How ICAST’s parties and presentations make business happen

On a Wednesday evening in Orlando, Florida, hundreds of anglers filled the atrium of a convention hall as the afternoon sun filtered through glass windows, perhaps 15 metres high.

Just outside of the doors of ICAST – the world’s largest sportfishing trade show – the swarming crowd shook hands, exchanged business cards and exchanged toasts at the first ever Party for a Purpose, a benefit to spotlight conservation organisations at the trade show.

Fly anglers from salt flats and mountain streams mixed with marlin anglers, ice fishermen and at least one bass fisherman from Texas wearing a heavyweight wrestling belt. The unspoken message? Unity. At ICAST 2025, people from 75 nations representing every conceivable corner of the sportfishing world converged on Orlando for a week of business, networking and community.

A short stroll around the room reveals attendees from Germany, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Peru, Zimbabwe, Australia, Japan, China, the UK and Canada. This year, that gathering is set to happen again from July 13th to 17th. And show organisers expect a global delegation of outdoor lovers to once again be in attendance

“Last year was our first year at ICAST,” says Mark Lamberston, Managing Director of Education at the Guy Harvey Foundation. “Like every brand here, we want to reach a larger audience by attending ICAST, and the show is very good for that. I’d say at least a dozen people came by that we can try to partner with us just at the Party for a Purpose. It’s awesome to see everybody that comes through during the entire week to talk about the things that are important to us.”

Since the late 1950s, ICAST and its predecessors have delivered the largest sportfishing trade show on Earth and the most important business trip for tackle buyers around the world. The show has helped industry players navigate economic booms, recessions, supply chain disruptions and golden ages.

While Lambertson and the Guy Harvey Foundation are on hand to promote the health of global oceans, hundreds of other tackle industry brands attend ICAST to showcase new products destined for store shelves on every habitable continent. The ICAST New Product Showcase regularly plays host to around 1,000 of those new products – each competing for a coveted award.

Meanwhile, a pop-up village of trade show booths spanning six football pitches creates an almost endless maze of new business connections, exclusive deals for retailers placing orders and educational seminars that deliver some of the most up-to-date industry knowledge available.

This year, ICAST organisers want to expand the reach of those educational opportunities through an all-new feature dubbed ICAST Live. Attendees at ICAST 2026 will be able to enjoy daily kick-off events, new product presentations and business seminars at the heart of the ICAST show floor. Meanwhile, those unable to make it to Orlando in person will be able to view all of those presentations online after the show.

New for 2026, ICAST is also introducing Meet the Market, a special meet and greet event that takes place before show doors open. The goal? Connecting new show attendees to the wider sportfishing community – building new relationships that result in new business deals and more product sales for both dealers and manufacturers.

In addition to ICAST Live, a brand-new Retailer Lounge has joined the show floor for ICAST 2026. Designed exclusively for buyers, this lounge provides a comfortable space to network, relax and recharge between sessions and appointments. It offers an ideal setting for conducting business away from the show’s bustle. It’s all built around building connections in the fishing community that extend beyond borders.

This year, ICAST doors open on Wednesday, July 15th, but the party gets going on Monday, July 13th with the ICAST Lunkers and Bunkers charity golf scramble before ICAST On the Water and the ICAST Cup presented by Major League Fishing on July 14th.

Non-stop flights connect Orlando to major hubs in the Americas, while Asia, Africa and Oceania transit usually require just one connection.