Forward Facing Sonar in Professional Bass Circuits (B.A.S.S. & MLF)

[willmann817]

How does everyone feel about forward facing sonar (FFS) in professional angling?

Some tournaments around here especially an upcoming crappie tournament in May at Truman Lake, MO has 2 divisions (one with FFS and one without).

I do not have an opinion and I have been saving up the money to buy it myself since I am a weekend angler and I like taking my dad fishing and not skunking out and have seen it work well for getting a limit of crappie by locals at my lake but I saw a video by Randy Blaukat (former MLF angler) on Youtube that has some good points arguing against its use in tournament angling on how it hurts viewership of the sport and ruins traditional skillsets.

I love hearing different opinions. My take is that technology has allowed us to do more in hunting (trail cameras, automatic deer feeders/food plots, better broadheads) for deer but in Kansas you can't hunt deer with thermal or night vision.

Let's keep it respectful! I know feelings can be strong on this issue.

[skeeterator]

Love it but hate RB.

[Bass in the grass]

Well, this is the first time this topic has been discussed!

[SGrem]

Makes for horrible TV. But FFS manufacturers like Garmin and Hummingbird sponsors the fishing programming soooooo.....

I'm sure the first tournament when people were paddling around and same Ah0le came by with his trolling motor had the same reactions....

Technology is here. Either have with/without divisions or quit whining about it.

[billnorman1]

Even I am getting bored with the "What do you think about...." posts. It's here to stay.

[paulrodbender]

That poor horse

[PsuHntr]

you new here?

[basshammerwannabe]

How does everyone feel about forward facing sonar (FFS) in professional angling?

Some tournaments around here especially an upcoming crappie tournament in May at Truman Lake, MO has 2 divisions (one with FFS and one without).

I do not have an opinion and I have been saving up the money to buy it myself since I am a weekend angler and I like taking my dad fishing and not skunking out and have seen it work well for getting a limit of crappie by locals at my lake but I saw a video by Randy Blaukat (former MLF angler) on Youtube that has some good points arguing against its use in tournament angling on how it hurts viewership of the sport and ruins traditional skillsets.

I love hearing different opinions. My take is that technology has allowed us to do more in hunting (trail cameras, automatic deer feeders/food plots, better broadheads) for deer but in Kansas you can't hunt deer with thermal or night vision.

Let's keep it respectful! I know feelings can be strong on this issue.

Be ready for some smart butt answers. nothing against you, know that.. but this exact topic has been brought up higher then i can count on this forum. And Randy Bs name is a no no

[Tk_duluthbass]

There should be 2 divisions. That's the best way forward. I like fishing with FFS sometimes, but it's not how I'd like to compete. I feel like I was pretty much forced into using it to be competitive which is bs because it's so expensive.

[OkAce]

There should be 2 divisions. That's the best way forward. I like fishing with FFS sometimes, but it's not how I'd like to compete. I feel like I was pretty much forced into using it to be competitive which is bs because it's so expensive.

They had a no FFS tournament on Grand last weekend and it had around 15 boats

[OkieBud]

Now everyone knows what a fisherman felt like when the Flashers then LCD Graphs come out..

[yadkincustomlures]

If the expense of FFS is the limiting factor you should not be competing in bass fishing tournaments, let alone fishing at all. You should be working to make your life better. It's 2500 bucks for the whole deal....

[paulrodbender]

If the expense of FFS is the limiting factor you should not be competing in bass fishing tournaments, let alone fishing at all. You should be working to make your life better. It's 2500 bucks for the whole deal....

It's really a no brainer. invest 2500, enter a tournament and win 300,000 ........... So I heard on the internet.

[basshammerwannabe]

they might as well eliminate the mapping to while there at it

[Booster]

Hmmm, I've never even thought about it!

[Rider99XX]

you new here?

[PsuHntr]

If the expense of FFS is the limiting factor you should not be competing in bass fishing tournaments, let alone fishing at all. You should be working to make your life better. It's 2500 bucks for the whole deal....

right.....and easily had for around 1k now if you want to go the used route

[basshammerwannabe]

There should be 2 divisions. That's the best way forward. I like fishing with FFS sometimes, but it's not how I'd like to compete. I feel like I was pretty much forced into using it to be competitive which is bs because it's so expensive.

forced?

[DylanSam]

horse.PNG

[Thamelau]

I feel as though the pro's have always used the latest and greatest to improve their efficiency on the water and Forward Facing Sonar is no different. I think it has so much traction because it's the biggest improvement to efficiency that we have seen since the first lake maps came out. What used to take decades to learn was cut to years with the trolling motor (exploring a lake). What used to take years now takes days with mapping (locating the best looking structure). What used to take days now takes hours with mapping and side (finding individual pieces of cover). And now you have what used to take hours with mapping and side imaging now takes minutes with FFS (locating fish on structure/cover).

IMO the older generation has always hated the younger generation's technology, but considers what came out when they were younger to be "traditional." However in recent years the older generation now has a platform to make their voices heard more than before (social media).