Bass fishing has driven more marine electronics innovation than any other discipline in the last five years — forward-facing sonar in particular was built with bass anglers in mind. Here’s what’s actually worth investing in.
1. Forward-facing live sonar
Garmin LiveScope, Humminbird MEGA Live and Lowrance ActiveTarget have genuinely changed how competitive bass anglers fish — watching a bass react to your lure in real time is a different game entirely. If you fish competitively or want to close the gap fastest, this is the single highest-impact upgrade. See our Best Live Sonar System comparison for the full breakdown.
2. A GPS trolling motor with Spot-Lock
Holding position on a spot without dropping anchor is essential for working structure thoroughly. The Minn Kota Ultrex Quest range with Spot-Lock is the standard here.
3. A capable chartplotter/sonar combo
CHIRP, side imaging and down imaging together let you locate structure fast before committing to forward-facing sonar for the close-in work. A 9-inch unit is the practical minimum for reading detail while running multiple sonar views.
Building a full setup from scratch? Get in touch and we’ll help you prioritise spend across sonar, GPS and trolling motor based on your budget.