It's been an incredible two seasons for Tennessee's Jake Lawrence, and he's often found the winner's circle. He's scored two Toyota Series wins, two BFL wins, and another at the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals event in May. He's on fire and seems to be catching them everywhere he goes, and using his electronics has been a significant part of his success.
Lawrence is a forward-facing sonar guru but was always a good angler. He won a Toyota Series in 2018, long before this latest technology took over. Lawrence won that with the help of side-scanning technology, and electronics have always been a part of his success. With all electronics, he keeps things simple and finds ways to make things easier on him.
FFS Settings
There are many ways to fine-tune your forward-facing sonar; surprisingly, Lawrence doesn't change much on his settings. There are some minor changes here and there, but his thinking is to keep the same colors and settings consistent so you become comfortable with them.
"I'm not big on adjusting it very much. If there's an algae bloom or something, I may drop the color gain a little, but that's about it," he said. "My thinking is that I want my forward-facing sonar to look the same at all times, and it's the same for my down and side scan. I want to see the objects in the same shape and color every time. I feel that the more you adjust your settings, the more they will look unfamiliar."
He will pick a color palette that works for him, and he sticks with it. His favorite hue is the moss green color. "It's almost like a neon, lime green and very bright," he said. "I like the bright color and contrast to the dark black background. It's what I run on my forward-facing sonar, but I use the same color for my side imaging. I like that color because it makes everything pop, and I'm comfortable using it, but everyone is different."
Seeing the Screen Better
Watching a screen for a long period of time can tax your eyes and body, so Lawrence adjusts his screen to a specific angle and wears sunglasses that don't strain his eyes. Add in the glare from the sun, and making these adjustments can add more fish to your catch.
"One thing that doesn't get talked about a lot but is very important is the lens color of your sunglasses," said Lawrence. "We all spend tremendous time looking at our graphs, from side and down scan to forward-facing sonar. I have tried many lenses, and Bajío's rose mirror tint is the best for me. They are very bright and give me great contrast on the screen."
Everyone's eyes and preferences differ, but Lawrence believes a brighter lens like the rose mirror is a significant benefit. "Bajío has some great lens color options, but I've found the lighter colors are better for seeing your screen, and I stay away from the blue mirror and green mirror, which are great for blocking sunlight but are harder to see your screen," he said. "Add in the glare from the sun, and the low-light lenses are better for seeing more, in my opinion."
Lawrence also prefers a frame that wraps around his face for even more protection. "I wear the Bajío Palmettos because they seem to cover my face the best without being an oversized lens," he said. "I also like the Nippers, but again, it comes down to your face. The great thing is how many frames they have for different face sizes and shapes. They have you covered with many options, and I like how lightweight they are compared to other brands."
Lawrence also positions his graphs in a way that eliminates glare and helps his back. "If you think about it, a few days of practice, daylight to dark, and a full tournament is a long time staring at a screen. It may be 60 or 70 hours of the week and if you do anything for a long period, it can strain you," he said. "I like to have my graphs pretty vertical, whereas many anglers like them flat and parallel to the water. That causes you to hunch over more, and I've found that having them more vertical will help make you more comfortable and eliminate some glare."
Fishing with electronics has become increasingly prominent, and some of the best up-and-coming tournament anglers have proven how effective they can be. They've also learned a few tricks to maximize their performance while staying comfortable. These eyes under the surface are vital, and getting the most out of them is a way these anglers are succeeding in this new world of bass fishing.
Advertising