More Fishing Gear Winners from Our 2025 Field Tested Awards

Here you’ll find more winners from our fishing gear tests that range from fly rods for trout to forward facing sonar.

Introducing The Real Grit, our retail partner for the 2025 Field Tested Awards. Buying through the links provided helps support Outdoor Life.

Hatch Outdoors has only been on the scene for about 20 years. But in that relatively short span of time, the California-based reel manufacturer has become ubiquitous in fly shops and guide boats around the world. Hatch reels have some of the smoothest and strongest drags around, and the reels themselves are damn-near indestructible. Because of these attributes, and especially the Yeti-like reputation they have for durability, Hatch is arguably the most popular high-end reel maker on the market today. 

Unlike most other manufacturers, Hatch currently offers just one model: the Iconic. It is offered in a wide range of sizes, from the 3 plus, designed for 3-5 weight rods, to the 11 plus for 11-12 weight rods. Hatch also gives the option of a large arbor or mid-sized arbor when you get into the larger sizes. (The mid-sized arbor holds more backing for handling longer runs.) Unless you go the custom route (expect to pay for it), the Iconic is offered in four basic color patterns. 

Building on the popular Finatic line, the Iconic has some subtle but noticeable improvements over its predecessor, including a lighter overall weight, better sealing, and a new carbon-filled drag that is strong enough to put the brakes on pretty much anything that swims. Is that overkill for most anglers? Absolutely. But if you’re looking for a fly reel that is tough as nails and smooth as silk, the Iconic is worth a close look.  

I bought my first Lamson Liquid reel many years ago as a backup for my salmon-fishing outfit. Over the years, I’ve found myself using it almost as much as I do the first team reel. The Liquid, which comes in 3-through-9-weights, is die-cast and not machined like most high-end reels, which is why the price is so low (it’s cheaper to manufacture that way). 

But you don’t lose much in performance here, or even in durability, though I have found that the reel is easily nicked-up cosmetically. The drag system is the same one that Lamson uses in some of its high-end reels, so nothing is compromised there. The only real drawback is that I’ve had trouble in the saltwater with this reel — machined bar stock reels tend to hold up better in that hostile environment. But for your freshwater needs? An excellent backup, or even primary, reel, especially for those new to the sport. — Monte Burke

I don’t always use a fish finder while kayak fishing, especially when I’m fishing shallow water, but the times I do need one, they’re absolutely critical to my success. I’ve been using my Elite FS 7 for summer crappie fishing, which is difficult because the fish move constantly, chasing schools of baitfish. So the hard part is finding them and staying with the school. I have the 3-in-1 Transducer and primarily use the down scan for summer crappie. I’ll peddle my Old Town Sportsman Big Water PDL around likely areas like submerged brush piles until I find a school. Then I’ll drop my jig down until it hangs in their face. 

Schools of crappie and the cover they hang around to show up plain as day on the screen. I’m no video game fisherman, but I have no trouble finding fish with the down scan. 

I also use my electronics heavily while fishing for saltwater species like striped bass, flounder, sea bass, and sheepshead that hang around structure. I’m not necessarily marking fish while targeting those species, instead, I’m using electronics to find slight changes in depth and key pieces of structure. When I’m cruising around, I like to use the side-scan feature to cover the most area, and then I’ll switch to down scan once I see something I like. I recommend taking advantage of trying different color palates for the side scan until you find one that you like best. I personally like the yellow and black contrast. 

I used the YakAttack Rectangular Fish Finder Mount to attach the Elite FS 7 to the forward gear tracks on my kayak. The transducer mounting took some minor modifications because my Old Town is most compatible with Humminbirds. But, it was nothing that a little time with a power drill and a quick trip to the hardware store for stainless bolts couldn’t fix. Running the transducer cable was easy in my yak, and wiring the power source was also easy. 

The mapping on the Lowrance is excellent, and the touchscreen makes it easy to scroll around the map to find ledges, drop-offs, or map your route. If you’re scouting an area at home, you can view your fish finder’s map on an iPad by connecting it via WiFi. 

Sometimes, you pick up a rod and are completely wowed. As soon as I touched the Loomis GCX, I knew I had something special in my hands. The rod felt perfectly balanced with a decent flex that let me know it had a lot of backbone for making long casts. Yet, it still had all the sensitivity I needed for making delicate presentations and detecting subtle strikes. Everything about the rod felt comfortable in my hand, with the soft cork handles and Fuji reel seat, like an extension of my arm. 

I took the Loomis GCX on a float down the Yellowstone River and fished it with everything from small spinners to some heavy soft plastics to a couple of chunky swim baits, and the rod performed beautifully. It’s a rod that can handle everything you throw at it, and it never feels like you’re pushing it too hard. The Loomis GCX is a flat-out pleasure to fish, with its only downside being that it’s a one-piece rod, so I can’t fit it in a backpack or suitcase, or else I’d bring it everywhere I go. 

