Rod Recon: The Standout Rods of ICAST 2026

Introduction: Rod introductions at this year's ICAST may not have been as numerous as in years past, but there was no shortage of application specific rods to explore. The biggest headlines came from established tackle manufacturers expanding their rod lineups, while a handful of dedicated rod builders and several Japanese brands added some welcome surprises with new series aimed at U.S. anglers. From refined technique-specific bass rods to premium JDM imports, these are the rods that caught our attention on the show floor.

Shimano's standout freshwater rod introduction this ICAST was the Jackall Poison Glorious rods

The Poison Glorious rods blend the latest technology with what looks like traditional cork handles but this rod is actually a fusion which combines a thin cork layer over a carbon monocoque core

The rods feature CI4+ reel seats and proprietary hardware

A look at the spinning rod. All of the blanks feature both Spiral C cores to boost strength and reduce weight and Hi-Power X to add strength and reduce blank twist

Pro Angler Tucker Smith shows us one of his favorite models, the 272 solid tip rod

Rod's are labeled on the butt for quick identification

The solid tip design makes it easy to impart action and visually see strikes instantly

Though the rod looks traditional this is a true JDM build and you can see the monocoque rear grip design through the ported butt

Sam Kennedy and the team at Shimano Japan have been developing the new Poison Glorious Series for over two years

Marc Mills shows us the new Tatula rods at ICAST. To celebrate the 60th Anniversary Daiwa is introducing a limited edition set of Tatula rods to match their 60th Anniversary reels

The rods have a matching silver finish on the blank and web graphics over a SVF blank with X45 carbon wrapping to reduce blank twist

There will be a spinning and casting rods to match the limited edition reels and they will retail for $229

Scott Byrne shows us Daiwa's North Coast Series which continues to gain momentum and are designed to target salmon, kokanee, stripers, trout, and halibut using a variety of techniques

The rods are built on a high-density carbon blank and retail for a very reasonable $149.99

Many of the models are equipped with special lightweight carbon EVA grips with a 3DX texture. This material is comfortable, easy to clean, and designed to come in and out of rod holders easily for trolling and drifting applications

Pro Angler Robert Gee shows us the newly redesigned G.Loomis IMX-Pro Series rods

The new IMX-Pro rods feature TaperTec rolled blanks which are optimized for strength and light weight, and feel crisper and more sensitive than previous IMX-Pro Series rods. I also like the cleaner overall look of the new rods. Most of the new IMX-Pro Bass rods retail for $450-$460

The new Versus DG (Drew Gregory) Power rods are designed for kayak anglers and are 2 piece for easier travel. They also have some unique features like a dual trigger and flat foregrips to make it easy to rest your finger on every side

The two-piece design have a lock and pin connection and still exhibit a natural taper that feels like a one piece rod

These rods feature EVA grips and the butt section looks like it blends into the grip...

...but is also designed to be removed to better integrate into certain kayak rod holders and equipment

Building on the popularity of the Safyre spinning rod Okuma is now introducing matching rods for both Safyre spinning and casting reels

Paired with the new Safyre baitcaster the rods match nicely

The Safyre rods are built on a 24 ton carbon blank. Guides are stainless steel with zirconium inserts

The grips are tapered grey EVA. The new Safyre rods look clean and are very aggressively priced at $89.99

Vince at Phenix shows us the company's newest Virtus Red Diamond rod specifically designed for fishing urchin baits

The Phenix Virtus Red Diamond rods are the higher end line and feature higher modulus Toray 40T carbon blanks versus the 30T blanks on the Blue Diamond rods

The reel seats are Seaguide and finished with a carbon fiber hood

Phenix also launched a new lineup of inshore rods

The Virtus Inshore Series is built on 30T Toray carbon fiber blanks and there will be 4 spinning and 5 casting models to pick from

Every Virtus rod is manufactured in the USA

SPRO continues to lean into their collaboration with KGB Swimbaits offering rods designed specifically for throwing baits like the Chad Shad XL and other full sized slides and wakes

The SPRO rod features proven hardware including Fuji exposed blank reel seat and Fuji Guides

Technically the SPRO KGB rod is a three way collab as the rod was developed through a collaboration with highly respected rod maker F5 who makes some very high quality rods for big bait anglers

The Spro rod is finished with a EVA rear handle and a reminder of what it is designed for. The SPRO KGB Signature Series rod retails for $285.99

There were also some enthusiast JDM rods at the show like the show like the DSTYLE Dehighro which is designed by Daisuke Aoki to deliver premium sensitivity, balance for finesse presentations

Reel seats are painted piano black, and the hardware throughout is top notch

The Dehighro rods are nice but come with a hefty price tag of $599.99

Hideup, the same company that introduced the world to the Coike urchin style bait, also had rods on display

The Hideup Macca Series offers high-modulus rods across all techniques, not just fishing urchins

How much will the Macca set you back? Try $559

Next up, stay tuned as we dive into the lures that caught our attention at the show. While this ICAST was certainly dominated by urchin style baits there were some other interesting baits worth exploring as well.