October 9, 2024
Well, the day has arrived when one of the professional bass fishing organizations has made a major decision that will impact a lot of professional anglers both young and old. This decision was to ban forward-facing sonar. Finally, someone has grown a set and decided to level the playing field….or have they, and will it?
Let’s first look at who has decided to step up and save the sport of bass fishing as so many legendary pros think needs to be done. The NPFL (National Professional Fishing League) recently announced that forward-facing sonar will NOT be allowed for official practice or tournaments in 2025.
It will not be allowed for scouting (practice) or at any other time. It must be removed from your boat, along with the black box and the transducer. As one joyful pro angler said, “Time to go back to old school fishing!” No longer will anglers be able to look at bass on a screen like a version of Xbox and catch fish.
Is this good for the sport or is this decision holding the sport back? Well, the answer you get will depend upon what angler you ask. Majority of the old school guys will defend this decision and say “yes” it is good for the sport. Most compare this decision to the banning of the A-Rig (or umbrella rig) which many of the pros thought was an unethical way to catch bass by using more than one bait or hook. Old school anglers feel the same about forward-facing sonar in that it’s an unfair advantage for the anglers versus the fish.
I tend to agree with the old school anglers now that I’ve been a user of forward-facing sonar for the last two years and understand how it works. With this device, no fish is safe anywhere on any body of water. It allows anglers to select and zero in on the bigger bass in a school or swimming solo. This is not good for any fishery and could have lasting consequences as anglers do what I would call selective fishing by targeting larger bass.
Let’s face the facts with this electronic device. It has made champions out of anglers who have never won a tournament in their life. It’s become an equalizer or advantage for the younger or less experienced anglers that are fishing on the professional level. It has allowed them to not only compete but win with little to no experience compared to the guys that have paid their dues and taken years to acquire the knowledge they possess.
Nothing has leveled the playing field quicker for the younger generation of anglers more than forward-facing sonar. Anglers competing on the NPFL will have to rely on finding fish with more traditional ways by locating fish either by catching them or using side scan or down-imaging. No longer will they be able to just ride around on a body of water with three or more transducers and locate bass in real time.
While all organizations will not ban this new technology, there will be others that will follow. It’s still hard to understand how the three major electronic companies (Garmin, Humminbird and Lowrance) will move forward.
These companies will not sit on their hands and stop developing new technology. So, what’s next? Will the next advancement be banned as well? If so, how will these companies continue to survive without innovation and advancements in technology?
Here’s my perspective…. we can’t just continue to ban every new piece of technology that comes out! Tournament organizations need to adapt by altering the rules presently in place; rules that work for both boaters and co-anglers. At some point, they will have to figure out how to make forward-facing sonar and any future innovations work for the benefit of everyone.
But understand this, just because it’s banned on the professional level, does not mean it will be banned for the everyday angler or anglers fishing on the lower levels of competition.
I do agree that anglers on the professional level should be held to a higher standard; that’s why they’re called professionals. It’s the same reason Major League Baseball does not allow aluminum bats. Hitters would have too much of an advantage over pitchers and it would completely change the game.
But with regards to forward-facing sonar, only time will tell if it is doomed or if it will return. I personally think at some point, it will once again be allowed. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and take the time to enjoy some great fall fishing as lakes are less crowded now that hunting season is upon us.
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
There are just too many options for anglers to fish!
October 16, 2024
While we all know that nothing is better for a sport or business than competition, it’s the one thing that makes everyone work harder. Competition creates diversity and allows for people or an organization to get better. If you want to see what diversity looks like, look no further than the options available for bass tournament anglers in the state of Texas. Today we’ll look at the many options anglers have to pick from.
While competition is great, it’s not always what’s best for everyone. Bass anglers in this part of the Ark-La-Tex are spoiled and offered a lot of different options to fish especially when it comes to team tournament trails.
The question is: “How do anglers decide what they want to fish?” Is it about the cost to enter, the payback or is it more about what lakes the circuit is going to? The answer is…. all the above! Anglers today have a plethora of circuits to fish with the big three being the Texas Team Trail, Bass Champs and the Brandon Belt Team Trail. Also available are the ABA Solo 150’s, along with the ABA Pro League.
The big three listed above are all team trails while the two ABA circuits are professional style events as anglers fish solo in both. In 2024, ABA eliminated all co-anglers in order to offer anglers an affordable pro-style tournament trail with low entry fees of $325 for the single day Pro League and $625 for the Solo 150’s which are two-day events.
ABA also offers the opportunity for anglers to advance to a national championship event called The Ray Scott, named after the man who was a huge supporter of ABA and started professional bass fishing. The Ray Scott National Championship will draw up to 200 boats on average each year and is held on some of the best lakes in the country.
For 2025, Texas Team Trail has increased its payback with the intent to draw more anglers. Of the big three, Brandon Belt has become the top dog with huge paybacks of $100,000 going to the winners of each event. Bass Champs continues to cater to its angler base with great paybacks as well.
So, with so many great tournament trails available, anglers are sitting down and looking at what trail best fits their needs. The lakes selected by the circuit are a huge factor because anglers want to fish bodies of water they are familiar with. They want to fish lakes that give them the best chance to not only win but get a check.
The other problem with too many circuits is the fact that there are basically only 4 weekends in a month and anglers can’t financially afford to fish every weekend. This is why most anglers will only choose to follow two circuits.
This means some tournament trails will and are experiencing lower participation numbers. The next question is, “Can they all survive?” So far, the answer has been yes, but as we prepare to elect a new President, there is a lot of uncertainty with regards to the economy and what direction our country is headed.
From an angler’s perspective, we better hope and pray that the American people are not being fooled by a candidate who is feeding us a “word salad” and trying to sound intelligent while trying to convince the American public they can do the job. Because the choice we make this time will have a lasting affect that could have grave consequences and end our days of enjoying the sport we all love so much.
Till next time, good luck, good fishing and just because the hot summer days are behind us, protecting your skin is still important. Wear your sunscreen and good protective clothing every time you head out to your favorite lake.
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
