Organizations address live sonar | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

This week, two fishing organizations announced new policies regarding the use of forward-looking sonar in bass tournaments.

The National Professional Fishing League announced Monday that forward-looking sonar, or LiveScope, will be banned in bass tournaments starting in 2025.

On Wednesday, BASS announced new rules that limit some elements of the technology without affecting its actual use. In Elite Series tournaments and the Bassmaster Classic, which begins in 2025, anglers will be limited to one live sonar transducer, which must be mounted on the trolling motor at the bow of the boat. Previously, there were no limits on live sonar transducers. Anglers mounted them anywhere on their boats, giving them a 360-degree view of the water surrounding the boat, extending far into the distance. Anglers can continue to use live sonar in tournaments, but the rules are almost blinding.

Additionally, BASS will limit anglers to a total of 55 inches of sonar display screen surface. According to BASS, this is a safety precaution. Multiple large screens mounted on the bow and console block the boat driver’s view. They also pose a tripping hazard.

Finally, BASS said it will redesign the Elite Series to focus on fisheries where forward-facing sonar isn’t as useful for finding and catching bass. This is designed to benefit anglers who haven’t mastered forward-facing sonar.

It’s a generational thing. GenY and GenZ hunters and anglers are heavily gear-focused. They were born into an era where digital technology has revolutionized. They are immersed in it. They rely on electronic devices for every aspect of their lives, professionally and socially.

They are also the only competitive fishermen today. Gen X and older fishermen can’t compete with them, causing some of the most respected names to retire. Some say this is bad for the sport because the younger generation doesn’t have the same fan base.

Tournament organizations are facing tremendous pressure from veteran anglers and their sponsors to roll back the advantage that technology has given young anglers. The National Professional Fishing Association noted this in its announcement announcing the ban.

A very profound sentence in the bulletin says: “…its effectiveness in bass fishing is undeniable. Our concern at the NPFL is whether it is a suitable tool for competitive bass fishing.”

And then there’s this: “At the NPFL, we don’t want competitive bass fishing to become a technology arms race where anglers stare at a screen and target pixels and lose touch with the fish we love so much. Forward-facing sonar is changing the way anglers approach competition and the way fans consume content. It’s also reducing the methods and baits anglers use to compete.

“Our sport is too important and too diverse to allow technology to reduce it to a handful of methods and challenges. Strong competition requires variety, experience and a broad range of skills. It must be more than an expensive video game.”

That’s it. The kids have taken over the sport and the establishment is taking it back. But to do that, you have to stop time and evolution. Once atrophy has set in, it’s almost impossible to reverse, and that’s a bad thing for a sport that faces as many challenges as professional fishing.

The Forrest Wood Cup paid $1 million to its winner in 2007-08 and $500,000 in 2005-06. Now, championship events pay $350,000. Name another sport that is less lucrative than it was 20 years ago.

The tactical advantage provided by live sonar is merely an evolutionary advance. Where technology threatens the integrity of fishing is in its information capabilities that challenge the scope of rules and ethics. Tournaments limit the ways anglers can learn about tournament waters. However, the proliferation of social media and other information platforms allows anglers to share information privately in ways that make it easier to circumvent the rules. These encroachments, especially among those most likely to develop and use it to the greatest effect, truly threaten the integrity of the sport.