96kg Bass Caught After Sonar Upgrade on Stabicraft 1850

Recently one of our customers, Pomare, landed what could possibly be the largest bass ever caught in New Zealand, weighing in at an incredible 96kg.

But this catch came after solving a problem with his sonar setup.

The Problem

Pomare felt something wasn’t quite right with the sounder system on his Stabicraft 1850.

Although he was running a Furuno DB9 sounder paired with an Airmar TM185M transducer, he rarely saw fish sign and never fully trusted what the sounder was showing.

Diagnosing the Issue

We tested the transducer using our Airmar TD1000 transducer tester and confirmed that the TM185M transducer was faulty.

Since Pomare also wanted to fish slightly deeper water, we upgraded the system to an Airmar TM260 1kW transducer, installing it at the correct angle and slightly deeper in the water flow for optimal performance.

Immediate Results

The difference was immediate.

Pomare began seeing clear fish marks and solid bottom readings, giving him the confidence that the sonar system was now working properly.

He was also given a promising fishing mark by a good mate, Mick from Club Talk Charters.

The Catch

Dropping a jig on the mark, Pomare hooked into something special.

What came up was an absolute monster bass weighing 96kg.

The fish was weighed at the Whakatāne Sport Fishing Club and is believed to be an unofficial New Zealand record.

An incredible fish and truly the catch of a lifetime.

Massive congratulations Pomare.