Tulsa , Okla. – Winning on any level requires skill, dedication, intuition, and sometimes a little luck. Winning on the Bassmaster Elite Series requires all of those, and sometimes a little edge over your closely matched competition as well.
2009 Bassmaster Classic Champion Skeet Reese, from Auburn , Calif. knows how much the slightest competitive edge can have an impact on a tournament's outcome. Therefore, he spends most of his offseason getting into peak physical condition and preparing his equipment for the upcoming year.
As the 2010 season looms, Reese found an edge that required a little extra time and effort to get. Thus, when the inaugural BASS ZONE .com Fish and Chips tournament in Norman , Okla. drew to a close, Reese headed to the northeast for a valuable four hours, time he considered a worthwhile investment.
“I spent time on the water with Darrell Rollins, Lowrance's Field Support Specialist learning how to navigate the new HDS units,” Reese said. “Lowrance has definitely taken to sonar game to new heights with HDS and I wanted to get the most out of them.”
Reese reported that the new units have upgrades that will prove to be features Reese will rely on to help him compete at a higher level. “The operation of these units required some extra attention, and my time with Darrell provided the understanding I need.”
High Definition Screens
“HDS provides the clearest image of structure and the water column that we've ever seen before,” Reese reported. “The detail is amazing, it shows us more than we've ever dreamed of before.”
Structure Scan
“Side viewing sonar has provided anglers an advantage over the past couple of years, and while it hasn't been an edge that has been overwhelming, there have been events that it has made a huge difference,” said Reese. “Lowrance's Structure Scan takes the technology to whole new levels. The Structure Scan feature paired with the high definition display and the Broadband Sonar Returns shows more detail and a crisper picture of the bottom, now the advantage is mine.”
“Structure Scan also records three screens worth of image, which allows me to scroll back and see a piece of cover or structure I'd passed over,” he said. “I can waypoint that spot and return to it later, all the while it records the current information, so I don't miss anything.”
SIRIUS Satellite Weather
“Professional anglers become very in tune with their surroundings, and while we can often feel the change in barometric pressure or sudden temperature changes, having weather on board our boat can have significant impact,” Reese said. “Not only can I see approaching weather trends, but I can also have my own weather radar screen on board, which can help me see the path of storms. This can help me plan my routes around the storm, giving me a smoother, safer trip home.”
Programmable Soft Keys
“Moving through menus on the current models requires multiple key strokes, but thanks to Lowrance's willingness to listen to its pro staff, we can save our commonly used features for quick access in the future,” Reese said. “One example is Power Save mode, which I use to turn the rear unit off when I fish save power and keep the transducers from interacting. Before now, I had to go through the menus to set it, now I can program one of the keys to make it happen quicker.”
Rollins said that all of these features make the new HDS units some of the most impressive technology he has seen, and despite the perception, there are HDS units for everyone's budget. “The HDS-5 retails for around $1200 which includes Structure Scan,” Rollins reported. “The HDS-7 has all of the same features, with a seven-inch screen and retails for $300 more.” He also reported that the HDS-10, which features a 10-inch screen, retails for $2750, and a;;of the units are equipped with a built in GPS module in the top front center of the unit, eliminating the need for additional wiring and external antennae, yet still allows for flush mounting.
