Suddenly, It’s Urgent

In today’s media, hot topics are all the rage. When a contentious subject comes up, it seems anyone and everyone wants to get in on the debate. Often, those with limited knowledge suddenly become experts.

In our small corner of the world, that subject is, and has been, forward-facing sonar. I have to laugh at how many social media posts have been dedicated to the issue. Tournament anglers with little invested, and even less in their win columns, chimed in with their take.

One of the most celebrated opinions was that of Hank Parker, and his breakthrough in determining that the major bass leagues have done a disservice to the game by allowing FFS in competition.

Readers here likely experienced a case of deja vu when hearing Parker’s comments, as I reported late last year that: “All the major sports – every one – have decided on and adopted rules to keep the sport within the intentions of the game. Such creates both integrity and a way to measure success across generations of athletes.”

As part of Parker’s statement mirrors this concept exactly, its evident influential members of the bass fishing community are finally considering the effects of FFS.

Digging deeper reveals a bolder statement made over three years ago, again here in Balog’s Bass War:

“…Every major sonar manufacturer will soon have forward-facing technology and will promote the sale of such to the extreme. Anglers from Pro Circuit vagabonds to bass-club heroes will eat it up. The use of such technology will be accepted and expanded until nothing else can compete.”

I remember getting a bit of grief for that one. Industry friends and pros alike said that FFS was simply situational. I still chuckle about that.

No, in time, more and more people are starting to understand just how far reaching the impact of FFS is. This is a technology that continues to totally override any previous concept we had of competitive bass fishing. Along with the perceived negatives, there are a few positives. FFS allows anglers a better understanding of bass and their habits, and it’s greatly increased catch rates, too, if you consider that a plus.

However, other bullet points are now finally being used in the pushback against FFS. Besides integrity of the game, veterans claim FFS is limiting angler spends on other things like lures and equipment. I’m sure that’s the case. However, the tackle giants have simply joined the revolution and some are experiencing record sales as a result.

We also hear that FFS is limiting anglers from entering into the realm of competitive angling due to cost. Here, I have to speak up.

In case others haven’t noticed, organized bass fishing has been limiting entry for decades, and, until now, those on the inside never made a peep. Despite what critics said – me being one – it was always business as usual, as long as consumers kept spending.

Moving from 150- to 250-horsepower maximums limited entry into competitive bass fishing immediately, resulting in boat costs that have become out of reach for most anglers. In the last 40 years, the price of competition-class bass boats has increased five-fold. That’s more than double the rise in other big-ticket items – automobiles, for one – over the same period. This has all been justified through the “giant water-body clause”, where competitors must travel hundreds of miles, burning thousands of dollars of fuel, in order to stay competitive.

Electronic packages limited entry into bass tournaments even before FFS. Screen size went from seven to 15 inches, side imaging, down imaging and multi-unit stacks became mandatory, and $300 mapping chips were advertised to give us the slightest edge. Trolling motors tied into the depthfinders, offering anchoring capabilities and, magically, doubled in cost overnight.

Lithium batteries continue to be picked to power everything, even as consumers struggle to find a valid competitive reason. Supporters say that boat speeds increase from 72 to 74 mph. For more on that, refer to the section on horsepower regulations.

Shallow-water anchors came from saltwater, but one was not good enough, so bass anglers bought two. Hydraulic jackplates simply became part of the boat. New lures were introduced, some carrying Japanese endorsement, that tripled in cost for essentially the same product. Bass junkies bought them by the cartonnand accepted it as part of the game.

And entry into the sport has been limited by the entry fees themselves. While we don’t need to revisit the topic, using simple math, it’s easy to determine that entry fee vs. payout percentage has declined. While it may date me to admit it, the first professional tournament I ever fished had an entry fee under $800 and awarded a fully-rigged boat and cash to first and second place.

Finally, even the aspects of competitive fishing that many thought would finally give us an entry way – high school, college and kayak trails – have become bogged down with deranged consumerism. As the ultimate oxymoron, all competitive kayaks nowadays are rigged with trolling motors.

So save the talk of FFS limiting entry into the sport. We’ve been fully capable of ensuring that all along.

(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)

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