In the 52nd Bassmaster Classic we may just see forward facing sonar in all its glory. Lake Hartwell in pre-spawn definitely sets itself up to anglers “sight fishing” without looking at the water. This will be the fourth time The Classic is held at Lake Hartwell. It has been this exact time of year all of the previous times. This makes it hard to discount the fact that a majority of those fish caught by the winners were caught offshore. Offshore is without a doubt where forward facing sonar shines. So, it stands to reason that forward facing sonar will dominate this event.
The interesting fact is forward facing sonar is not new to the scene. This poses the question, why would this be its first Classic win? Let’s take a look back in history to get that answer.
Garmin came out with the first forward facing sonar with Panoptix in 2015. The Classic that year was won on Lake Hartwell by Lowrance Pro Casey Ashley. Although the technique he utilized that year would have been perfect for forward facing sonar, Lowrance would not come out with their version, LiveSight, until 4 years later. In 2016 double the trouble; Lowrance pro Edwin Evers won in shallow muddy water. In 2017, yet another Lowrance Pro Jordan Lee won utilizing his electronics offshore, but it was StructureScan not LiveSight that got the job done. In 2018, Jordan Lee repeats as Champion with the same recipe. In 2019, Hummingbird Pro Ott Defoe dominated on shallow moving baits without having Hummingbird’s version Mega Live which didn’t release until 2021. In 2020, Garmin Pro Hank Cherry dominated wire to wire at Lake Guntersville on bridges. Now that’s a recipe for Garmin Livescope right? Not quite! Hank Cherry even talked about not being able to see the fish on his Livescope during that event. I just finished 3rd in the Lake Guntersville Toyota Series and I fished the same bridge he did with the following conclusion. The boulders are so big on those bridges that the fish tuck in between them making seeing them with forward facing sonar nearly impossible. So, let’s move on. Last year in 2021, Hank Cherry repeated as Classic champion but this time high waters on Ray Roberts in June led to a phenomenal flipping bite that the reigning Classic champ capitalized on.
2022 is here and how is this storm shaping up? All three of the biggest fishing electronic brands, Garmin, Lowrance, and Hummingbird, all have forward facing sonar. Lake Hartwell is a spotted bass factory, and as everyone knows spotted bass are very comfortable offshore. The 52nd Bassmaster Classic will be held during prime pre-spawn conditions. This means fish staging around points, ditches, brush, and docks are a 100% guarantee. All these things make forward facing sonar a real threat for the win.
Final thoughts for you as a spectator. If you are playing fantasy fishing or betting your buddies on this event you should consider those comfortable with forward facing sonar. Several of the Classic competitors have recent big wins utilizing this technology. These competitors will be a threat for sure. Lastly, if you have been looking to buy this technology you better buy now. As we all know the virus has severely impacted distribution chains with several things including electronic devices. A huge win like the Classic, in addition to the conflicts overseas may cause a ridiculous shortage of this technology coming soon. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!