By Louie Stout

I admit I’m a hypocrite.

I don’t have the forward facing sonar but I think I want it. Once it improves, or the prices come down, I will get it.

But in the meantime, I’m beginning to wonder what kind of anglers this new technology has created.

While fishing area waters, I’ve watched anglers with the technology. They aren’t casting, but rather wandering around with the trolling motor, staring at the graph in search of a fish at which to throw.

And it’s not just me. Many pros are asking the same thing.
They all admit it’s a must-have if you fish professionally. But they also point out it can become a hindrance if you become addicted to it.

Brandon Palaniuk, the 2022 Bassmaster Angler of Year and arguably one of the best on tour with electronics, says many fishermen now use it as a crutch.

“It’s easy to do; I’ve caught myself guilty of it,” he confessed. “You can spend a lot of time trying to catch inactive bass.”

Palaniuk says anglers should spend more time learning the intricacies of 2D sonar, side imaging, down imaging, 360 and mapping as well as forward facing sonar.

“What good is your forward sonar if you don’t know where to go shine it around?” Palaniuk added.

Bass Pro Tour Jacob Wheeler, an avid user of the technology, said, “If you use it as your only tool, it can negatively impact your fishing.”

On the positive side, Kevin VanDam says the forward sonar “has taught me that a lot of things that I thought were true about bass are false. I used to think that bass pretty much always relate to cover and structure, but they randomly move around more in open water than I ever believed.”

Greg Hackney says anglers who rely heavily on the technology will dull their natural senses and instincts for finding bass.

“I have forward facing sonar; I use it but don’t rely on it,” he explained. “I’m for all the new technology, but I believe you should keep your instincts and senses sharp and rely upon those first then apply the technology.”

Obviously, the forward sonar can be a game changer when it comes to finding fish. But it also can take you away from the art and principles that drew you into fishing in the first place.

Call me old school, but a big part of bass fishing’s allure is putting together the puzzle. Becoming solely dependent on forward facing sonar will only cheat you out of that.