Three techniques for the cutting-edge of forward-facing sonar  - Major League Fishing

Three techniques for the cutting-edge of forward-facing sonar 

Image for Three techniques for the cutting-edge of forward-facing sonar 
Often, the best with forward-facing sonar are also the best at applying the technology with many techniques.
October 7, 2024 • Jody White • Invitationals

These days, a lot of the most exciting innovation in fishing is happening when great anglers pair their skills with modern electronics. While everyone knows jerkbaits and drop-shots are productive ‘Scope baits, Tackle Warehouse carries 3.5 million different lures for a reason – there’s more than one way to catch a bass. All very cerebral anglers, Drew Gill, Jake Lawrence and Cole Breeden are on the leading edge with electronics and have been able to co-mingle technology with the entire tacklebox.

Breeden uses fall to his advantage

The trusty tube has been a big part of the arsenal for Cole Breeden in 2024. Photo by Jody White.

While modern sonar has notably allowed anglers to efficiently target populations of fish that were difficult to access before, one of its biggest advantages is that you don’t need to guess what’s going on down there. You can tell if a fish is interested in a certain bait or action pretty easily. Because of that, Breeden has lately been tweaking how his baits fall and reaping the benefits.

“This year specifically, a shaky head has been a big thing, and a tube,” Breeden said. “It’s the spiral fall, which I’ve played with a lot this year, and it’s worked really good. It’s something different that not a lot of people think about, but you see it with the Japanese anglers and the real wide baits, like what Taku [Ito] just won with.

“A drop-shot catches a lot of fish, but a lot of times, you’ll have fish that chase stuff, and now, it’s hard to get them to bite. I think it makes a difference to show them something a little bit different.”

To achieve a spiral fall, Breeden has been using either a tube or a shaky head, both thrown on casting gear with 15- to 17-pound-test Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon (which does run thick). The thicker line is a key part of the presentation.

“The heavier line helps it spiral more; it drags a lot more and slows down the fall,” he explained. “I think it pulls the bait towards you, and then it wants to fall, so it goes back the other way. With lighter line, it’s more of a straight drop — there’s a lot less resistance.”

Typically, Breeden throws a 1/4-ounce shaky head with a screwlock and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Hit Worm Magnum. For his tube, he uses a Texas rig with a 4/0 hook, a fairly large tube and usually a 3/16- or 1/4-ounce weight.

He’s noticed that seasonally, changing his weight up can be beneficial, though a heavier weight decreases the spiral action.

“Based on time of year I think it makes a big difference,” he said. “As we get later in the summer, especially on a place like Lake of the Ozarks, later in the year I’ll start upsizing. Right now, a 1/2-ounce weight seems like it’s getting better – maybe even heavier later, but then you’re losing the action.”

Dust off the plugs

Throwing a crankbait with the aid of LiveScope isn’t a bad idea. Photo by Jody White.

Born and bred on the Tennessee River, Lawrence came into fishing in an era when deep-diving crankbaits cleaned house on his home reservoirs. So, it’s no surprise that he still makes room for the lures in the modern era.

Lawrence has figured out how to apply a crankbait to efficiently target bass sitting on cover. Due to the nature of the bait, it’s not a great way to target roaming fish, but that doesn’t mean you should take the boxes out of the boat.

“Cranking is something that’s really gotten overlooked on the LiveScope side of things,” Lawrence said. “It’s not as simple as dropping a drop-shot or a minnow right on top of fish. It’s a lot like a jerkbait — you need to make the cast past them and get everything lined up right; there are some variables there. But, it’s not as hard as people have made it out, and I’m surprised more people haven’t caught on to it.

“Usually I do it around an object, a piece of brush, or something. Those roamers, it’s difficult to get your bait lined up. Most of those roamers are going to be slowly moving around, and with a deeper plug, you’re going to have to cast it out of your ‘Scope range, and that adds to the difficulty level of roaming fish.”

For cover-oriented fish, Lawrence has two primary approaches – fast and slow. In the fall and late summer, especially, increased speed is a triggering factor. His system is built around never running the bait below the fish or hitting the bottom, which means he likes a bait that has some hunting action without needing to contact the bottom. His choice in many cases is the Bill Lewis MR-12.

“What I encourage is, once you get that bait in your screen, let it float up, peel off a little line, and let it float way higher than you think you need to,” Lawrence said. “That fish is much more apt to come 10 feet above him than he is to go 10 inches below him. So, I encourage people to start high. If the fish doesn’t move, get it down closer and closer on consecutive casts. I let it float up and then burn it past him as quick as I can.”

When the fish don’t love the speed, Lawrence slows down — this is especially a factor in the spring and early summer.

“When the speed bite doesn’t work, I have caught a ton of them winding it down to the fish, and actually fishing it very similar to a jerkbait,” Lawrence added. “Wind it past the fish, and once he turns and starts to come, I’ll give it a few jerks, as though it is a jerkbait. It’s amazing how often they’ll eat it. In practice at St. Clair, every fish I caught on a crankbait ate it like that.”

Topwater time? 

The best ‘Scoper in the country according to most, Drew Gill isn’t afraid to open up the tacklebox. Photo by Jody White.

While forward-facing sonar is incredible for many things, fish can effectively hide from it, especially in shallow water or when tight to the bottom. A topwater allows Gill to address those weak points and have a lot of fun in the process.

“Topwater ‘Scope is the best ever,” Gill said. “The reason is, topwater ‘Scope allows you to use it in much shallower water than you can with any other presentation. You’re taking that very thin band of water and pulling them up, which is the only way to really see them well in 2 foot or shallower – when you get them at the surface and off the bottom.

“It’s the most beautiful thing – when you see a little stick on a flat clay point, and you throw your walking topwater and get right over it and two 3-pounders jump off it and get right on it. It’s going to be a really big player starting here in the next couple weeks.”

According to Gill, in the spring and fall, especially, there are lots of fish to be caught shallow, and a topwater is a great way to do it. But working a topwater while watching a screen does take some practice, especially with a walking bait.  

“I want to pick one that has a really consistent walk,” he said. “I’m not talking a herring-style topwater; I want a true walking bait – a Reaction Innovations Vixen, a Heddon Super Spook, a Strike King Sexy Dawg – something that does the same thing every time.

“When you’re watching a topwater with your eyes, it’s really easy to work it the right way, because you know when that bait is reaching its crescendo of movement. I memorize the retrieve by the rate I’m twitching it. If it’s a new bait, I’ll throw it out, knock it, knock it, knock it, and I’ll either time it in my head, or take a video. Once you get that rhythm down, you’ll have it, and you’re going to be on time every time. The only thing you have to change is once you stop it, you need to look at it and see which way it’s pointing.”

Then, you’re off to the races.

“Forward-facing sonar for topwater is a deadly combination because the topwater is all about cadence, it’s all about speed and rhythm,” Gill explained. “It allows you to really dial in that cadence perfectly. You can pique their interest, get them coming real hot, keep that bait working and create that moment of decision. With topwater, the beauty, too, is casting distance and being able to engage multiple fish because of the drawing power of the bait.”

So, this fall, when you’re digging out the walking baits, don’t be afraid to watch the screen a little. You may learn something.