OB. Would like to get everyone's opinion.
Please keep it cordial to each other.
As some of you may or not be aware, there is some debate and discussions happening about the use of FFS in some of the large bass tournament venues.
Pros and Cons on both sides of the discussion. Some say it has changed anglers to just watching a screen and casting to a shown fish and negating the skills of patterning and finding fish.
Others say it is simply another tool in the tackle box.
Not asking if they should be banned or anything like that...., but what's the thoughts of not being able to use them in some high end tournaments like the Classic or similar?
Thanks for your input in advance.

I don't care either way, because the fishing tournament thing has never appealed to me outside of things like the STAR tournament.

That being said - aren't most tournaments a weekend or one day tournament at various lakes, etc? I would think it would be very hard to pattern the fish at each and every lake. Doubt these guys have the cash to run to the next tournament days ahead and get a lay of the land. Maybe I'm wrong on that.

No comment on the bass side of things but these are a big deal in the offshore tournament circle. If you aren't running it, you aren't winning. I know a few captains that cussed them and said it took all the skill out of finding fish and getting them into your spread. All of those same captains run them now. If you can't beat them, join them.

Just another tool. Move on.

I'm ok with it or without. But the way I see it is that you're aren't just trolling random waters waiting on a fish to enter the screen. You set up in a location that your skill has identified as a place to be holding fish based on conditions and experience and then the FFS confirms exactly what your knowledge told you. The advantage comes from knowing where to cast. No different than a corn feeder going off at a set time and location. And the. you're there waiting on them. After all, I go fishing to catch fish. I like to see others catch fish.

I can also see a specific tournament(s) not allowing it as well and would be ok with that. But if I'm a big name tourney and I want to bring in the dollars, I want big stringers at weigh in and more of them.

What I am not ok with is anyone pulling the unfair card.

FWIW, I am an lolpoor and don't have any FFS.

Schmellba... first. Thank you for taking the time to respond. I am actually on a committee and trying to get some solid input.
Lots of the bass tournament circuits have practice days and off limit days. So all of the pro guys and quite a few serious non pro guys will actually go pre fish two days or more before the tournament. Most of the larger money tournaments run for two days.... or three.
So those guys will go pre fish to try and figure out patterns, depths, structures, etc of where the fish are.
Again. Thanks for the input.

Thank you.

The cat's out of the bag.

1. Ban them in tournaments.
2. Ban tournaments.
3. The fish and the populace both win.

I wondered how long before a simple question could be spun to something off course.

Gunny while I believe FFS is here to stay and I don't have an issue with it I do think that a few wrinkles in one or two of the major tournament events could add interest for the sport. Showing my age but I would like to see a old school classic where they all get on a plane at the same place and don't know where they are fishing until they land. Give them all the matching boats, electronics, (no FFS just to mix it up) a day of practice and turn them loose. Probably not possible with all the individual sponsorship deals but think it would be fun to see.

Thank you sir for the input. I'm like you, that would be fun to see.

I'm not much of a fisherman, but I'll offer my thoughts. It appears that some tournaments ban certain lures and landing devices. Does the FFS generate a similar advantage that is gained by some of the already banned tools? Where is the line drawn with the use of technology? Can I use a drone to quickly scout an area for bedded fish? The purpose of a tournament is to showcase your skill, not your equipment. My personal opinion is that they shouldn't be allowed. I think the technology is great for recreational fishermen, but part of the competition is finding the fish.

If it is a competition of skill, the fewer electronic aids, the more skill is demonstrated. Would be interesting to make it against the rules for top tournaments so that you can learn on them but you actually need to develop other skulls in the process for when it counts.

Or maybe, you get a penalty for using them, or a bonus for not.

Good post. Thank you sir.

Good stuff. Good comments. Thank you for making the effort to respond.

Really cool technology. As outdoorsman get less and less time for these hobbies we tend to throw money into gearing up to make up for lack of skill.

For me personally I enjoy the get away and putting the pieces together to figure out the fish. Catch or not if I figured out something that day it was valuable and enjoyable to work thru it all.

With things like livescope I know people who have gone and told me they caught X many fish but can't tell me if it was sunny or cloudy.

I think things have gone too far for tournaments like that. I have seen where they see a fish of winning size before or after legal time.....watch it on livescope and cast to it for 6 hours......stay on it all day following for several miles.....then finally get it and win.

