Posts: 409
Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | Headline: "Musky Angler that is All-For-Forward Facing Sonar doesn't like the fact that all the other Forward Facing Sonar users Ruin his Musky Fishing."
But seriously, this was gone over thoroughly in one of the other threads - brought up by another (now former) FFS user in a Pete Maina video I believe.
What used to happen is people fished a spot blindly not knowing for sure that muskies were there. So if they didn't get a follow the negative feedback loop would be such that they would go back to spots that they got follows, or move on to try fresh areas. "Unseen" muskies on those spots would have a finite (=x) amount of exposure to lures/boat motor / trolling motor / electronic noise.
Now what happens is spotlighters do their thing, they cast to fish that are apparent, and if no results on first visit, they come back and repeat. The have a "positive" feedback and go back because they know there is fish there even though they didn't get a follow (see note below). The next FFS boat comes along, repeat. So what was "x "exposure, is now "x" times 20. Fish get caught, move off spot, and those that are "visible" reduce in number and those fish getting fishing exposure get even more attention.
Now a percentage of FFS guys doing this are adaptable, and then come up with alternatives - still using FFS but in a strategic way. I won't describe what these actions are, but ultimately there is tangible positive results from doing these things, but again reduces the pool of available and naive fish from the pool of muskies available to everyone.
One has to consider that your musky fishing experience can be "ruined" by FFS even if no muskies are being caught and mortality is not excessive (which it still is).
*Note for above point* - there was YT video from a fellow fishing up here in NW Ontario sort of describing how this type of Canadian Shield spot was so good a structure and a must visit because spot has all the elements, hence why they just caught a fish there - then mentions as an aside that they had "scanned" several fish on it earlier in the day, but no follows. Duh!! A buddy tells me a spot has several muskies on it and I'll be there at the right time too, good looking spot or otherwise. FFS is why they had success, not a hunch about giving a good spot another try. Nice try...
Edited by Angling Oracle 8/4/2025 10:59 AM
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