Danco, based in Stuart, makes premium pliers for fishing. (Photo by Scott Bernarde)
August 01, 2025
By Alan Clemons
Florida has been a fishing destination for centuries, from the era of early explorers to today’s anglers seeking freshwater and saltwater success. Entrepreneurs have thrived making reels, rods, lures, fly fishing gear, boats, accessories and more from the earliest times when anglers needed gear to put fish on the bank or in the boat.
That still holds true today, with fishing-related companies dotting the Sunshine State landscape. Here are just a few of the many "Florida Made" fishing products that stood out at the annual ICAST Show in Orlando.
Bull Bay Sniper Elite | Lakeland Bull Bay Rods, based in Lakeland, has upgraded its Sniper Elite line. Bull Bay upgraded one of its most popular rods to produce the Sniper Elite, designed for inshore saltwater or freshwater action. The rods have 100 percent carbon fiber blanks, strategic midsection layering for more integrity and a Seaguide Air-K ultralight carbon reel seat that is 30 percent lighter. The American Tackle Ti-Forged guides include Nanolite ceramic inserts, helping lines glide smoothly on casts and retrieves. The rods come in two 7-foot and two 7-6 models, in Medium and Medium Heavy actions. Learn More
Bajio Greenland | New Smyrna Bajio, based in New Smyrna, debuted its Greenland line at ICAST. Whether you’re in open water trolling or making a drop, or peering into mangrove shade for a cast, the new Bajio Greenland sunglasses handle both with ease. They offer a large fit and full wrap, super clarity, and protection from the sun’s harmful rays. The model comes in three frame colors and seven lens tints in the most popular shades for bright sun, shade, overcast and open water. Glass and polycarbonate lenses are offered, along with reader and prescription possibilities. Vented rubber nose pads and side shields help prevent slippage even when you’re sweaty. Greenland lenses block 90 percent of harsh yellow light, 95 percent of blue light and 100 percent UV light. Learn More
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Fishbites | St. Augustine Fight Club is a line of soft-plastic lure made by Fishbites, based in St. Augustine. Among the offerings from Fishbites is the Fight Club series for saltwater anglers, with attractant-infused baits for different techniques or situations. The baits are designed with a proprietary hydrogel material that is durable but releases the natural attractants to get fish fired up. Designs include shrimp, large grubs, mullet, jerkbaits, paddletails and curlytail grubs in eight colors. Fishbites also has other saltwater and freshwater baits. Learn More
Angler Co Imposter Jig | Lakeland The slow-pitch Impostor Jig from Angler Co of Lakeland. Anglers have six realistic options in multiple sizes with the slow-pitch Impostor Jig from Angler Co of Lakeland. These include Pinfish, Lane Snapper, Vermillion Snapper, Hornbelly, Bonita and Mahi, all with realistic designs and durable coatings to resist chipping or flaking. The pinfish, for example, has a silver hue and stripes to better resemble a juvenile pinfish. The jigs have a hook-and-leash system for hard hooksets and big fights. They’re available in 100g, 150g and 200g sizes. Learn More
Aquatic Nutrition Q8 Super Bait | Eustice Aquatic Nutrition, of Eustice, makes Q8 Super Bait. Aquatic Nutrition offers a wide array of artificial baits for saltwater and freshwater fishing, along with chum, attractants and more. The Q8 Super Bait series ranges from curly tails and hellgrammites to eggs (for trout and salmon species), catfish liver slabs, worms, jerkbaits, paddletails and shrimp. The Q8 line releases a natural scent and flavor that helps fish home in and hang on when they bite. Learn More
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Star Brite Deck + Pad Cleaner | Ft. Lauderdale Star Brite’s Deck + Pad Cleaner. Star Brite is no stranger to boaters, and its Marine Foam Deck + Pad Cleaner is specially formulated for EVA and PE foam materials. These include SeaDek, MarineMat and DEKit. The biodegradable cleaner removes fish blood, scales, grime, slime and salt without using any abrasives or acidic chemicals. It works on deck pads, swim platforms, step surfaces and other foam padding. Learn More
Danco Premio USA Fused Carbon Pliers | Stuart Danco’s Fused Carbon pliers unveiled by the Stuart company at ICAST. Fused Carbon Pliers ($199.99) are pound for pound the lightest and strongest pliers in the industry. They’re built using a non-weaved technology of high strength carbon fibers that creates very high stiffness, allowing for the greatest weight to strength ratio, minimal deformation under load and excellent fatigue resistance. The random orientation of the carbon fiber creates a unique pattern so no two pliers will look alike. Learn More
Bass Assassin K.O. Assassin | Mayo Bass Assassin’s K.O. Assassin soft-plastic stickbait. In the “oldie but goodie” category, Bass Assassin brings back its popular K.O. Assassin stickbait for bass anglers. It has a thick midsection tapering to the ends, where two dangly dongle bulbs shake and wiggle on the fall. Rigged wacky style in the middle, it’s a subtle yet alluring bait for bass. They’re 5 inches long, come in six colors and are loaded with Bass Assassin’s liquid salt formula. Learn More
Yo-Zuri America | Port St Lucie Yo-Zuri America, headquartered in Port St. Lucie, has introduced the (top to bottom) Mag Popper 100, Mag Pencil and Hydro Monster Shot 65. Yo-Zuri’s new Mag Pencil is a topwater beast designed to call up big fish, and yes ... it will work for saltwater, as designed, or freshwater for big bass. It features Yo-Zuri’s patented sled magnetic weight transfer system that ensures the tail is leading the cast, even into the wind. This ensures longer and more accurate casts, less tumble or turnover, and better fishing. The internal weight shifts during the retrieve so the “dog walk” action is on point, either slowly or quickly. Mag Pencil is 8 inches long, weighs 3 1/3-ounce, has heavy duty components and comes in 10 colors. Also new from Yo-Zuri is the Mag Popper 100, a downsized version of the popular topwater that spits, pops and chugs. It’s 4 inches long, weighs 1 ounce and has all the top features of its big brother along with 11 color schemes. The new Hydro Monster Shot 65 is a dancing, darting bait for covering the entire water column. It weighs 7/8ths ounce, is 2 5/8-inches long and has a single inline hook with through-wire construction. Learn More
Travis Luther Art | St. Augustine Travis Luther Art is located in St. Augustine. Talk about eye-catching! While cruising the show floor, we spied these two incredible backpacks painted by Travis Luther. The Florida native is an artist and angler, lives in St. Augustine and creates some wildly cool work. He works on Yeti coolers and backpacks, which offer a broad, smooth canvas, along with other items such as decals, handbags, wall art and more. Luther does commissions, too. Learn More
