This all depends on your definition of Angler but who would you call the better Angler?

On of those types who is a wizard with his electronics and catches them where no one else ever has (ex: Palaniuk, Wheeler) or that guy who can catch 20lbs out of rain puddle with his electronics off (ex: John Cox, Jason Christie).

The pro names are just for illustration.

Wheeler is the best in the world right now
Thrift is close.
Electronics are part of the game. It’s way easier to beat the bank shallow than fish offshore even with electronics. Offshore bass tend to move around and disappear more than shallow fish.

Completely natural skill angler? Blindfold them and stick them on a lake with no graphs and no practice. Just go catch um. John Cox would have to be up there real high. Dudes a machine.

I think several of the electronics-heavy guys would still be very good if you took the sonar away, but I definitely think the technology is a crutch that can make some better than they naturally are. I'm more impressed by those who naturally find fish that they cannot see.

Is this leading to a notation beside their name in the record books??

Who really cares? Take them and put them in a jon boat with a couple of rods and nothing else and you get in another one with the same equipment on neutral water and the worst of the "pros" is going to beat 90% of the guys on this forum. It's what they do and there is a reason that they fish for a living.

It's all part of the game and they all have things they do better than the others.

I don't get why using electronics is looked down on by some. Its a tool and a skill an angler has to master like any other fishing skill that helps catch fish.

Electronics or no electronics, the ones that most consistently catch fish and place high are the best anglers. John Cox is consistently doing well shallow, Wheeler is consistently doing well using electronics... I really dont think it matters where or how you catch them, it just matter that you catch them

A - because some can't afford them and they are jealous - even if they can't admit it.
B - because having expensive electronics does not guarantee success. They take a lot of use and tinkering for you to become proficient with them.
C - some guys just need an excuse when they have a bad day.... "I would have won but THAT GUY had better electronics."

I think this is all the same. Some anglers are good at xxxx, some are good with electronics, some are good with a swim-bait, some are good at flipping etc. etc. There is no ultimate angler who does it all very well. By Cox's admission, he can struggle with off-shore fishing for smallies per se and he's working to improve, or putting KVD in a flipping tournament, he will not do as well others a lot of times etc etc..

Let’s try it another way: do you feel the guys coming up today with this technology are better Anglers than in the past or are they better because of electronics.

Take it away and who would win a 4 day event? Old school guys or new school? And does that play into the better Angler decision?

my head hurts, ya'll have fun...... why does it matter again?

Tree farmers hate electronics as their private piles just become community holes in about an hour lol.

The pros that most think don't use electronics a lot, use electronics a lot. LOL

There isn't anyone in the top 10 in the world of fishing, that isn't really good with their electronics and doesn't use them often during practice or competition.

Nobody can go out with zero electronics, a 5 foot pistol grip speed stick and a bag of creme tail spinners and competing on tour today.

I think the wealth of knowledge online and live coverage of pro events has more to do with the average angler being better today than in decades past, not so much due to the tech on their boats. I bet if you took the sonars away, the young guys with "it" would still be competitive with the older generation guys with "it." There will always be a few in each generation that have "it" regardless of the tech available at the time.