In some areas of the country tournament season is already in full swing, in other areas, things are just beginning to heat up. Whether you’ve already cashed a couple checks and are looking for that next fishing tool to spend your winnings on, or whether your lakes are just days away from opening and your still clinging tight to that Christmas money, here are few products to consider that have been hot all across the country.
Minnesota Bass Pro Andy Young recently claimed the top spot at the Bassmaster Central Open on Texas’s, Lake Amistad. Andy found a bite that would end up qualifying him for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic. Although he was quick to credit a host of things for his win, one notable standout was his Hydrowave. Most have heard of Hydrowave and to those that haven’t, perhaps it’s time to start listening. Hydrowave not only emits underwater recordings of real-life sounds of forage but it also stimulates the entire food chain by including sounds of predator fish such as bass, feeding on the baitfish. Now, Hydrowave has introduced the new MINI, which provides a limited sound selection in a smaller profile and doesn’t break the bank in the process.
Navionics, the leader in underwater cartography, has been making waves – no pun intended – with their recent introduction of the Navionics + card. In the past, we’ve been accustomed to buying preloaded regional cards until Navionics released a customizable card that allows you to download whatever lakes, rivers and oceans maps you want, regardless of their region. Another new addition to the Navionics + card is the introduction of SonarCharts, a completely new and unique way of creating high definition maps by compiling sonar logs contributed by the Navionics community. The end result is newer and more detailed maps that actually evolve with time, ideal for major river systems and reservoirs where current is always changing bottom.
Perhaps the biggest buzz around this year’s Bassmaster Classic was the introduction of the Lowrance SpotlightScan. SpotlightScan Sonar delivers a new level of angler-controlled, surround-scan views providing picture-like images of key fishing areas for your HDS Gen2 or HDS Gen2 Touch units. This new innovation now allows anglers to quickly identify key fish holding structures before ever making their first cast. Simply mount the new SpotlightScan tranducer onto the bottom of your trolling motor and take advantage of traditional sonar, DownScan and SpotlightScan, all in one housing.
With all the new advancements being made in the world of fishing electronics, staying up on the trends can help pay dividends when out on the water and these tools have been carrying the load early in 2014. By Joshua Douglas
About the Author – Josh Douglas is a professional tournament angler and fishing guide on Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka who also specializes in electronics training. When not on the water, he enjoys sharing his passion of bass fishing through numerous outlets including his personal website, www.JoshDouglasFishing.com
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