(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
Forward-facing sonar has changed the game at all levels of competitive bass fishing, and smallmouth guru Grae Buck has been amazed at how much it has increased his effectiveness. Fish are increasingly target-oriented these days, and if you don’t put the right bait right on top of them, you won’t have a shot at them. There are simply lots of fish you won’t catch without this technology, he said. Nevertheless, there is a learning curve, and he’s anxious to teach his fellow anglers how to get up to speed in a hurry.
That starts with basics: understanding what you’re seeing. The top left of the screen is your boat itself. The bottom of the screen is, of course, the lake bottom. If he’s fishing in 20 feet of water he’ll set it a little deeper, for example to 30. The far right is an adjustable range away from the boat. “I’m a big fan of doing 80 feet,” he said. That’s a long cast with a dropshot. Any longer than that makes the bait difficult to see. “It’s hard to line up the cone angle of your transducer.”
He said that it’s critical to keep your distance consistent. It becomes muscle memory, so that your foot, your brain and your casting arm work in concert. “As soon as you see a fish out there, you want to make sure you can put a bait right on their nose.”
He also customizes his settings on his Lowrance Active Target to the conditions. For example, he likes to bump up his contrast in clear water, but in dirty water with more particulates increased contrast may result in more “noise.”
There are additional ways to learn how to use this technology quickly. A dropshot is a prime tool, as it shows two images – the bait and the weight, the former following the latter down. A tungsten weight makes a huge difference because it’s denser than lead. “It glows a little bit brighter.”
Start off close to the boat, for example 25 to 30 feet away, and face the boat into the wind. That makes it easier to control your positioning and your trolling motor angle. A calm day is also a big help – in rough water you’ll be able to spend less time just dialing in your tools. Don’t be worried if you occasionally lose “sight” of the bait, he said. “You’re just going to see it for little glimpses.”
Once you’ve dialed in your forward facing technology, regardless of which brand you choose, it becomes second nature. At that point, anglers can turn to the job of figuring out exactly which lures and retrieves work best. Buck has seen days when smallmouths preferred a transparent bait to a matte finish on some of his lures. He’s also noted when he needs to slow down or speed up his presentation. Little adjustments come more quickly, as do full livewells.
If you want to learn some of Buck’s other settings, shortcuts and secrets, as well as witness a cast-to-catch “videogaming” 5-pound smallmouth, check out his full on-the-water video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
