EDWIN EVERS: Back to basics
The only constant is change. That’s true in the bass fishing world in many ways: No two days on the lake are quite the same, and no two seasons on the Bass Pro Tour are exactly alike.
This season, the BPT field is shrinking to 66 anglers. Forward-facing sonar, which has really taken over the sport the last few years, is being limited to one period per day. Tournaments are also going to be four-day events instead of six, meaning no more off-days or “group” competition.
What does that all mean? Well, it’s still just bass fishing, but there are going to be some new strategies to explore and new ways to approach each event. And I’m super excited about it.
Returning to our roots
With no more off-days like in the old group competition format, preparation is going to be so crucial for all of us this year. Tackle prep is going to be huge. Being organized and efficient has never been more important. There aren’t going to be extra days off during events to fix gear and equipment or to simply wait to retie rods.
Personally, I’m pumped about this change. I’ve built a 25-year career out of fishing back-to-back-to-back days. Along with having the advantage of having done it that way for so long, I also feel like being on the water every day is great for keeping a finger on the pulse of each fishery and the way fish are setting up. If you’re on a good bite on Day 1, you can go back out there on Day 2 and try to get on that same bite instead of having to adapt and adjust after a day off. The same goes for tournaments where weather is drastically different from one day to the next to the next.
I don’t know who’s going to benefit most from the change in tournament length, but I know experience is going to be a plus. Being well-prepared and having some previous knowledge of each fishery will go a long way and will probably help out some of the more experienced pros in the field.
The big FFS question
It’s no surprise that one of the biggest talking points of the offseason is the changes to MLF’s forward-facing sonar rules. Any time there’s any kind of rule change for FFS, it’s all people want to talk about.
With FFS limited to just one period per day during the 2025 season, we’re all going to be figuring out the best strategies for when and how to use it. There are no rules about which of the three periods we can use our FFS. Some may decide to use it in the first period. Some might opt for the final period. And it’s probably going to change day to day and tournament to tournament for each of us.
I’ve been spending a lot of time this offseason just thinking about what the best strategy might be. It’s going to be really, really interesting to see what ends up being the right approach. Will we go back to seeing guys throwing spinnerbaits and big jigs along the bank for two periods before going out to the middle of the lake to use FFS in the third period? Is that something I might find myself doing?
What I can say for sure is this: I’m excited about being able to use my versatility more in 2025. I’ve always prided myself on being a versatile angler. I like to do a bunch of different things. I’ve been spending a lot of time on the water with and without forward-facing sonar this offseason because I want to make sure I’m ready for that when the season gets started.
I’m sure everyone is going to find their own ways to adapt to the rule change this year. For me, it feels like getting back to basics (just like with the shorter tournament format) and returning to my roots a little bit, and I like that.
An awesome schedule with a few interesting twists
I’m beyond excited about starting the year on Lake Conroe in Texas. I’ve had a lot of success at Conroe, so that’s obviously got me super fired up to go there right off the bat. I love that lake and how it fishes.
Then we to go another great fishery, the Harris Chain. It’s just massive. Then there’s Murray and the lake I’m most excited about – Guntersville. I’ve had a lot of great success there, and it’s one of the greatest fisheries on the planet.
One thing that’ll be different about 2025, though, is that we’re not just fishing groups of 40 boats each day. This year, it’ll be all 66 of us in the early rounds. That might not seem like a huge difference – and it probably won’t be on huge fisheries like the Harris Chain – but those extra 26 boats could make a big difference on a lake like Conroe. Forty boats is about the right amount for Conroe. With 66 of the best pros in the country on that lake at the same time, there probably won’t be much that gets overlooked. Stuff like that will definitely play into the strategy for some of these fisheries in 2025.
Again, it’s sort of a return to the basics. Most of the guys on the Bass Pro Tour grew up (and spent a lot of their careers) fishing in much bigger fields than the 40-boats-per-day fields of the BPT in recent years. Going to 66 this season will be an interesting change that will keep all of us on our toes.
Positivity above all
I’ve got a lot of hopefulness and excitement for 2025. It’s going to look different, but I’m super excited about it. I’m always going to keep a positive mentality. I don’t like being negative about anything. So many times, change is met with doom-and-gloom reactions from people when, really, it’s just another chance to grow and learn and get better.
That’s how I’m approaching the 2025 season. I don’t know exactly what it’s going to bring. I just know it’s going to be a little more like the old days of bass fishing, and I know it’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m ready to get going.