By Steve Chaconas

More bad news for tournament bass anglers dependent on FORWARD FACING SONAR (FFS) technology. Two of three major tournament circuits, Bassmasters (B.A.S.S.) and Major League Fishing (MLF), are adding further restrictions to its use. The other trail, NPFL, has banned FFS since the trail’s inception.

As more anglers enter the tournament business, dependence on using FFS is noticed by fans, fishermen, and sponsors alike. Heads down, wandering around, and casting to fish revealed on the screen in real time, today’s anglers don’t make casts without seeing fish. Not only that, but they target the bigger fish with this technology. Fishing is becoming more catching and less casting. Slowly disappearing are “old school” techniques. Spinnerbaits, jigs, and crankbaits are among many lures losing ground to small jigs and soft plastic minnows.

At the end of the 2025 season, B.A.S.S. announced a major rule change regarding FFS. For the 2026 Elite Series only 5 of 9 events will allow FFS use. Technology dependent anglers will have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills without it and older, less technical anglers, will have to excel in non-FFS events and shorten the learning curve for events with FFS.

Meanwhile MLF, already restricting FFS use to only one 3-hour segment during each tournament day, has now extended this rule through 2026 professional and boater/co-angler levels of competition, from the Phoenix Bass Fishing League to the Bass Pro Tour. Feedback from fans and anglers who were satisfied with the MLF rules precipitated this extension of the rules to the other levels. MLF contends this format allows multi-dimensional angling where anglers can utilize the latest technology while also creating an environment for the use of traditional techniques. This combination would make every venue a showcase for all skill sets. Interesting to note, the MLF College Fishing series will not restrict FFS use.

Given the direction of the use of FFS in tournaments at the pro levels and the restrictions in place for grass roots events, the upcoming season will be another year for FFS to be on trial. Fans and anglers will continue to weigh in on the pros and cons of technology affecting competition, while biologists will consider the impact on fisheries.

Maryland fisheries biologist Ryan Gary is a black bass management expert. He’s been conducting a study on the effects of forward-facing sonar. It began with a poll of local anglers last year where he found FFS is a polarizing subject not only among anglers, but with fisheries managers as well. A majority of Maryland bass anglers thought FFS provided a competitive advantage and was an effective tool. However, several states are either banning or restricting its use due to concerns of overfishing and harm to local ecosystems.

After discussions with the Black Bass Advisory Committee, Gary solicited data from MLF for all 8 tournaments in the 2025 season to analyze how this technology impacts angler catch rates and size of fish caught.  He found the FFS impact on catch rates varies significantly by fishery and even from day to day. FFS led to increased numbers of fish caught on Lakes Conroe and Murray, however, on other bodies of water, like the Potomac River and Saginaw Bay, catch rates showed no significant difference between periods with and without FFS.

As for fish size, there was no consistent pattern of FFS leading to catching larger fish. However, there were some days and events where it enabled increased sizes of fish caught. But on the Potomac River anglers caught larger fish without using FFS.

With all the hearsay related to the success of FFS, Gary’s study stands alone as it uses a real-world, large-scale data set from a professional tournament circuit. Being able to isolate use for one of three periods, Gary was able to compare the same anglers fishing in the same location on the same day with and without FFS.

Pursuing further research, Gary intends to factor in variables such as weather, wind, time of year, habitat, and depth. This will enable him to build a model that will detail the factors making FFS more or less effective, useful for fisheries managers.

Gary says that electronics, including forward-facing sonar, are not subject to the federal excise tax that funds fisheries management and research. If this were to change, funding could be used to perform necessary research on the impact of FFS and other new technologies. This will take time and powerful lobbying, but it’s a sensible route.

Next year on the three major tournament trails, anglers and fans will have a choice of formats from no FFS, some tour events with and some without, and some with limited use during the tournament day. In the meantime, states will continue to monitor realized and unrealized impacts of FFS and strategies to allow, restrict, or eliminate it. Some states already have laws and restrictions in place, so check before powering on electronics when traveling.  For younger anglers being introduced to the sport, it might be time to prepare for fishing the old fashioned way.

Potomac River Bassing in JANUARY

One of the coldest months of the year. Water temperatures drop to 40 degrees, or below! Fish are depth oriented, located in out of the current areas with steep drops.

Silver Buddy lures are the best way to catch cold water bass, covering depths and areas. Cast on 8-pound test GAMMA Copoly on spinning gear. Allow ½ ounce silver baits to drop and once on the bottom, slightly burp up and semi slack line down. Most bites occur on drops or fish will be there when you lift.

Work drop shot and split shot rigs slowly down drops with frequent pauses. Use 2/0 hooks with 4-inch green pumpkin worms or swim baits.

Present avocado colored stingray grubs on ¼ ounce ball head jigs with slow lifts, glide and drop. Bites are light, so watch line.

About the Author: Capt. Steve Chaconas is a Potomac bass fishing guide & freelance writer. Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. YouTube channel NationalBassGuide.