Team Toyota pro Matt Arey pulled into Lake Guntersville with a familiar mix of confidence and urgency, the kind that comes from years of experience and the sting of narrowly missing a goal. As the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series season opens on one of the Tennessee River’s most storied fisheries, Arey believes this event could feel different from the very first cast.
The biggest reason has nothing to do with water level, weather or seasonal movement. Instead, it’s what won’t be allowed.
“It’s refreshing to not have to worry about forward-facing sonar during this event,” Arey said plainly. “It’s actually a lot of weight on your shoulders during practice for those events (allowing FFS).”
With the season-opening Elite Series tournament designated as a non-forward-facing sonar event, anglers will be forced to rely on instincts, traditional electronics and decision-making. For a veteran like Arey, it’s a welcome change that rewards adaptability rather than screen time.
“I can fish a lot more freely now,” he said. “I can go back to more natural fishing, if that makes sense. I love letting the fish dictate how I need to make my next move.”
Guntersville has long been known as a grass fishery, capable of producing massive limits and dramatic swings. Without forward-facing sonar, Arey expects the lake to fish truer to its roots, where reading water, understanding grass composition and bite windows will matter more than locating and targeting individual fish.
“The fact that Guntersville is not a forward-facing sonar event totally changes how we all fish,” Arey said. “It’s going to be more about versatility now in my opinion.”
That versatility will be tested across miles of submerged vegetation and subtle contour changes. Arey believes multiple patterns will be in play and the winning angler will likely be the one who can adjust on the fly as conditions change throughout the day.
“There will probably be groups of fish in the grass,” he said. “Some will be caught on bluffs and isolated vegetation. High spots in the grass and areas with a hard bottom could play in a big way too. My Lowrance mapping is going to be a major key during this event.”
Electronics still matter, just not in the same way. For Arey, detailed mapping and understanding bottom composition could be the difference between a good day and a great one. Subtle rises, shellbeds and transitions often hold the better-quality fish, especially when bass are grouping up.
Another variable anglers will have to manage is eel grass, which can be both productive and frustrating.
“Eel grass is also going to play a large factor,” Arey said. “It’s hard to fish efficiently. The last few times we’ve been here it was floating everywhere and it’s hard to fish.”
Floating grass can slow anglers down and limit presentations, but it can also position fish in predictable areas. Arey noted that efficiency is always critical fishing against this bunch, particularly during practice when covering water and eliminating unproductive areas is essential.
That sense of discovery is part of what excites him most about this tournament. Without forward-facing sonar, there’s a greater chance that someone stumbles onto something special rather than watching it swim across a screen.
“I have a gut feeling that someone is going to figure out a hidden gem during practice,” Arey said. “This time of year, fish love to group up in the grass and if you run across the right wad of them, you can get right in a hurry.”
Those “wads” of fish can turn an average day into a career-defining moment on Guntersville. Arey has seen it happen before and he’s approaching this event with an open mind and a willingness to cover water.
“I’ve been covering a lot of water in practice,” he said. “I could see someone fishing shallow, dead grass mats with a jig. They won’t get many bites but the ones they get will be big.”
Big bites have never been the issue for Arey, who has built a reputation as one of the Elite Series’ most consistent anglers. Consistency, however, doesn’t guarantee championships, a lesson that hit especially close to home last season.
“I missed my first championship in 15 years in 2025,” Arey said. “It all came down to decision making. People don’t realize how good everyone is. One small, wrong move can cost you a lot of AOY points.”
That near miss has lingered through the offseason, serving as motivation and a reminder of how thin the margins are at the highest level of professional bass fishing. Every decision, from choosing a starting area to leaving biting fish in search of something better, carries weight.
For Arey, the disappointment has sparked reflection rather than regret.
“Maybe I got a little too comfortable,” he said. “But this year I’m as driven as I’ve ever been. I am refreshed and ready to go.”
Arey enters the 2026 season with a clear head, a strong understanding of Guntersville and a format that suits his fishing style. The absence of forward-facing sonar in some events will put a greater emphasis on experience, intuition and pattern recognition. Areas where Arey excels.
As the first Elite Series event of the year gets underway, Lake Guntersville promises to deliver drama, big weights and tough decisions. For Matt Arey, it also represents a fresh start, a chance to fish freely and let the lake reveal its secrets the old-fashioned way.
