COLUMN : NEWELL ’ S NOTES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a freelance writer and photographer , Rob Newell has been reporting on fishing tournaments for more than 20 years , finding the stories between fish and angler to be a stretched line of triumph , heartache , torture and inspiration . teamwork and beam work
How does the dynamic of forward-facing sonar work in a team setting ?
S ince the advent of forward-facing sonar , I ’ ve had the opportunity to watch anglers zigzag endlessly across lakes , ‘ Scoping around for the next bass willing to play .
Back and forth … back and forth .
Sometimes I ’ ve wondered how the beam works in a team tournament . What happens when two anglers are on the bow , staring at the same screen , with only one foot pedal with which to zigzag ? The General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops will give fishing fans a good look at this dynamic this fall as two pros are paired per boat sharing a single forward-facing sonar unit in the bow .
Matt Becker and Spencer Shuffield won the inaugural Team Series event in September at Presque Isle Bay near Erie , Pennsylvania . Though they won fishing submerged grass , they did use forward-facing sonar to see how grass lines laid out and where baitfish were congregated .
Becker fishes team events in the offseason to keep his fishing sharp . He ’ s used to sharing forward-facing sonar with a partner and knows how to best manage the “ screen time ” when both anglers are ‘ Scoping .
“ Forward-facing sonar can quickly become a hang-up in team events ,” Becker says . “ Both anglers can see the screen , but there ’ s only one trolling motor to control the beam direction . That can lead to both guys getting sucked into just watching the screen , waiting and wondering when to make a cast .
“ Don ’ t let that happen . If both guys are looking at the screen , there needs to be a
18 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2024