We had an opportunity to meet up with the top fishing rod and reels manufacturers at ICAST to see what they had in store for the year ahead, and we weren’t disappointed with the tackle heading for store shelves.
The Most Anticipated Rods And Reels For 2026
G. Loomis IMX-Pro Inshore Rods
John Irwin from Charleston, South Carolina, is a guide who has been using the brand-new G. Loomis IMX-Pro Inshore rods straight out of the factory.
According to Irwin, this new line is filling a crucial spot in the lineup. “It’s definitely filling a gap that we were missing between GCX, which is kind of our entry-level, and then all the way up to like NRX Plus,” he said. “These rods were completely designed around fishing small, soft plastics and artificial lures. The tapers are designed around throwing those small light baits and being able to get some distance on it,” Irwin explained. “And the rods have a tremendous feel.โ
The lineup includes a host of different sizes and powers, with a lot of seven-footers in one, two, and three power, as well as a 7.5-foot version in three sizes. For Irwin, they are ideal for his area’s shallow waters and spooky fish.
Shimano Curado 150 M
The goal with the new Shimano Curado 150 M reel was to bring the technology of the Curado 200 M into the popular 150 size. Alex Weatherell, who’s been using the new Curado 150 M on the bass fishing tournament series, walked us through the brandโs new offering.
“Really, the key feature is going to be that new MGL3 spool,” Weatherell said. “It’s just a lighter weight spool, so it gives you a wide variety of baits that you can cast and easier casting for lighter baits, also farther casting.”
The reel maintains its reputation for being solid with a Hagane body that won’t wear internally over time. It features a centrifugal braking system with pins, but with a key improvement. “With the Shimano braking system, you have a dial on the side that actually brings that side plate closer and further away,” he noted. “So you have the pin adjustment and then you also have that fine-tuning adjustment too.”
Shimano Exsence B Spinning Reel
The features of the new, super-lightweight Shimano Exsence B reel include the addition of a 2500 size to the existing 3000 and 4000 models, offering a slower retrieve ratio. It also features an MGL rotor, which Pro bass angler Josh Douglas told us is a “big deal that people don’t think about a lot,” as it allows him to detect how his bait is running and detect a bite even before the rod actually loads up.
The Exsence B, sitting just under the flagship Stella, incorporates trickle-down technology like the anti-twist fin for better line management and Infinity Drive for more assistance when reeling in a fish under a load.
Douglas plans to use the 4000 size for a drop shot and Ned rig, and for newer techniques, such as pinging a minnow and forward-facing sonar fishing, he will bump down to the 2500 size to “slow down how fast that bait comes back to the boat.”
Daiwa Coastal TW200
The Daiwa Coastal TW200 is going to be a great reel for inshore anglers. This new reel is going to be even more durable than its predecessors thanks to a smart design choice. One of the ways they’ve done that is by replacing internal bearings with bushings.
This means that in places inside the reel that are difficult to access, where a bearing may go bad, there is now a bushing. So, you’ll never have to go in there and change that out. It’s never going to go bad. In other places that are easier to access, like around the side plates, they used bearings that are easy to replace and repair. This new construction will make the reel last even longer.
KastKing iReel 2
One of the coolest reels this year is the KastKing iReel 2. This takes digital electronic control of your reel to a new level. Not only can it control the casting brake and tensions electronically, but you can also control this reel through an iPhone app.
You can change settings on the reel for different types of fishing. For example, if you’re skipping or finesse fishing, it’ll actually change the braking and the tension to accommodate that. Then, you can go to your iPhone app and get real data on casting distance, casting lure speed, and line out. By changing the settings and adjusting the reel, you can actually maximize your performance. It’s definitely a game-changer.
Okuma Combos
One of the things I’m most excited about this year are the new rod and reel combos hitting store shelves and tackle shops. They come from the factory perfectly matched, and you can get some great rods and reels, and really save a lot of money.
The Okuma Tavares is a perfect example. Coming in at about $159, you get a carbon fiber rod blank with a reinforced tip and a reel that uses a sealed body to prevent water intrusion. It’s also available in a casting model.
They’ve also come out with the Cat Slayer combo. Aimed at catfish with a more powerful drag and rod blank, the color is actually UV reactive, meaning it’s going to glow in the dark at night, making it easier to fish in the dark.
St. Croix GXR Combos
St. Croix really rocked the world with the GXR bass combos a few years ago, and now they’ve added a light tackle addition and a walleye addition to the line. These combos are focused on specific tactics and species.
For example, the light series has high-frame guides that reduce static electricity, which decreases friction when you’re casting for a longer, more accurate cast. With the walleye rods, they made the butt sections a little bit shorter because walleye fishermen are often jigging and like a shorter butt section.
St. Croix Rogue V Offshore Rods
I was super excited when I stumbled into the whole new Rogue V line from St. Croix. Their inshore and skinny water lines are already iconic, and now they’ve added this offshore line.
So far, they have a boat rod, a jigging rod, and a slow pitch rod, but the cool thing is their materials and construction technology. They’ve taken carbon fiber and are sandwiching it with fiberglass, and by using a specific manufacturing technique, the fiberglass fibers are instead of being linear, they’re now crossed. So that increases strength while reducing weight. The result is a really strong rod that’s still sensitive and also lightweight.
They’ve promised two more additions to this line coming soon, so saltwater anglers will have St. Croix rods whether they’re fishing the skinny water or the deep.
