Once again, last week’s ICAST event brought the fishing industry to Orlando, Fla.. The show is always as a special treat, giving me the ability to see what’s new, gauge the strength of our retail market and visit with a few friends I see too infrequently.

In terms of equipment, there’s always a theme to the strongest trends. For a while that was kayaks and everything to do with paddlesports. Fifteen years ago, the industry flocked to the idea that anybody could now become an angler with just a few hundred bucks. At the same time, lifelike lures were making a big push by companies like Sebile and Livingston. It seemed if a bait looked like a fish, at least in the package, it was a sure winner. Costa sunglsees were hot, as we saw a brand that defined lifestyle and generated a huge following.

Fast forward to 2014, and kayaks continued to have a hold on the industry, but now offered more fish-ability and pedal drives. This also marked the beginning of the advanced trolling-motor wars, as a number of players were bringing out electric-steer models. Costa won again. We also saw the introduction of a new design in fish hooks with the Trokar brand. Wickedly sharp, the aggressive style might have turned off a few users, as Eagle Claw still sells other products lines better.

Five years later, even more advanced kayaks held on, 360 imaging took an award, Costa proved to be an ICAST legacy, and Garmin won the trolling-motor battle. Here, we began to see less true ingenuity, or creation of totally unique products and categories. Instead, refinement of ideas that already existed became the big push. Go further, get better, catch one more fish at all costs.

This year, of course, that refinement carried on into the newest rage in fishing: forward-facing sonar. Everything is currently focusing on this trend, and we saw that in category award winners at ICAST. Lures, modifications, batteries, line, rods; everything hot in fishing is focused on the concept of trolling around looking for fish, and utilizing technical finesse tactics to catch them. At ICAST this year, especially in terms of bass fishing equipment, it was as if nothing else mattered.

We’ve got a ways to go with this for sure, assuming the industry continues down the current path. In the future, we’ll see more precise ways to target fish on screen, modifications to determine where those fish are in relation to the angler, and better views of lures. Trolling motors will seek out fish without angler input, I’d guess. Those same motors will also lock on to fish and chase them, I’d wager. Call me crazy ...

Try as I might, I never came across a "wow" moment at this year's ICAST show. Instead, what I saw were more subtle, technical improvements. Rods are lighter, lines are thinner, lures even more realistic and longer lasting.

Personally, my biggest highlight came in the form of praise from a fisheries chief who consults this column to get a gauge on the industry. My rogue views, it seems, are often valuable to get a true feel of how the fishing world ticks, especially concerning bass.

Habitat is a big concern, as are the usual hot topics like fishing for spawning fish, tournament impacts and more, I learned. I don’t waver much on these subjects, but I do appreciate learning the viewpoints of all sides. In terms of fisheries management, rarely are any major decisions one-sided. Focusing on the new technology all around us, me and the chief talked briefly about the impact of FFS, especially on catch-and-keep fisheries.

Vegetation issues take center stage here in Florida, but in other systems, spawning habitat or competition may be bigger considerations. The important thing is that we continue to question and learn. As human beings, our track record on fish and wildlife management is less than stellar, and decisions from the not-so-distant past often look foolish.

So it was nice to hear that managers read this piece, and consider us in their plans. Bass anglers compose a very large group of stakeholders and our representation is far lacking from what it used to be.

At ICAST, though, our size and spending power was as apparent as ever. Manufacturers continue to take notice. The age-old question is apparent as ever: Just how far will we go to catch one more bass?

(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)