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FFS - The Devils Tech?
What the heck is going on?

By Rick Byrnes

 

 August 20, 2024

For most of the season, starting with the Bassmaster Elite opener, I have been observing the conversation around FFS (Forward Facing Sonar). I've stayed neutral on the issue and still am, but I have come to the conclusion that the uproar from some "Pros" has little to do with FFS itself. The Pros have been using FFS since 2017, yes, seven years. They have credited wins and AOY (Angler of the Year) Championships to it. Anglers such as Jacob Wheeler have been using up to five FFS transducers on their boats. Classic winners have also credited FFS as a tool that contributed to their success.

For seven years, these Pros have used, promoted, and sold tens of thousands of these units to you, the angler. As I've said, I have concluded that FFS is not the issue. The real issue lies with the new group of anglers who have advanced from junior high school competition through high school, college, and the Bassmaster qualification process into the Elites. Today's rookies are younger but more seasoned than ever before. They bought these FFS units, promoted and sold by the Pros, and have worked hard, dedicating significant time to mastering them. These anglers have had a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips online. They are truly the new breed.

These young but seasoned anglers have obviously become more adept at using the tool sold to them by the pros, than the pros themselves. It seems clear to me this is the problem. They are getting beat by these young anglers, FFS was never a problem until this started. So now the pros feel threatened, they want the tens of thousands of units they sold to everyone banned in competition. They want the money spent on these units and countless hours that anglers have invested in understanding the technology to be rendered useless.

I've tried for quite some time to get an answer to this question: "Can you not see the fish, or can you not catch them after seeing them?" It seems I can't get an answer to that. I've heard the term "Spotlighting," which seems to be a ridiculous comparison. Just because you can see the fish doesn't mean you can catch them, as evidenced by Bassmaster Elite results. Bed fishing is a better comparison—everyone can see the fish, but not everyone excels at bed fishing. I hear no pro voices asking for bed fishing to be banned.

Then there's the argument that "it's boring to watch," even though viewers have been watching it for years without realizing it. Fishing offshore is fishing offshore. You're watching an angler cast at something nobody can see, whether they're using FFS or not. The only difference is that you can see how the fish react on those FFS televised replays.

It's hard not to believe that Trey McKinney's success hasn't contributed to this drama. Podcasts and influencers spreading malicious rumors, seemingly just to get clicks and views, even at the expense of their own reputation, have certainly had an impact. Those clicks must pay well. Trey won Rookie of the Year, and if he hadn't been late at Smith Lake, he would have walked away with AOY. It wouldn't have been close.

The concern many, including myself have, is the impact on our fisheries. Biologist Gene Gilliland has stated that there is no significant impact of FFS on bass populations. However, there is no doubt that harvested fish, such as crappie, bluegill, etc., are impacted. This is the variable I am watching.

Would I use FFS? I wouldn't; it's not my style of fishing, but I'm not trying to compete at the highest levels. Those guys need to be well-adapted to fish any style. Complacency and failure to constantly learn and adapt to new techniques, baits, and technology will likely result in a shortened career with the new breed of anglers arriving. Just because it's not my style of fishing, doesn't give me the right to try to take away the money spent, rights, and man-hours from those who do use FFS.

It will be interesting to see how the large organizations react, but AC will not be banning FFS at this time. It's equal opportunity, and as Greg Hackney said, paraphrasing: "I hope everybody uses it; it opens up more of my water."

I want to be clear, I am not lumping all pros together "some" is the key word. I'll expand on this article as I hear other reasons to ban FFS as time allows.

Update 1: There are pro's that claim that FFS makes the sport "easier". The only way I can look at this is, if it is easier why can they not compete with the same tool? With their years of experience it should be easier for them to win one would think. This goes back to earlier in this article. "Everyone can see them but not everyone has the skill to catch them" similar to bed fishing.

I have looked through all of our AC divisions and I find no team dominating with FFS. Equal opportunity.