so Ive only owned a boat a few years, and didnt start with the best Trolling motor...and probably close to the worst LOL (minn kota power drive). So my boat control isnt anywhere near where yours likely is....so with that being said, im pretty sure I couldnt fish without spot lock. My tracker and a windy [censored] lake is not the best combo for easy boat control....the iPilot is a literal game changer.

This is what ill say about forward facing sonar, and sonar in general.....its not gonna make you a better angler. People think that they buy it and itll be a gamechanger for them....it might...but it also might just being an accessory on the boat that doesnt get used like it should be....we all know people with expensive electronics who arent the best with them. Now, sure the Spot Lock isnt going to tell you what bait to throw...but I do feel it makes you a better angler, well at minimum a more efficient one which imo helps translate into a better angler (i.e. someone like wheeler, KVD is way quicker and more efficient on the water than most us regular joes). not having to worry about boat control really lets you just focus on the fish....in my opinion.

Im actually saving up for HB Live, and am a bit of a sonar nerd.......but I wouldnt trade in a spot lock trolling motor for all the bells and whistles on some nice graphs. Im not saying fishing was borderline miserable before i got my spot lock...but it was close! LOL I was out in the wind like a chicken with my head cut off.

Spot Lock 100% and I'm all about the Active Target

Spot lock, all day every day, no question about it. You'll benefit in huge ways from day one with spot lock and every trip there after. Active sonar is a different animal. 99% of guys are not going to put in the effort required to really master the tool.

I think the majority has spoken on this one. Don't know how i ever functioned without Spot Lock

I still have a hand control TM.....I shouldn't even be able to catch fish at all

I did too until recently when I bought a new boat. Guess that is why spot lock is not as important to me. But I do fish lots of off shore structure and see on the livescope what all that spot lock action does spook some fish. The OP should go with someone who has both and see which he likes.

I had a Powerdrive for my 1st year of having a boat. Since I got spot lock, my co-angler recently told me “you’re a lot more relaxed now.” Trust me, he has no idea how much more relaxed and fun I’m having now lol!

I put all the latest greatest garmin on my champion, if I had to forfeit one item it would be livescope.
I think it is the second best invention for fishing next to anchor lock on the garmin force, spot lock, whatevah.

livescope is an excellent tool but the anchor lock lets me retie in wind, sit and look at a graph for a few mins. and is an all around useful tool.

I figured if you fished offshore youd like spot lock more than an bank beater would. Locking in 1 small area seems like itd be key offshore? I dont do much any offshore fishing beside longer points, but even there I like having it a lot.

Has anyone suggested Spot Lock yet?

I have an old buddy of mine that still prefers a hand controlled TM.

Nothing wrong with preferring a classic when the rest of the World has moved on.

Spot lock 1st
Livescope 2nd

I'm another vote for spot lock. I moved to Texas from Ga, where the wind wasn't as big a determiner of where you can fish. I replaced my old hand controlled MG with an Xi5 with spot lock and holy [censored] what a difference. No question Livescope would be an improvement over what I have on the bow, but wouldn't measure at all to what the improvement the spot lock TM was.

I have both and can say with certainty, spot lock!

Spot lock, don’t know how I done it without. This weekend I fished a windy point for almost 2 hours, did not touch the trolling motor once after I pressed the spot lock button.