The 2025 ICAST tradeshow lights shone bright on the world of fishing and kayaks showed up big with motors and laden with electronics. One of the big discussions centered around the Bonafide XTRs that were packed with $20k + of gear on them. Lots of folks will say, "just get a boat" and I hear ya, but kayaks are cooler. Me? I don't have time for all that but to each their own. It's entertaining to look at. 

Speaking of motors, we mentioned the YakAttack motor in the previous blog. YakAttack got some flak for what appeared a white labeled motor product. Once again, to each their own. You can find a video interview with Founder Luther Cifers and CEO David Martin online where they speak about the decision. Motors are here and front and center. 

YakAttack motor $1600

The Garmin booth had a decked out Bonafide PWR with speakers, graphs, etc. Plus their new Garmin Force Current motor that was also mentioned in the last blog. 

Garmin Force Current

• Suggested Retail Price:

  • With foot pedals: $3,599.99

  • Without pedals (motor only): $2,999.99

But my first objective was the Native Watercraft booth to see the new Hammer kayak. This thing looks awesome. The new drive looks great! and you can still mount a motor on the stern. 

The Specs for the Hammer:
LENGTH
12’10”
WIDTH
36”
DEPTH AT BEAM
13’5”
CAPACITY
650 lbs
FITTED HULL WT.
110 lbs
FULLY RIGGGED WT.
140 lbs

I think this Hammer is a going to be a great takeover for the Titan / Slayer market. 

The Johnson Outdoors booth had the Old Town Sportsman Pro 120 with a Terrova kayak motor mounted on the bow in their booth. It looked good. 

Minn Kota Kayak Terrova

• MSRP: $1,499.99

All in all, ICAST 2025 proved that the kayak fishing world is evolving fast; motors, electronics, and premium builds are becoming the new norm. Whether it's the $20K Bonafide XTR builds, Garmin’s high-tech Force Current motor, or the sleek setup of Old Town’s Sportsman Pro 120 with the Terrova, the line between kayak and boat keeps getting blurrier. But with exciting new platforms like the Native Hammer stepping in, there's still plenty of room for innovation that keeps things accessible and fun. It's an exciting time to be part of the scene.