Story by Ken Duke | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Yesterday, I covered some of the highlights of the 2024 NPFL tournament season — the catches, the streaks, the lunkers, the youths, and the veterans. Since today is the last day of 2024, it’s an opportune time to look ahead to 2025 and to make some not-so-risky predictions.
1. Some anglers might miss forward-facing sonar, but not all fans
If you believe that forward-facing sonar was too much in the news in 2024 and that it impacted virtually every top-level tournament in the country—overshadowing some more interesting stories—the NPFL is for you.
In September, the NPFL announced that the use of such real-time imaging units would be prohibited, beginning with the 2025 season. The other major leagues followed suit with announcements of their own, each limiting that technology to some extent.
The NPFL’s decision was a business move, not an anti-technology move or a grab for headlines. Banning a certain technology is not something the league does lightly, but it was and is an opportunity to create differentiation among competitors, and that can be good for business.
As things stand, the next (and last) time you’ll see forward-facing sonar in an NPFL event will be in October at the NPFL Championship on Lake Hartwell. The anglers fishing that event qualified in 2024, and it’s only fair that they compete under the same rules they followed to qualify. Every other tournament in 2025 will prohibit that technology.
For whatever it’s worth, I generally abhor the idea of banning technology in fishing competition. If it’s legal outside of competition, it should be legal during competition. If pushed, you might even find me in support of the Alabama rig (definitely) and live bait (I’d consider it). But one thing turned me against forward-facing sonar.
I’m not bothered by the fact that it’s the only tool that some successful tournament anglers use. You could say the same thing about flipping or pitching or even Slider fishing at one time.
What troubles me about it is what I learned from studying the data of another league.
I worked for B.A.S.S. for a long time and covered the Bassmaster Elite Series. From that tour’s inception in 2006 until dozens of anglers left for the Bass Pro Tour in 2019, the late Aaron Martens set the standard for a stat I call “Bassing Average” — the average number of bass an angler brings to the scales each day. Martens averaged better than 4.8 from 2006 to 2018. It’s an astounding mark.
But this year the average Elite pro scored better than Martens in his prime. Do I believe the average Elite pro is better than Aaron Martens — one of the sport’s all-time greats? I do not.
If I’m right, and the average Elite pro is not better than Aaron Martens, how can I explain that data? I believe it’s the technology.
Although I love what forward-facing sonar has taught and will teach us about bass behavior, I don’t think it belongs at the highest levels of competition any more than I believe aluminum bats should be used in Major League Baseball.
Our sport is fuller, richer, and more diverse without it.
So, if your idea of watching tournament fishing at a high level is more than watching anglers stare at their feet, the NPFL is for you. Our 2025 season will be full of flipping, pitching, skipping, worming, cranking, finessing, spinnerbaiting, jerkbaiting, buzzbaiting, and more … and that’s just the season opener!
2. “Hey! I know those guys!”
If you’ve watched the NPFL over the past few years, you know that the league has a lot of talent. Some of it is “home grown,” making their mark through accolades earned on the NPFL trail, like Todd Goade, Will Harkins, Brandon Perkins, and Timmy Reams. Others came from BASS or MLF and brought their spotlight with them, like Tommy Biffle, Zack Birge, Drew Cook, John Cox, David Fritts, Patrick Walters, and Kyle Welcher, to name a few.
In 2025, the field will be even more star-studded, more accomplished and more watchable than ever. Stay tuned!
3. Speaking of watching….
This is the year that the NPFL takes a quantum leap forward in its production and exposure as we launch bigger and better production efforts across all platforms. You’ll be able to catch the action on our website, on YouTube, through social media, and more. It’s going to be top-notch … just like our talent.
Luke Dunkin and Fat Cat Newton are the very best when it comes to analysis and entertainment. They handle the live stream and on the water action. No other broadcast crew can deliver the high caliber information and insight that Luke and Fat Cat offer. At the weigh-ins, it’s Big Al McCullough delivering “The Boom” as fish hit the scales and dreams come true or hopes fall short. On the water, around the stage, and behind the scenes, the Lyons twins — Tanner and Travis — provide the most compelling images in the sport.
And I’m looking forward to hosting “Round Table” again, our live podcast that follows every practice round. It’s a chance to get to know the competitors, the newsmakers and the personalities that make the league special.
But that’s just the competitive element of what NPFL is doing in 2025. There’s also fresh daily content on the website — articles, photo galleries, videos — that’s designed to keep you up to speed with the league and to give you the kind of information you need to catch more and bigger bass and to make the sport even richer for you.
Don’t miss any of it.
