Sonar Sound-Off
Taking Stock Of Year 1

Current Columns

• Proud Parents

  Thursday, September 12, 2019

  I’m always intrigued by the subtle aspects of professional fishing and the way the sport fits into modern society. One such detail is the perception by up-and-coming more

• Useless Tackle

  Thursday, September 5, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Two of the three national tournament trails have completed their seasons, giving us the opportunity to gather real-time data on championship methods. Many of you more

• Real-Time Leaderboards

  Thursday, August 29, 2019 By Joe Balog

  What a weekend for professional bass fishing! With divided attention, we witnessed a new star in Jamie Hartman ¬– taking down his second Elite Series title of more

• That Deep, Dark, Native Tan

  Thursday, August 22, 2019 By Joe Balog

  As anglers, we’re subjected to a number of potential hazards in our daily routine. Without question, the most common threat originates from prolonged exposure more

• Exclamation Point!

  Thursday, August 15, 2019

  We are witnessing history. I know; I’ve seen it before. I saw it when Fritts put 300 grand in the bank in one year, fishing FLW alone. I saw it when KVD took more

• Crowning The Next King

  Thursday, August 8, 2019 By Joe Balog

  This week it’s all about the Cup as FLW prepares for another edition of its championship event and outdoor show, sure to bring excitement, entertainment and scrumptious more

• Freedom

  Thursday, August 1, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Sorting through memories, I came across a familiar old photo. Maybe once used in a tourism brochure, or a flyer for a guide service, the angler in the picture more

• The Question On Everyone’s Lips

  Thursday, July 25, 2019 By Joe Balog

  ICAST is always a good place to check the pulse of the fishing industry. This year a strong economy, combined with large-scale technological advancements, had more

• Lessons From A Lackluster Finish

  Tuesday, July 23, 2019 By Miles Burghoff

  The last two months have come and gone with breakneck speed. The final two regular season FLW Tour events at Chickamauga and Champlain are in the books. more

• Dethroning The King Of San Diego

  Thursday, July 18, 2019 By Joe Balog

  “Bass have the ability to take a snapshot in their mind. That’s how they live – they know you’re there, or if things are out of place. The fish aren’t out there more

• Trending Now: ICAST

  Thursday, July 11, 2019

  This week, all eyes are on the annual ICAST show, where manufacturers showcase their best new options in fishing tackle. Held annually in Orlando, ICAST reminds more

• Crossing The Finish Line

  Thursday, July 4, 2019 By Joe Balog

  In the winter of 2016, Casey Scanlon was at a crossroads. The young Ozark pro had just completed his fifth full season on the Bassmaster Elite Series and, frankly, more

• Unbalanced Diet

  Thursday, June 27, 2019 By Joe Balog

  About a year ago, my wife convinced me to get a Kindle. Well, she convinced me that the little electronic reader would be a nice Christmas gift for her to give more

• King Kong vs. Godzilla

  Thursday, June 20, 2019 By Joe Balog

  David Dudley is no stranger to last-minute triumphs. At the age of 26, he gambled on a hunch, running new water on the final day in what was then the richest bass more

• Team Unity

  Thursday, June 13, 2019 By Joe Balog

  My work as a journalist allows me the pleasure of interviewing all walks of life in the world of bass fishing. Well, it’s usually a pleasure. In any case, I often more

• The Spray Boat Cometh

  Thursday, June 6, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Circling back around, you may recall my piece on reader-generated column ideas earlier this year. After soliciting suggestions from you, I was quite impressed more

• Second Verse, Same As The First

  Thursday, May 30, 2019

  My job isn’t always easy. Sure, I celebrate the opportunity to get paid for something I truly enjoy – keeping tabs on the sport of bass fishing, forming an opinion more

• Update: The War On Carp

  Thursday, May 23, 2019 By Joe Balog

  “We really need this to work. If it works, and we get the money, we’re on our way to winning this thing.” Judge Wade White was confident, but understandably more

• Science Doesn’t Lie

  Thursday, May 16, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Continuing with our forward-thinking theme, I’ve got another great resource to share. Jimmy Liao’s Fish more

