EDITOR ’ S NOTE
TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY ?
Nowadays , there ’ s a device that ’ ll do just about anything . Need to sweep your floors while you ’ re at work ? Get a Roomba . Are you a bit of a klutz on the ski slopes ? You need the Smart Ski Airbag Vest , which is to skiers what an inflatable life jacket is to anglers .
Are you tired of casting all day and not being able to live stream high-resolution underwater action video from your lure to your smartphone ? Of course you are , and for that you ’ ll need the PowerRay PowerVision underwater drone .
Seriously , drones have gone subsurface , and this one was designed with fishing in mind . The PowerVision features a 12-megapixel still camera , 4K video capabilities and WiFi , plus an optional sonar module and virtual reality headset ( because the virtual world of fishing is better than the actual world of fishing ?). An arm extending off the top dangles the angler ’ s lure in front of the lens , allowing him or her to locate bass on camera in real time and drive the bait straight into the strike zone .
When I saw this product , I was reminded of a conversation I had several years ago with a former FLW Tour pro . I ’ d describe this pro as “ old school ” in his approach to tournament fishing . An expert on modern sonar he was not .
During our conversation , he complained about how side-viewing sonar , bigscreen GPS units and other technological advances had changed bass fishing for the worse . He believed it wasn ’ t fair that new anglers were able to buy devices that helped them find fish so quickly , whereas his generation had to put in hundreds of hours on the water to learn where bass live and forage throughout the season . He actually wanted FLW to outlaw some sonar technology .
I didn ’ t feel sorry for him then and don ’ t really now , but I do understand his frustration . When technology advances so quickly , keeping up can be a chore , but I ’ d argue that it ’ s a necessary chore if you want to be a professional angler in the modern era .
That ’ s not the end of the conversation , though . Technology-wise , when is enough more than enough ? When does using certain devices become unfair to the fish we pursue ?
Such questions aren ’ t limited to anglers . Hunters and wildlife managers have recently begun debating the legality and ethics of using aerial drones , trail cameras and range-finding scopes to take game . Bowhunting enthusiasts have bickered for years over what types of equipment should be allowed during “ traditional ” archery seasons . There ’ s no consensus on those issues in the hunting world , and I assume there never will be on the fishing side of the equation either .
It ’ s up to state fish and wildlife agencies to oversee the use of new technology and devices for recreational anglers , with their primary purpose being to conserve fisheries . Organizations such as FLW and B . A . S . S . make similar rulings regarding the use of certain equipment in competition based on what they consider to fit fairly within the scope of the modern tournament bass fishing format . In that regard , I think both organizations continue to do a fine job protecting the traditions of the sport , while allowing it to grow and develop .
Personally , I prefer a 12-inch Lowrance unit with StructureScan , but an underwater fishing drone is a step beyond my comfort level . Then again , it ’ d be handy to have around the next time I hang my crankbait in a brush pile .
Curtis Niedermier , editor-in-Chief
Publisher Irwin L . Jacobs
editor-in-Chief Curtis Niedermier
Production Manager / Graphic Designer Michelle Dowling
Senior editor Kyle Wood
associate editor Jody White
editor emeritus Colin Moore
Field editors Rob Newell & Matt Williams
Contributors Joe Balog , Tyler Brinks , Dan Johnson , TJ Maglio , Sean Ostruszka , Paul Strege
Graphic Designer D . W . Reed II
Graphic Designer / Illustrator Matt Pace
Director of advertising Al Chapman | 270.252.1628
Senior Web Content Manager Jesse Schultz
Social Media and Communications Specialist Chris Burgan
Letters to the editor FLW Bass Fishing 30 Gamble Lane , Benton , KY 42025 flwfishing @ flwfishing . com
Chairman & CeO Irwin L . Jacobs
President of FLW Marketing Division Trish Blake
President of FLW Operations Division Kathy Fennel
Chief Financial Officer Dave Mahler
Vice President , Controller Tommy Boaz
Vice President of Marketing Patterson Leeth
Vice President of Operations Dave Washburn
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FLWFISHING . COM I February-MarCH 2017