PHOTO BY ROB MATSUURA
Illinois pro Drew Gill is rightfully regarded as one of the best in the world at catching fish with live sonar . The Bass Pro Tour ’ s new FFS rules will provide Gill an opportunity to show off his chops at other techniques while also utilizing his FFS skills for one period .
don ’ t want to compete against that , and they can ’ t afford it . And the captains don ’ t want to participate ; they don ’ t want to be lesser than . And we want all the kids to come .
“ In addition to that , we ’ re also trying to tell the world that forward-facing is one of many techniques . If you ’ re going to be a pro angler , it ’ s only one of many techniques that you have to learn .”
MLF spent more than a year collecting feedback from anglers , sponsors and viewers at every level before arriving at these forward-facing sonar policies . While Duckett believes the league has found the right solution for each circuit , he also acknowledged that technology never stops advancing , so MLF will continue to monitor the situation .
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At the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals level , competitors will be allowed to utilize forward-facing sonar on Day 1 of each event , but they will not be able to use the technology on Day 2 . That will give the full field one day with the technology and one without before it ’ s cut to 30 anglers on Day 3 , during which forward-facing sonar will be permitted .
“ Unlike the Bass Pro Tour , we don ’ t have an official on the boat to easily govern the Invitationals ,” Duckett explained . “ So , it ’ s clean and easy . There ’ s two days of qualifying : One day is with , one day is without , so it ’ s equal . That way , all techniques compete .”
The use of forward-facing sonar will not be restricted for the Toyota Series , Phoenix Bass Fishing League or Abu Garcia College Fishing . However , it will be banned during all Abu Garcia High School Fishing competition . Feedback from high school anglers and boat captains indicated that forward-facing sonar had created a particularly uneven playing field at that level .
“ High school participation is limited by captains ,” Duckett said . “ Those kids don ’ t have boats . And so it ’ s parents , it ’ s friends , it ’ s a grandfather , it ’ s a buddy of a buddy . It ’ s anybody that ’ s willing , and it ’ s a big gift for someone to sign up to be a captain and take two kids you don ’ t know fishing to allow them to be introduced to the sport . The few captains that have $ 110,000 boats that are fully rigged , the other kids
PHOTO BY TYLER BRINKS
Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Mark Davis is one of the most “ natural ” anglers in history , but has also embraced technology . The Bass Pro Tour ’ s new rules will allow anglers like Davis to lean on both their traditional skills and their knowledge of technology .
“ Our decisions are directly data-driven ,” he said . “ We sit in a unique position in being the largest tournament organization in that we have 30,000 individuals that participate in our company . So , when we poll our anglers or poll our fans , we ’ re reaching masses that maybe everyone else is guessing about . When we get to divisions such as BFL , Toyota Series , high school , we ’ re able to see what our participants are doing or are most interested in . Then , when we get to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and Bass Pro Tour , then we ’ re listening to our fans and what they ’ re voting for . I think we landed at a very good place .”
“ In addition to that , we ’ re also trying to tell the world that forward-facing is one of many techniques . If you ’ re going to be a pro angler , it ’ s only one of many techniques that you have to learn .”
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2024 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 15