The 2025 Bass Pro Tour season kicks off tomorrow on Lake Conroe in Montgomery County, Texas. Each new season conjures excitement, anticipation, and nerves for BPT competitors but the nervous energy is ramped up tenfold this year thanks to new format changes for the Bass Pro Tour in 2025.
Perhaps the most notable revision revolves around forward facing sonar (FFS) use. BPT competitors will only be able to use FFS for a single 2.5-hour period each competition day. The angler gets to choose the period they employ FFS and 360-degree sonar technology, but they must do so before the period begins.
As a fan of the sport, I’m excited to see how this format change plays out in real time with the best anglers in the world solving a puzzle that has never existed before the B&W Trailer Hitch Stage One on Conroe.
Will FFS aficionados continue to dominate the tournament scene when they can only employ the technology one third of their competition days, or will anglers have to lean on more traditional methods of fishing to consistently make the Knockout and Championship Rounds? For fishing fans who pay attention, we will get to learn more about anglers in terms of their strategy and fishing prowess than perhaps ever before.
To be fair to BPT competitors, practicing and planning for this new format must be somewhat of a nightmare. Two days of practice to break down 22,000 acres of Lake Conroe isn’t much to begin with, but you add in having to strategize for two different styles of tournaments that are blended in a way they’ve never experienced, and you have a paradox that could befuddle even the best anglers.
We caught up with Team Toyota’s Mark Daniels Jr. and Terry Scroggins on their off day to peer into their minds after their first official practice trying to decipher this new puzzle.
Q – How did you practice for your first tournament with the new hybrid FFS format? What was your practice breakdown of FFS vs traditional fishing?
Mark Daniels Jr. (MDJ) – “I spent one whole day looking at my Garmins, scoping around to find an area with a concentration of fish I could rely on for my FFS period. I spent 3/4s of the next day fishing old-school. Covering water and trying to get a vibe on another way to catch bass to add to the SCORETRACKER. My breakdown was about 60% FFS focused and 40% old-school.
“It ain’t real easy to catch them without FFS right now, so I’m going to be honest with you I still don’t know exactly how I’m going to approach this thing. It’s weighing on me but it’s gotta be weighing on all of us. It’s scary but exciting.”
Terry Scroggins (TS) —“I probably spent 60% of my time ‘just fishing’, trying to find some shallower fish to target and 40% of my time out scoping. It’s a bit of a catch-22. It’s tough to get bites without scoping, so the period you choose to use FFS has to be a strong one this week. You have to choose the right period, right area, and it all needs to come together quick. I tried to find places I can employ both styles of fishing in a smaller area, so I don’t burn time up running around.”
Q – There are 66 anglers competing this year vs 80 anglers last year, and your events are four days vs six days last year. How will the smaller field and fewer competition days affect your strategy?
MDJ – “It’s a blessing and a curse. Technically we have less anglers, but with no more groups all 66 of us will be fishing the first two days, whereas in the past it was only 40 anglers per day. In my mind that means there is no laying up this year. When you land on them you better catch them now and ride the wave into the next round. I think you’ll see less guys saving spots. More people capitalizing on the here and now.”
TS – “There are less anglers in the field, but we’ll be fishing against more than in the past on the first two days. I love that we’ll all be fishing the same days, experiencing the same conditions, but it will be harder to get a check this year and there is a chance productive areas will be more crowded during the Qualifying Rounds. We’ll have to see how things shake out in this first one.”
Q – What is your biggest goal coming into the 2025 season?
MDJ – “Just to compete at a higher level in general this year. I’ve had a few subpar seasons by my own standards, and I know I’m capable of competing better. I want to be in contention to win and get more top tens this year. It’s time to get after ‘em!”
TS – “My number one goal is to have a consistent season and ensure I qualify to fish the BPT next year. We are cutting from 66 anglers to the top 50 next year, and I’m pretty sure I’m right around that 50 cut right now. I made up some good ground last year, and I need to keep the hammer down in 2025.”
