BISMARCK, N.D. – Ah, the serenity of fishing.
Just an angler, a fishing pole, and maybe thousands of dollars worth of sonar equipment offering an exact image of what that walleye or bass is doing in the watery depths below.
It’s called forward-facing sonar, and the hot-selling products are not only helping anglers increase their catch, they are raising questions about why people go fishing in the first place and whether fish populations can survive the new technology.
“You’ve got people that are concerned about what’s going to happen to the sport of fishing,” said Gary Korsgaden, a seasoned fishing writer and expert in the field.
How Fishing with Sonar Works
Fish-finding sonar is typically mounted on the bow or back of a boat, sending out sound frequencies that are converted into a picture on a screen based on the time it takes the pings to hit the bottom and return. Earlier products would show where fish were located, but advancements now enable anglers to see images of fish in real time.
“With forward-facing sonar, you can attach it to a trolling motor and look around the water beneath you, pinpointing exactly where fish are at any given time,” explained Dave Dunn, a sales executive at Garmin, a leading manufacturer of such equipment. This technology, priced around $2,500 for a full setup, allows anglers to view their lures and cast directly to fish, although it does come with a learning curve.
For Minnesota angler Terry Rehm, the new technology is invaluable. Rehm stated that he doesn’t have much time for fishing due to his work and family commitments, and forward-facing sonar ensures he maximizes his time on the water. “It’s just nice to be able to hone in on them a little quicker and catch more fish when I’m out here,” he said.
Growing Use of the Technology
Tens of millions of people fish recreationally each year, making it one of the nation’s top activities. However, individuals fish for various reasons, and those who cherish the tranquility and beauty of being on a lake may find it puzzling to see others huddled over their screens, watching fish swim below.
Despite this, the use of forward-facing sonar is rapidly increasing. Surveys in Minnesota indicate that about 30% of anglers now utilize this technology, with some lakes reporting user rates as high as 63% in the previous fall, according to Nate Blasing from the Walleye Alliance.
Much of the debate surrounding forward-facing sonar unfolds on social media, podcasts, online fishing forums, trade shows, and tournaments. “It’s much like politics now. It tends to get personal. You can agree to disagree,” Blasing remarked.
Criticism and reactions are prevalent on social media, as noted by Korsgaden. He mentioned that tournament anglers have excluded him from their Facebook pages for merely raising the topic of technological advancements in fishing. “I think the unfortunate reality is fishing has gotten to be more about, shall we say, success or numbers or quantity, that type of thing, instead of the actual enjoyment of the engagement and making decisions on your own,” he added.
Sonar May Make Little Difference
Even as many anglers claim that the equipment enhances their catch rates, some studies indicate it hasn’t led to significant overfishing. Researchers in Wisconsin conducted a controlled experiment last year with two teams of anglers fishing for smallmouth bass: one with forward-facing sonar and the other without. Midway through the summer, the teams switched.
The team without the technology had higher catch rates, even though the sonar users caught slightly longer fish, according to Greg Sass, fisheries research team leader with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Applied Science. The sonar users tended to search more for fish before actively fishing, while the other group spent more time casting their lines.
Sass expressed caution about generalizing these findings to all fish species and bodies of water, but acknowledged that they contradict what he hears from many anglers. More studies are planned, including investigations into muskie populations, a prized predator fish.
Eric Sanft, a fisheries specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, stated that their analysis of lakes across the state found no “negative impacts” from using forward-facing sonar. Surveys conducted by wildlife officers in Minnesota revealed that individuals utilizing this technology caught similar numbers and varieties of fish compared to those who fished using traditional methods.
“To some degree, it can get scapegoated a little bit, and people’s perceptions of what other people are doing is often different from reality,” said Marc Bacigalupi, a regional fisheries supervisor for Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources.
The department has even proposed reducing the daily walleye limit from six fish to four. This decision considers advancements in fish-finding technology, along with factors like a boom in ice fishing, increased attention on fishing hot spots via social media, and lower limits in neighboring states.
Fishing is About ‘Making Memories’
For Daren Schneider, a lifelong angler from Bismarck, North Dakota, forward-facing sonar has transformed his understanding of fishing. He previously believed that walleye needed to be caught on or near the lake bottom, but after observing their behavior on sonar, he discovered they exhibit a range of unexpected movements.
Schneider believes that the technology has enriched his understanding of fish and his enjoyment of fishing. “Fishing isn’t necessarily about catching fish and getting your limit or whatever,” he said. “It’s about being out there and making memories, and if it’s making memories with forward-facing sonar, why is that such a bad thing?”