In that case just make the tourney a "Picture of the winning fish on your Livescope" tourney with no rods.... I mean at the end of the day is there really any difference?

Excellent post and well said. Thank you for your input. Much appreciated sir.

It's a tough dilemma for sure. But hard to say it hasn't completely changed things. With fishing (especially with artificials) there's so many variables someone has to figure out and whether or not a fish is actually where you're fishing has always been a big one. Same type of thing with hunting, imagine if you're deer hunting and you knew a big deer was right inside those woods you were in the field next to; it changes your mindset. When you see a big bass clearly on these, you can't say it doesn't change your behavior vs if you didn't have it. Eventually no matter how good a spot looks, you give up and move on. Now, a person may stay all day and just keep hammering that individual fish(es).

Given the other restrictions in tournament fishing, it feels like eventually something related to this technology should be considered.

Another excellent post. Thank you sir. Well said.

Let them use it. I have one and it is neat technology. Sure it helps catch more fish in certain instances just like the other sonars. But I really don't think it's the GameChanger that a lot of people do. I see a lot of folks on the lake staring at their 16 inch screen not catching a damn thing.

I would personally ban them in tournaments. I prefer that competition be based on knowledge, skill, luck and ability instead of technology.

docb said:

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Let them use it. I have one and it is neat technology. Sure it helps catch more fish in certain instances just like the other sonars. But I really don't think it's the GameChanger that a lot of people do. I see a lot of folks on the lake staring at their 16 inch screen not catching a damn thing.

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You brought up a great point that I often think about when on the bay. Seeing the nicest and coolest boats doesn't really mean anything in ability to catch fish. You can be super great or super terrible at fishing in a little jon boat, a $100k SCB boat, or a middle of the road Kenner. I love telling people "they're liable to be just another dummy like me" when someone sees a nice boat and assumes they know what they're doing. Same thing applies on the lake, the prettiest bass boat with two screens on front and two at the console plus two powerpoles doesn't mean anything.

I think it's more important when it comes to tournament fishing amongst professionals who can all actually catch fish.

I feel like they shouldn't be allowed for pro tournaments even though they all have them. I know of a crappie tournament where the winners found the size fish needed , tracked his movements over a 50 yard move, followed and used the live scope to watch the fish take the bait. I think at that level it removes the judgement of what lures to use, what retrieve etc because you can see both lure and fish. And I know sonar has always been part of it but I feel like too much is visible for pro fisherman. JMHO

If they are gonna have rules like:

-"can't have any casting platforms that extend above the gunnels"
-" can't pole into or walk boat into shallow waters"
-"can only fish with one rod at a time"

Why limit the advantages of the above if not going to limit the advantages of FFS.

Heck just let em use live bait....palm to the face.

Or two divisions. Unlimited lucky cast division....and skilled fisherman division.

.....kinda like the Special Olympics.

I do like SGrem's position - two divisions would be interesting.

But, as we saw with the fish-stuffing fiasco, these tournaments have become serious, cut-throat, businesses out of what used to be a fun time. Anything you outlaw, especially when guys already have it on their boats, is just another thing that someone is going to find a way to use when no one is looking.

I'm no expert of FFS, but how long would it be outlawed before someone rigged up a unit that didn't need to be mounted on the boat to avoid it being detected in an inspection?

Thank you for the input.

Thank you for the input sir.

Thank you for the input.

Thank you.

Lots of the bass tournament venues have a "pro" and "amateur" side.....seperately or in some instances a "pro-am" where the pro and the amateur fish in the same boat together.

From a spectator perspective, and specifically for prestigious tournaments, I don't want them used. I'm more entertained when anglers have to make tough choices based on incomplete knowledge. Uncertainty makes people behave differently.

Tournament administrators should consider if the technology closes the gap between inferior competitors and the next tier. And if that's good or bad.

After driving past 1000s of similar looking spots in the Everglades one time, I asked the guide why he chose one spot over all the others that looked identical. His answer revealed a deep understanding of fishing and the environment that could possibly be bypassed by technology.

I can not speak for every saltwater tournament, but on just about any bass tournament where any amount of money or prize is awarded it is standard procedure for the fisherman to pass a polygraph test before being awarded. Some can argue that the polygraph can be beat but all in all it is a reliable safeguard that has proven effective in the tournaments for many years. They typically hire profffessionals in the law enforcement field to administer them.

Excellent input. Thank you.

Thank you much for your input sir.