• The Bright Side Of A Bad Finish

  Thursday, May 9, 2019 By Miles Burghoff

  From time to time, this sport tends to remind you that the difference between success and so-called “failure” can be an ultra-thin line. I’ve been fishing more

• Fresh Thinking

  Thursday, May 9, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Around this time each year, In-Fisherman magazine releases its Bass Guide – a collection of articles custom-made for bass junkies covering everything from bucket-list more

• Further Commitment

  Thursday, May 2, 2019

  It seems the new world order has settled in, as three pro tours are now the norm and the fans are keeping up with their favorites. Live coverage has been a slight more

• Get Off The Couch

  Thursday, April 25, 2019

  Alaska is the only state in the nation void of bass, but for Miles Burghoff, it might as well be the bass capital of the world. “Alaska and its people are some more

• So Far, So Good

  Thursday, April 18, 2019 By Miles Burghoff

  When I was preparing for my first year fishing on the FLW Tour, the goals I set for myself were primarily performance-related – to make sure I was prepared before more

• Captain Morgan Sails Again

  Thursday, April 18, 2019

  The formation of the Bass Pro Tour brought monumental changes to professional bass fishing. As the sport’s biggest players transitioned, and new formats were adapted, more

• Leading The Charge

  Thursday, April 11, 2019

  I was intrigued recently by Bassmaster’s expanded coverage of environmental issues on its website. Had I been missing this all along? Corporate headquarters clued more

• Blade Fanatic

  Thursday, April 4, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Often, in terms of bass fishing techniques, what goes around comes around. Such seems to be the case lately with one of our basic shallow-water staples, the spinnerbait. more

• Mysteries Of The Deep

  Thursday, March 28, 2019 By Joe Balog

  As I continued to fill the spread sheet, I paused to reflect what I was reading. Sometimes numbers are just numbers, regardless of what they represent, so I needed more

• Old Soul

  Thursday, March 21, 2019

  Around here, we call it an old soul. A person who holds value or appreciation for things often thought to be from a bygone area or way of thinking. It could be more

• Can The Fairytale Prevail?

  Thursday, March 14, 2019

  Once again, the sport’s biggest event – the Bassmaster Classic – is upon us. Each year, fans welcome Classic season with anticipation like none other in competitive more

• Bad Taste

  Thursday, March 7, 2019 By Joe Balog

  Spring was in the air one pleasant afternoon as I left behind office duties to do a little fishing. Increased travel commitments had condensed my schedule, leaving more

• Challenges

  Thursday, February 28, 2019 By Joe Balog

  A few weeks ago, I pleaded for help with my occasional writer’s block, asking readers for ideas on topics that we may later discuss here. Your response – always more

• Leaving History Behind

  Friday, February 22, 2019

  You’d think that if there was a fishery on a tournament schedule that you have put in thousands of hours on, you’d be chomping at the bit looking forward to it. This more

• A Welcome Friend

  Thursday, February 21, 2019

  Almost by accident, I came across news of a really cool program. A consumer protection service – not unlike that handled by the Better Business Bureau for everyday more

• Disciples Of Clunn

  Thursday, February 14, 2019

  "I am truly a “lone traveler” and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face more

• Clean Slate

  Thursday, February 7, 2019 By Joe Balog

  History was made last week in professional bass fishing with a full-scale expansion of the tournament circuit as the new MLF Bass Pro Tour got up and running in more

• What Do You Think?

  Thursday, January 31, 2019 By Joe Balog

  I’m not entirely sure when I first began writing this column. I do remember, however, the primary reason for pleading my case to do so: the fishing industry, more

• The Demise Of Pork And Pistol Grips

  Thursday, January 24, 2019 By Joe Balog

  “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” – Ernest Hemingway Bass more

• Off To A Good Start

  Thursday, January 17, 2019 By Miles Burghoff

  When you move up to a new echelon in anything, you have to believe you can beat the best, but you really don’t have any data to prove it. So there is a more

• World Record Bass – By Hook Or Crook

  Thursday, January 17, 2019

  A cool story grabbed my attention: Wanted more

• Binge-Watching

  Thursday, January 10, 2019

  For weeks now, big talk in the bass fishing world has centered on the increase in live broadcasting available to fans. Much of this comes as a result of expansion more

• How Do You Measure Success?

