Sonar
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Westernbass Magazine, Fall 2025
Fall marks the close of another exciting tournament season and brings with it the much-anticipated Tournament of Champions events. It’s hard to believe how fast the year has flown by! This season may have spared us the chaos of recent years—no COVID shutdowns, supply chain nightmares, or extreme water levels—but it brought a new challenge for California anglers: Golden Mussel restrictions and launch closures. These invasive species continue to disrupt fisheries across the state, with recent restrictions at Diamond Valley Lake (DVL) underscoring the ongoing impact. That said, there was a silver lining for Delta and Clear Lake anglers: the introduction of the Golden Mussel Region by Randy Pringle at Best Bass Tournaments (BBT). His forward-thinking solution allowed for localized, single-area launch team opens at venues affected by broader closures. We appreciate the continued innovation and commitment to the sport—thank you, Randy. On a more exciting note, shipments of new gear from ICAST 2025 have already begun arriving! It’s always a thrill to see what’s coming next, and you can check out many of the latest product releases from online at Fisherman’s Warehouse—our WesternBass advertisers are rolling out some serious game-changers. Tight Lines
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Power-Scope Live Sonar Fishing Rod
Power-Scope Live Sonar Fishing Rod As live sonar fishing continues to shake up the pro scene, one thing is clear—anglers who embrace the technology are putting more fish in the boat.
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B.A.S.S. announces Live Sonar rule change for 2026 Elite Series
This decision follows two years of careful evaluation.
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NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Boosting Sonar Visibility
Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig developed to generate the maximum sonar return and fish appeal
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HexTek Series - Improved Sonar Return
But that’s not all—get ready for increased sonar return and ...
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Westernbass Magazine, Winter 2025
Hi All, Welcome to the start of a new fishing season! I’m sorry to see the exit of the longtime MLF (Formerly FLW) Western Division; but very happy to see the new opportunities that have opened for western tournament anglers such as Angler’s Press Pro Teams and Future Pro Tour Top 75 as well as others such as the BAM Super 60 and the expanding Kayak events of the events. I’m also proud to spearhead Fisherman’s Warehouse support of fish conservation as the Conservation Sponsor of the BAM Tournament Trail Live Release Boat. You can read more about that in the feature article in this issue. We have some new exciting things coming down the pike. The first issue of the year is always a great place to feature some of the new gear that typically debuts at ICAST in the late summer and has begun to store shelves by winter. We hope you enjoy some of the new products highlighted in this issue, that we saw at the annual sportfishing tradeshow and are looking forward to trying out on the water. I would like to close by wishing all of you Merry Christmas, a great Happy New Year and a personal best for the upcoming season. Tight Lines,And of course, tight lines! Wayne
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Forward Facing Sonar: A Fisheries Biologist Perspective Continues
Technology is rapidly changing in all types of fisheries, both recreational (freshwater and saltwater) and commercial.
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Fishing the Deps Sakamata Shad on Forward-Facing Sonar
The jighead minnow has taken the fishing world by storm, especially in major professional bass tournaments.
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Forward Facing Sonar: A Fisheries Biologist Perspective
In fisheries science, we have a term called “catchability” which applies to specific fishing equipment.
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Will Forward Facing Sonar Be Banned In This State?
Recent move made by a state agency signals next-level concerns over forward-facing and 360-degree sonar.
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State agency BAN of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar on the table
Question #22 stands to be the most controversial amongst anglers
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New Forward-Facing Sonar Optimized Baits
Berkley Gives Anglers More Control of Their Baits Than Ever Before
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How the Spunk Shad works with Forward Facing Sonar
If you haven't noticed, fishing is changing and fishing with forward-facing sonar has become increasingly common and effective for many situations. Many different lures work great with this technology, but a minnow-style bait has become one of the primary weapons for fishing this way, especially for suspended fish. It's opened up a new world for fishing and baits like the Missile Baits Spunk Shad are perfect for fishing this way.
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