Even though Major League Fishing’s Jeff Sprague uses forward facing sonar, the Texas fisherman believes it hurts not only tournament fishing, but the skills of being a fisherman and tackle manufacturers. (Major League Fishing)

When it comes to bass fishing, I do not remember anything as divisive as forward-facing sonar. I mean it is absolutely love it or hate it. There is not much middle ground.

The only other really controversial thing I can think of was bass fishing with live bait, but honestly that did not come close to this.

Forward-facing sonar started to show up on bass boats around 2015, replacing the then-latest technology, side scan sonar, that made its debut about a decade earlier.

It was a game changer for fishermen of all types, bass, crappie, catfish and more.

Like most things involving bass fishing, FFS found its way into the mainstream after its introduction into pro bass fishing in 2017. Under the right conditions the technology allows bass fishermen to see just about everything in front of them, trees, logs, grass, bait and of course fish. Even better, it allows them to identify big bass from smaller ones.

The prime advantages are that it allows fishermen to eliminate unproductive waters and target big fish, awarding well-placed casts with reaction strikes. And it works, but has evolved into a situation, at least on the pro level, where fishermen spend more time with their heads down looking at their electronics than casting.

FFS has created a new era in pro bass fishing where young anglers better at adapting to this type of technology have flooded in the field. At lower levels of competition, it has become a situation of haves versus have nots, fishermen who can afford and properly utilize FFS against those who use skills they have honed over years based on factors of nature. In a way, it is the artificial intelligence of the fishing world.

At least one pro circuit has finally said enough is enough when it comes to sonar technology. Major League Fishing recently announced fishermen in its Pro Bass Tour will only be allowed to use FFS during one of three fishing periods daily in each tournament starting with its opener Jan. 30-Feb. 2 on Lake Conroe. The organization is also going to restrict the number of FFS and 360-degree sonar transducers and screen size on all tournament levels beginning with the 2025 season.

While some of this is for competitive purposes, there is little doubt it also has to do with lure and rod sponsors feeling a pinch in sales caused by FFS. Fishermen completely reliant on the technology have been able to reduce the amount of tackle they need to fish based on what they see on the screen.

“I use the forward-facing sonar a tremendous amount, but I use it differently from most. I use it looking for brush piles, laydowns and grass,” said MLF Pro Bass Tour fisherman Jeff Sprague.

Talking about the FFS rule changes, the Wills Point angler added, “I am excited about going back to old school fishing.”

Sprague, whose career earnings have topped the million-dollar mark, said he started using the technology about four years ago. While he has learned to use it as a tool, he has also witnessed the influx of successful young bass fishermen who grew up in the video game era, and has adapted to its use even better.

He said the downside is that many of those fishermen are one dimensional.

“They are not learning a lot of the things we had to learn,” Sprague said. “That is all they do. They don’t look at baitfish, creeks and structure. They are just going to a creek, running their troll motor, and are going to catch every bass that goes back there to eat.”

He said the competitive difference of FFS really stands out in local tournaments and the popular high school fishing programs. He describes it as the difference between deer hunting with open sights versus using a 10-power scope.

Sprague said while FFS has attracted some new fishermen, its cost added to the cost of boats today could lead to bass fishing becoming the sport of the rich.

There was a lot of discussion by MLF among management, the anglers and sponsors. While some of the anglers side with Sprague, there are others, both newcomers and seasoned veterans, who do not.

It is the same at BASS, which has not made any restrictions on FFS. But it also has split opinions with Texas pro Clark Wendlandt being one of the most outspoken.

“I want to reiterate and state as strongly as I can that it would be a mistake to continue to allow FFS in professional events. It threatens the integrity of what true bass fishing is. People follow sports because they are DIFFICULT,” Wendlandt said recently in an open letter.

Speaking of a tournament he fished last season, Wendlandt added, “I did not have to draw on any of the knowledge I have acquired over 33 years of professional competition or the God-given instincts that have enabled me to do this for 33 years. I put my trolling motor in the water, saw fish and casted at them. Frankly, it’s not fun. It’s not exciting. But if I want to compete on the St. Lawrence River, I have to do it. I could have used the skills I’ve acquired and my instincts to fish in many different ways, but I would have had zero chance to win.”

“The future of fishing is at stake here. FFS has no place in professional fishing events. With all due respect, banning it is the right thing to do and the only true answer,” wrote Wendlandt, who lost his sponsorship from FFS manufacturer Garmin before the 2024 season.

It is hard to be against anything that brings fishermen to the lake, but maybe it is time to look at technology’s use in a competitive source.