  Thursday, January 3, 2019 By Joe Balog

  With a new year comes a new season in professional bass fishing, the likes of which we may have never seen before. Three major players now comprise the industry, more

• Checking It Twice

  Thursday, December 20, 2018

  As we approach the holiday season, even I share in the giving feeling. Once a scrooge bothered by the commercialization of Christmas, as well as the inconveniences more

• Cold-Water Brutes

  Thursday, December 13, 2018 By Joe Balog

  Cold is relative. Today’s 50-degree temperatures, combined with a brisk west wind, put a glitch in the plans of the crappie fishermen in my neighborhood. It’s more

• The Time Is Right

  Monday, December 10, 2018 By Miles Burghoff

  I’ve always been a believer that timing is the key factor that can make or break an opportunity – or possibly an entire career. Whether on the water, in your personal more

• Transparent

  Thursday, December 6, 2018 By Joe Balog

  It’s frequently apparent that JT Kenney doesn’t concern himself with the approval of others. “I’ve got a big pocketful of 'I don’t give a damn' and I’m happy more

• Show Me The Money

  Thursday, November 29, 2018

  It’s easy to become oblivious to things outside of our daily norm. By that, I mean our primary focus often confuses us into thinking that ours is the only game more

• Trophy Hunter – Vol. 3

  Thursday, November 15, 2018 By Joe Balog

  The first wave of cool weather had finally arrived and the Deep South morning was one of relief rather than a continued onslaught of humidity. Opening the overhead more

• 

  Utter Devastation

  Wednesday, November 14, 2018 By Miles Burghoff

  You never know what challenges life is going to throw at you. This is a truth that we all know so well, yet there are certain events that the magnitude of more

• A Quality Debate

  Thursday, November 8, 2018 By Joe Balog

  Bass fishing in Florida is often a feast or famine practice, thanks in large part to the drastic environmental conditions. Extreme summertime heat combines with more

• Our Society

  Thursday, November 1, 2018

  A great opportunity came my way this week when I was offered a chance to speak at the Teen Sportfishing Association (TSA) meeting near my home in Volusia County. more

• The Rest Is History

  Thursday, October 25, 2018

  The old cliché declares “records are made to be broken," but I’m not so sure. Realizing that key milestones in bass fishing will likely never be challenged more

• Setting New Standards

  Thursday, October 18, 2018 By Joe Balog

  Last week, we discussed the clean slate being offered with the formation of a completely new concept in professional bass fishing and how it may offer us – tournament more

• Three Little Words

  Thursday, October 11, 2018 By Joe Balog

  Grow the sport. Three little words we’re sure hearing a lot lately. Over the past several weeks, we’ve been introduced to a number of players whose more

• Off The Deep End

  Thursday, October 4, 2018

  The excitement reached a fever pitch across the professional bass industry this week as more anglers came forward with the announcement of their decision to leave more

• Inside Scoop For Junkies

  Thursday, September 27, 2018

  Over the last several weeks, the entire bass fishing industry has been immersed in the development of a new, high-profile tournament trail and the reaction and more

• Realizing A Dream

  Monday, September 24, 2018 By Errol Duckett

  As with any industry, change is inevitable. The fishing industry is no different. With that change comes uncertainty and worry, especially for the players in the more

• Rebuke

  Thursday, September 20, 2018

  With the absence of my Thursday edition of Balog’s Bass War, you’re probably wondering where I’ve been. Those of you quick to the draw might have read a piece more

• Suddenly, It's Over

  Tuesday, September 18, 2018 By Miles Burghoff

  It’s incredible how quickly this season has passed by. It seems just like a few months ago, my wife, Katie, and I were caravanning across the country with all more