G.Loomis was one of the first premium, mission-driven brands in the rod world, and the IMX Series has long been their workhorse. They haven’t made major changes over the years because they haven’t had to, but the subtle iterations keep it at the forefront of quality and versatility. While this rod is rated as “heavy,” I have no trouble flicking a weightless Senko with it. It also excels with Carolina Rigs and light jigs, but what really makes it versatile is that it’s a solid performer with moving baits like Chatterbaits and squarebills, too. Is it perfect for those lures in all circumstances and for all anglers? Possibly not, but if you’re ready for your first premium stick and you want it to cover a lot of bases, this should be your choice. —Pete Robbins

Best Crappie Combo: Lew’s Crappie Thunder

The Lew’s Crappie Thunder is the crappie combo that can do it all. It shoots docks, accurately casts a jig, and even casts a float and jig. It’s a perfect setup for catching slabs when you need one rod to cover various tasks. 

This combo has a fast action that’s great for making accurate casts, secure hooksets, and detecting subtle bites. I was really impressed at how well this combo worked for dock shooting, which is one of my favorite pre and post-spawn techniques. During a recent testing trip I easily threw an ⅛-ounce jig 60 feet, which ended up being the key to catching spooky fish in shallow water. 

See It

Pros

• Three speed options
• Extremely durable
• Super free spool for long casts

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Key Features

• 
  Left- and right-hand retrieves

• 
  6.2:

  
  1, 7.1:1, and 8.1:1 gear ratios

• 
  7.6 ounces

• 
  Eight ball bearings plus one roller bearing

I tried to beat this reel up; I truly did. I used it to subdue close-quarters largemouths, snakeheads, and slimy blue catfish. I even accidentally dropped it overboard and bounced it through rough waves. But no matter what I did, it never lost a step from its out-of-the-box smoothness. Yes, it’s heavier than some of the options on this list. But at 7.6 ounces, it’s still far lighter than the top-notch reels of yesteryear, and that added weight seems to provide some extra stability and durability. There’s simply no flex or give, or disappointment, no matter what you do to it. If you have the bucks, you could build a full arsenal out of Bantam MGLs at various retrieve speeds.

For the past few years I’ve been wearing boat shoes with thick EVA soles. After a long day on the water, my back profits from the foam’s shock absorbing qualities. This summer, I’m wearing Columbia’s new Castback TC with an extra thick EVA foam sole. Foam is great at absorbing energy, but it’s not great at support. To improve support and balance, the Castback uses a molded foot bed and cupped heel bed to secure the foot. The responsive foam is assisted by small domes on the bottom of the shoe that increase flexibility and shock absorption. 

To improve traction, the sole is reinforced with a layer of scalloped and sipped rubber designed to displace water and stick to wet surfaces. Each summer, my boat shoes die a slow death bleached by salt and sun and stained with fish blood. The Castback TC’s stain resistant upper ensures these shoes will last several seasons. My favorite feature, the back of the shoe is designed to fold down turning the sneakers into a pair of slip-ons.

See It

Pros

• Magnetic casting brake
• Large line capacity
• Easy access sideplate

Cons

• Conventional reels require more practice than spinning reels

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Key Features

• 
  Weight:

  
  17.1 ounces

• 
  Monofilament line capacity:

  
  305 yards of 15-pound test

• 
  Drag pressure:

  
  30 pounds

Walking through the New Product Showcase at the 2019 ICAST trade show, I stopped in my tracks, took out my smartphone and sent photos to my surf fishing buddies. “Look at this!” I texted. I was excited about the new PENN Fathom II SD15 for targeting big red drum in the surf. Red drum anglers are among the most demanding surf fishermen. They are looking for every advantage to make a long cast and beat a 50-pound fish through the raging surf. The PENN Fathom II SD15 is a high-speed conventional reel capable of producing 30 pounds of drag. After using the Fathom II for the last three years, the reel has earned a position as my go-to surf reel.

The main reason I love this reel is the magnetic casting brake. Once I set the brake with the small dial on the sideplate, the reel casts flawlessly time after time. The reel has a huge line capacity. If I break off, I don’t have to re-spool on the beach. To fight a big drum through the surfzone, the carbon fiber drag is smooth and reliable. I have pulled 50-pound drum through huge waves and strong current with the line stretched tight and the 12-foot rod heavily bent. The PENN 15SD balanced power with smooth release to give me the advantage. When I get home, the quick access side plate makes it easy to clean and lubricate the reel. Drum anglers won’t use a reel unless it is the best on the beach and the PENN 15SD has already become a classic as the best conventional reel for surf fishing.

I’ve been running Garmin ECHOMAPs at the bow and console of my boat for several years and they’ve been the most pleasurable electronics experience of my more than three decades of boating. Everything about them is simple to set up and adjust, with no bugs or hiccups along the way. They provide crisp pictures, excellent mapping and simple wireless networking, not just to each other but also to a Garmin trolling motor, if you have one. The ActiveCaptain App makes it easy to update the units as necessary. The standout feature, though, has been the LiveScope at the front of the boat. I’m not a pure “scoper,” but it enables me to catch more fish every time out – simply by keeping my eyes open. Garmin was the OG in terms of forward facing sonar, and with each transducer change and software update they make it easier and easier to be more deadly. It’s amazing what the pros can do with LiveScope and an EchoMap, everything from telling what type of fish they’re seeing to whether it’s catchable. Even in the hands of someone like me it immediately makes you a better angler.