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Published: 06 September 2024

NICC Results

Corey and Kelly Smith - 1st Place

Corey and Kelly Smith caught the only limit and won the Northern Indiana Couples Circuit tournament at Duke’s Bridge recently.

The Smiths had 10.5l pounds but also had the biggest bass of the derby with a 3.10-pound largemouth.

While other anglers struggled with short strikes and fish that were unwilling to commit to a frog, the winning couple caught their fish dragging worms through the pads.

With the conclusion of the season, Connor Tonkel and Ava Godbey claimed the Team of the Year title, and will have all their 2025 season entries paid for.

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Published: 05 September 2024

BASS Report

B.A.S.S. has announced the creation of equipment standards related to new technologies that will impact anglers competing on the biggest stage in bass fishing.

First, the number of live sonar transducers will be regulated to one and it must be mounted to the trolling motor at the bow of the boat. Until now, Elite Series and Classic competitors could have an unlimited number of live transducers mounted on their boats in any location. B.A.S.S. will also provide a list of acceptable live transducers from all major electronics manufacturers. Equipment not on this list is banned from usage in Elite Series and Classic competition. This equipment list will be vetted and updated annually.

Secondly, Elite Series and Classic competitors will be limited to a total of 55 inches of screen, including bow and dash head units. The trend to add more and bigger head units to boats is becoming a safety concern, as the bigger screens may create blind spots impacting the safe piloting of boats.

Thirdly, Elite Series and Classic competitors may now have only one electric motor mounted to their boats. There has been a rise in the use of electric motors mounted to shallow water anchors, which makes the enforcement of current rules (like long-lining and trolling) very difficult.

Lastly, B.A.S.S. will focus on a more diverse Elite Series schedule, creating a wide variety of fishing styles demanded for success. While live sonar technology will remain a consistent tool used at the very highest level of competitive bass fishing, experience and a deep-seeded understanding of fish behavior, movement and patterns will also be needed for success moving forward on the fisheries scheduled.

These new standardization practices are the result of the B.A.S.S. technology committee’s year-long collection of data, review of tournament results, consultations with conservation partners, discussions with industry leaders and communications with every Elite Series pro multiple times throughout the 2024 season. Voices from every corner of the fishing industry were heard and considered. After extensive debate and consideration, the committee made its final recommendation to B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. Once the 2025 Elite Series schedule was finalized earlier this week, Anderson approved the following standardization practices.

“The use of live sonar at the Elite level has sparked tremendous debate,” said Chase Anderson. “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 sportfishing, 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. B.A.S.S. has always been, and will continue to be, dedicated to teaching our members, fans and the bass fishing community how to catch more and bigger bass. Educating anglers on both the fundamentals of fishing as well as new technology aligns with this principle. B.A.S.S. is, and always has been, the keeper of the culture of our sport. We believe these new standards will ensure that both the present and future competitive landscape of the Elite Series will remain above reproach. We remain committed to being the leaders in our industry and making decisions that we believe are in the best interest of our sport.”

These new standardization practices will go into effect with the start of the 2025 Elite Series season. The B.A.S.S. technology committee will continue to monitor the impacts of new technology on bass fishing’s biggest stage.

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Published: 03 September 2024

By Brad Fuller, From NPFL Website

Credit: NPFL Photo

After many sleepless nights and countless hours of discussions that touched every corner of the fishing industry, we at the National Professional Fishing League have come to realize several important things about live forward-facing fishing technology.

First, the issue is complex and compounded by the fact that it elicits an emotional response from many.

Second, for rational discussion and decision-making, it’s helpful to remove as much emotion from the process as possible.

Third, there are serious policy and business ramifications associated with taking any position on this technology.

Read more …