* Wheeler ’ s tips and observations
An Alabama rig generates a large image . It makes for a good practice bait when first learning to distinguish a specific object on the screen and how bass react to it .
Fishing for small , plentiful fish like white bass and crappie with small jigs can help hone your FFS skills , too . Big schools of fish that are easy to trigger will give your confidence a quick boost .
PHOTO BY GARRICK DIXON
No prior generation of electronics advancement has proven quite as illuminating – or as humbling – as forward-facing sonar .
“ It ’ s taught me that a lot of things that I thought were true about bass are false ,” VanDam admits . “ I used to think bass pretty much always relate to cover or structure , but they randomly move around more in open water than I ever believed .”
The value of FFS varies with lake and situation , but most anglers agree that it shines on lakes in which bass suspend . And “ shine ” is an apt metaphor for how he employs his sonar beam .
“ We call it ‘ flashlighting ’ because you ’ re shooting a beam around just looking for fish ,” he says , describing how he ’ s beamed in on prespawn bass on Table Rock Lake smallmouth bass on the massive flats of Lake St . Clair . “ You ’ re hunting a needle in a hay field normally when working open water . With MEGA Live , I can go in the center of a creek and cast to pods of shad or schools of bass as I see them .”
FFS is dictating lure selection with the biggest beneficiary being the jerkbait category .
“ The jerkbait has been the most effective tool for forward-facing sonar because it fishes within the water column and you can draw fish in with it ,” VanDam explains .
FFS has forced him to broaden his range of presentation as well .
“ One of my faults has been my lack of patience ,” he says . “ I always want to cover water . But forward-facing sonar has taught me to settle down . It ’ s taught me the importance of cadence change . Sometimes they want it a certain way . Sometimes they want it deadsticked .
“ You see fish . You see bait . And you see the two connect . That ’ s what ’ s so cool and rewarding . It allows you to sight fish where you can ’ t really see .”
Knowing What You See
Two-time defending Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year Jacob Wheeler is one of the most ardent fans of forwardfacing sonar .
“ You can actually see how they swim inside a bait ball . Bait is their life .”
It ’ s a learning tool , first and foremost . Among its teachings :
• Those winter bass he thought were suspended are rising to his jerkbait .
• Bass relate not just to structure but to baitfish , too .
Rotating through a series of baits and studying how fish react to each has been part of his lab study . He notes that a simple change in bait color can make “ some difference ” in fish response , but not the big difference that fall rate or changing the profile of the bait can make .
On one outing , Wheeler noted that fish would either eat his drop-shot on the fall or follow it to the bottom when he used a 1 / 2-ounce dropper weight . With an 1 / 8-ounce weight , 90 percent would eat it on the fall .
64 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2022