anglers.
TFO Dispatch Fly Reel
The new TFO Dispatch Reel gives anglers a solution between performance and affordability. It is a cast aluminum reel, featuring a fully sealed drag system. It retails at just $199.95, meaning anglers have a worry-free reel for a reasonable price. The reel is available in three sizes: 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8.
Apparel and Accessories:
Marshwear Pursuit Backpack
Every year, Marsh Wear releases new gear and apparel tailored to anglers at ICAST, and this year was no different. One product that stood out to us was the Pursuit Backpack. Sized at 22L, it’s capable of holding all the essentials. Whether out for a day trip or catching a flight at the airport, this pack is right at home.
Duck Camp Rockport Pro Guide Hoodie and Deck System
Duck Camp continues to expand its technical apparel, and this year, anglers get two new products. The first is the Rockport Pro Guide Hoodie, which is the most technical piece of sun apparel from the brand to date. It features a built-in hat clip, thumb holes, neck covering, and lightweight material built for the tropics. In addition, Duck Camp released its Deck System, featuring a jacket and bib for rough weather and wet boat runs.
Snow Peak Fly Fishing Vest
Snow Peak is a Japanese Camping Brand with a cult-like following. Now they are entering the fly fishing space with technical apparel built for the water. In the new lineup, the vest is one piece of gear that really caught our eye. It borrows a lot of the styling of old school vests with modern fit and function. If anyone can bring back the fly fishing vest, this Snow Peak offering may be the one.
Scientific Anglers Magnitude Textured Clear Float
SA has revolutionized saltwater fly fishing with its clear tip lines, and now is bringing that technology to freshwater anglers. The new Magnitude Textured Clear Float features a 10-foot clear tip for a stealthy approach to wary risers. The taper also features a half-size heavy design to help balance modern fast-action rods.
Flytime Fishing Fly Storage and Quick Change System
Of all the products we saw at ICAST, the quick-change system by Flytime caught our eye as the most innovative. Essentially, the product is a rig storage device enabling anglers to store several different fly combinations at the ready. Where it really differs from other rig-storing products is the quick-change system. A patented plastic piece enables anglers to rig any flies and tippet to a leader in seconds. It’s a cool concept and one we’ll definitely be testing more of to see how it performs on the water.
Costa Schoolie Sunglasses
Outfitting young anglers for the water can be tricky and somewhat expensive. In an effort to solve both issues, Costa released its Schoolie Sunglasses. These glasses are sized with youth anglers in mind, while still delivering the same eye protection and performance we’ve come to expect. Best of all, they come in at $157, bridging the gap between affordability and performance.
Rambler Co. Nomad Fly Tying Vise
Rambler Angler and Blade Co. is a US-based company building knives and fly-tying equipment. Their new Nomad Fly Tying Vise is designed as a lightweight and versatile travel vise. It is a full rotary vise and features jaws that can hold hooks ranging from size 32 to 7/0. Every vise is made in the USA and comes with a pedestal and clamp base.
Turtlebox Ranger
This year at ICAST, Turtlebox unveiled its newest portable, waterproof speaker. The Ranger is the smallest speaker Turtlebox has made, and it still produces plenty of sound. It features magnets on the back to cling to boats, 4x4s, and anything else metal. If good tunes are important on the water, definitely check out the Ranger.
Trxstle Rod Vault
Trxstle, known for its adjustable rod vaults, debuted its newest addition to its lineup this ICAST. The new version is built to hold conventional rods as well as fly rods. It extends to 10 feet and features a large, upward-opening door. Inside, you have the option to add and remove organizers to keep rods separated. For longer rods, Trxstle also released rod keepers to break down rod sections while still staying organized and untangled.
