Every summer, tackle manufacturers from around the world debut their newest creations at the ICAST show in Orlando, Florida. On display are improved and updated tools, upgraded terminal tackle, fishing and boating accessories, new electronics, and of course, the latest and greatest baits to hit the scene. Whether it be a line of finesse-style soft plastics tailored for use with forward-facing sonar, or a uniquely noisy topwater, there’s bound to be a bait or two worth adding to your arsenal. For largemouth and smallmouth bass fishermen, this annual event is especially exciting—but with so much to see in so little time, it can be overwhelming. That’s why we compiled a handful of the most innovative bass lures from ICAST 2024.

Rapala PXR Jowler 

This topwater walking bait has a hard-plastic body and a cupped mouth that moves water with ease at any speed. It’s equipped with ready-sharp VMC RedLine Series treble hooks for an advanced hook-up ratio, and the dual-frequence interior knocker shifts to boost casting distance while generating a loud, enticing rattle on the retrieve that calls in bass from afar. It is the Jowler’s versatility that will make it a must-have topwater for bass anglers on small, grassy ponds or deep, rocky reservoirs. 

Best Use: Over shallow grass flats, shallow submerged structure, or to call up fish from deeper water.  

Rapala Crush City Mooch Minnow 

An extremely dynamic new baitfish imitator from Rapala, the Crush City Mooch Minnow is composed of a super thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material that enhances the lure’s durability by stretching and flexing rather than ripping or tearing, which equates to fewer baits used in the long run. The TPE material also allows the bait to float and hover in the water column, making it more than ideal for forward-facing sonar techniques and finesse tactics, like drop-shotting. 

Best Use: Around heavily-pressured bass during tournaments.

Strike King Homing Minnow 

The Strike King Homing Minnow Swimbait is a pre-rigged, bite-sized baitfish imitation that fishermen can simply tie on and begin scoping with pinpoint precision and accuracy. Enhanced handling and visibility with forward-facing sonar is made possible by the Homing Minnow’s flat sides and 90-degree line tie, which are supported with a razor-sharp medium-wire hook that holds up against the biggest of bass. 

Best Use: With forward-facing sonar around baitfish schools in shallow, deep, or suspended water columns.  

Berkley PowerBait Drip Minnow 

This scent-infused, finesse-style soft plastic has a lifelike shiner profile and realistic HD colors, plus, a “drip” shaped tail that entices bass to bite as it wiggles and undulates with subtle twitches of the rod tip. 

Best Use: Drop-shot fishing around schooled bass.

Z-Man Tungsten Chatterbait Elite EVO 

This classic stainless-steel bladed jig features new upgrades like a low-profile tungsten head that allows it to sink quickly, a custom 5/0 heavy-duty needlepoint black nickel hook with dual bait keepers, and wire-tied silicone skirts to stand up to repeated abuse from big bass. Plus, the stainless-steel blade can be painted, plated, or glitter-coated to resemble distressed or fleeing crawdads or baitfish. 

Best Use: Around vegetation, rocks and deep submerged structure. (Note: Employ different colors based on forage and water color.)

LiveTarget Freestyle Frog 2.0 

Look no further than this soft, hollow-bodied frog for your next trip to the bog pond. Its dangly legs and realistic profile entice big bass in shallow, open water environs, or when dragged through dense vegetation and lily pads. The lure’s hollow core provides buoyancy, and the durable exoskeleton is easily crushed when a fish strikes, leading to fewer missed hooksets. 

Best Use: Rigged weedlesss to be fished over lily pads or dense mats of hyrdilla on a weightless wide-gap swimbait hook.

Missile Baits Micro D-Bomb  

This classic creature-style bait is now available in a downsized package that is favorable to northeast bass fishermen. The Micro D-Bomb measures only 2.3 inches long and comes in an array of appetizing color patterns for smallmouth and largemouth bass.  the Micro-D Bomb is going to be the go-to bait for any finesse angler looking for an advantage in a lake, river, pond, or creek. 

