Forward Facing Sonar - What it Taught Me.

With all the controversy surrounding forward facing sonars, especially in the tournament scenarios, there are still some eye opening things to be learned for any angler. This past weekend I had the pleasure to fish a local tournament with Kevin Underwood of Lipsticker Fishing. And while I can't give out all his juice, I can say a few things on what I learned. 

1. Bass are not just shallow or deep. They're in every inch of the water column all day, every day. 365 days a year. So fish your strengths. 

2. Bass, especially spotted bass, are not stationary creatures. They move constantly with the bait. Now don't get me wrong. Fish can still sit on structure but they always have the opportunity and love the areas where they can go shallow to deep and back again easily. Also they will sit on ambush points. However on a lake like Lanier, with it's heavy herring population, forward facing sonar really shows just how much they move and even more, how fast they move. 

3. Bait. Forward facing sonar really gives some super feedback when positioned on bait balls. It's easy to distinguish between baits such as blue back herring or threadfin shad. You also can see how bass and other species position themselves according to the bait. When you see the bass fly through a bait ball feeding, it really does give you up to the second feedback that they're actively feeding. 

4. When scoping, you will see fish in places you never considered fishing. It does open the door for more opportunities to cast your bait. 

5. FFS does not mean you will catch the fish. Sometimes it's frustrating to see them follow the bait and not take it. Knowing how the bass are acting, it allows for on the fly adjustments. Still, there is no guarantee the bass will be in the mood to take part. 

Regardless if you are pro or against forward facing sonar, the ability to learn fish behavior is off the charts when using it. It is one of the more eye opening things I have experienced on the water. Above I gave the broadest of strokes in what I saw. There are so many details I could cover. Should it be used in tournaments is an entirely different conversation that I'm not ready to dive into though. The weekend angler can use it to maximize their time on the water and help shorten the learning curve. That much I did see this weekend.