Exploring New Water

A tip of the hat to the National Professional Fishing League for taking a chance.
The pro tournament circuit stirred some pots and rattled some cages over the Labor Day holiday with an announcement that it will prohibit contestants from using forward-facing sonar (FFS) during its top level bass fishing tournaments in 2025.
Think of the NPFL like the little kid on a big block historically ruled by 800-pound gorillas including Bassmaster and Major League Fishing. Based in Missouri, the organization was founded in 2021 and has been putting down roots ever since.
Competing on the tour isn’t cheap. The pros fork over $5,200 entry fees to compete in national qualifying events for a top payout of $100,000.
For those who may not know, FFS is the biggest thing in fishing in recent times. The technology helps savvy anglers see fish from a considerable distance —  all around the boat — using one or more transducers that transfer real time imagery to viewing screens as large as 22 inches wide.
More importantly, live sonar allows for watching the bait after the cast and seeing how the fish react to it. Sometimes it’s possible to hound an individual fish with different baits until it finally bites.
Fish can run from the technology, but they can’t hide. Especially those suspended over open water. Some pros are deadly with it deep and skinny water, alike.
Cool as FFS is, it has become a topic of widespread debate among anglers, tournament organizations and the lucrative industry that supports them, largely because of the unprecedented advantages it provides fishermen who are really proficient with it.
Some anglers love it.
Some hate it.
Others are on the fence.
Many feel the technology just doesn’t belong in top tier tournament circuits. Some perceive it as a threat to the integrity of a sport that is founded on the tall challenges of finding and patterning fish, then casting to them with a hope and a prayer of getting bit. FFS takes much of the inherent guesswork out of the game. It makes catching fish too easy, they say.
Not surprisingly, plenty of backers are hollering foul about the NPFL ban on FFS. In fact, some may argue the move is nothing more that a stumbling block placed in the path of inevitable progress in a high-tech electronics world that seemingly knows no boundaries. Learn it or go about business as usual, they say.
No matter how you slice it, the NPFL’s decision to ban the technology is a bold one that comes at a time when pro fishing has reached a crossroads that is previously uncharted.  NPFL president Brad Fuller said in a recent news release that the decision was made in the name of upholding the future of the sport.
“At NPFL, we do not want competitive bass fishing to become a technology arms race where anglers stare at a screen, targeting pixels and losing their connection to the fish we love so much,” Fuller said. “Forward-facing sonar is changing the ways that anglers approach competition and the ways that fans consume content. It’s also reducing the methods and baits that anglers use to compete. Our sport is too important and too diverse to allow technology to shrink it to a handful of methods and tackle. Robust competition requires variety, experience, and broad skills. It must be more than an expensive video game.”
Fuller likened the reasoning for the rule change to the logic used for gear restrictions in other sports. Sometimes you just have to draw the line, he said.
“Major League Baseball does not allow aluminum bats so as to protect certain players on defense and to preserve the game’s legacy,” he said. “Auto racing has restrictions on engines and other equipment to protect drivers and ensure competitiveness. The Professional Golfers’ Association prohibits balls that use technology to overcome shortcomings of skill. Tournament bass fishing is not different from these other sports in its need to protect the integrity and appeal of the game.
“FFS is an incredible tool, and no matter your attitude toward the technology, it’s undeniable that it’s impactful for bass catching,” he added. “Our concern at the NPFL is whether it’s a proper tool for competitive bass fishing.”
Interestingly, Bassmaster is marching to the beat of a different drum. In fact, the organization doesn’t seem to be overly concerned about FFS usage at all.
The Alabama-based tournament organization announced its stance on the technology in a September 4 press release on bassmaster.com. BASS tightened the noose somewhat, but will still allow the use for FFS at the Elite level.
Among the changes for the 2025 season and the Bassmaster Classic:
* Limit anglers to one FFS transducer per boat, must be mounted to the trolling motor. Formerly no limit.
* Limit anglers to a total of 55 inches of electronics screens. Formerly no limit.
* Eliminate the use of electronic boat brakes that are typically attached to shallow water anchors.
* BASS also scheduled more fishing venues that accommodate a variety of fishing styles other that casting jig head minnows on a spinning rod to roaming fish in open water.
BASS says the changes were recommended by a special committee that spent the entire 2024 tournament season reviewing tournament results, consulting with conservation partners, industry leaders and communicating with Elite Series pros.
“The use of live sonar at the Elite level has sparked tremendous debate,” said Chase Anderson, BASS CEO. “Our technology committee spent a tremendous amount of time reviewing post-event surveys, comparing equipment on Elite boats to success rates and considering both fan engagement and bass community feedback related to the use of new technology. As the leading tournament organization in sport fishing, our goal was to ensure a level playing field that both embraces the value of hard work and experience on the water as well as new technologies that will continue to improve angler success.”
Anderson added that he believes the changes will keep BASS at the top of the heap in competitive fishing circles.
“We remain committed to being the leaders in our industry and making decisions that we believe are in the best interest of our sport,” he said.
At press time, Major League Fishing had to yet to weigh-in with any format changes for the upcoming 2025 fishing season.  An announcement is coming, according Joe Opager, Director of Communications with Major League Fishing.
“Discussions are taking place for 2025, but nothing is 100 percent official,” Opager said. “We expect announce details for all of our circuits very soon.”
Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by email, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo.com .