Best Use: Fished low and slow on a lightweight jighead, or Texas-rigged to punch through wispy vegetation. (Note: bait excels in creeks/rivers and lakes/ponds where crawfish are present.)

Z-Man Shadtron LT Swimbait

Drawing from the success of last year’s Mulletron swimbait—which was designed for saltwater—Z-Man developed this soft-bodied, freshwater line-through swimbait using their ElaZtech material for durability and buoyancy, with a wedge-shaped tail for pronounced, lifelike kicking action. The photo-printed/hand-painted color patterns accentuate its realistic shad profile, and a belly-oriented hook hanger allows for the addition of a treble hook or a willow-style underspin blade. It is available in 4.5- and 6-inch sizes, and in slow- or fast-sinking models.

Best Use: In lakes and ponds with large forage like gizzard shad or alewives.

SPRO Little John Micro 45  

Generating a light rattle and tight wobble as it dives between 2 and 3 feet, this durable 5/16-ounce crankbait—which is available in 10 colors—excels in skinny water environments where bass are holding tight to cover. Bounce it off rocky structure or submerged timber, or swim it over the top of weeds and grasses to entice bass lurking below. 

Best Use: Creeks, streams, and shallow, tannic ponds.

Daiwa Tournament D-Fin Swimbait

Made from a salt-infused rubber formula that adds weight, this squid-flavored paddletail swimbait is designed to cast long distances, allowing anglers to cover more water at various depths. At 6 inches long with a classic shiner profile, it is larger than most other paddletails and can be rigged on a jighead or a wide-gap weightless swimbait hook, so it can effectively swim through vegetation without fouling up or snagging. 

Best Use: Rigged weedless and fished slowly through thick, summer grass.

Heddon Lures Spin’N Image

Molded after Heddon’s popular Spit’N Image shad-shaped body, this topwater lure features a propeller-style tail with a small hole that allows it to chug along the surface, creating subtle noise and a bubble trail that is designed to tempt highly-pressured bass.

Best Use: When targeting bass in shallow, crystal clear water.

Jackall Lures Driftfry 4.0

With its integrated lip design, this low-profile soft plastic is designed to dart, swim, and “twist-roll” by using water resistance and delicate twitches of the rod tip, which produce a realistic flash that resembles the shimmer of a baitfish’s scales. Plus, two guide holes assist anglers with jighead alignment for mid-strolling and finding proper location for nail weight insertion when hover strolling.

Best Use: Dropping down to suspended bass in the middle or bottom of the water column. (Note: The Driftfry 4.0 excels when there is some moving water.)

Lunkerhunt Furenzy Mouse

This extremely lifelike mouse lure uses Lunkerhunt’s AquaFur technology—which absorbs water to add casting distance and improve accuracy without impeding buoyancy—so it looks, feels and moves like the real thing. It’s available in 3 sizes and 8 colors.

Best Use: Dragged over matted vegetation or lily pads in wooded and/or suburban settings.

Bill Lewis Zig-Zag

Designed to resemble a true predator-and-prey chase, this lure is meant to be tied ahead of a walk-the-dog style topwater bait to mimic a small baitfish being chased by a larger one, like a teaser is used in saltwater fishing. It comes armed with a single treble hook in case bass are keyed in on smaller forage and swipe at the Zig-Zag before the larger trailing lure.

Best Use: When finicky bass are actively feeding on smaller baitfish near the surface.

Alex the Propellegator by Natural Selection Lures

While many other topwaters merely feature color patterns or graphics, this hollow-bodied topwater lure is made out of high-quality silicone that amplifies it’s realistic appearance with rigid texture. With two propeller-style feet and a soft, crushable body that is rear-weighted for long-distance casting, this gator imitator is sure to get bit whether you’re bass fishing in the Everglades or the Finger Lakes.

Best Use: Fish over submerged vegetation or timber in swampy bog ponds with dark, tannic water.

» Click here to view more entries from the ICAST 2024 New Product Showcase