My Honest Thoughts on Forward-Facing Sonar (Fishing Has Changed!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ0DJE_Bj1M
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Jun 29, 2026 at 7:08 AM
Posted by Vollmer
Forward-facing sonar (Livescope) has sparked one of the biggest debates the fishing world has ever seen. Some anglers believe it's simply the next step in fishing technology, others believe it has fundamentally changed how we fish, and still others believe it has completely ruined the sport of fishing entirely.

After spending several years using it and recently challenging myself to fish an entire day on a brand-new lake both with it, and without it, I realized there is one reason why forward-facing sonar feels different than every other technological advancement we've seen in fishing. In this video, I explain what I believe makes it unique, why I continue to fish with it on some days and intentionally leave it off on others, and how I think anglers can use it responsibly.

I also share my thoughts on the ethics surrounding Livescope. Personally, I don't believe its greatest value is simply catching or harvesting more fish. I believe one of its greatest strengths is helping us better understand fish behavior, presentations, and how fish interact with our lures—knowledge that can make us better anglers even when the technology is turned off.

One thing I want to make clear: I have not yet decided whether forward-facing sonar will ultimately be a net positive or a net negative for the future of fishing. I think we're still too early in its history to know the full answer. What I do know is that it has changed the way we fish unlike any technology before it, and that reality deserves an honest conversation.

I'd genuinely love to hear your thoughts. Please keep the discussion respectful in the comments. We all care deeply about fishing, even if we don't always agree on where it's headed.
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