Why buy a graph?

[Texeye]

I know most of you don't think you can tell what kind of fish is on your sonar,but I tend to disagree.I know that there are pros that have a very good idea what kind of fish are marking on their graphs by what size the fish are and how they relate to structure and each other.If you disagree,I would like to know why you spend money on a graph?I probably should not bring this up again it's just that I can't believe people don't think the arcs tell them anything other than they are looking at a fish. Maybe I am the only one....maybe I don't need that new graph after all.

[KP]

Whatever builds your confidence to catch the fish Tex. That's all that matters :)

If you know the characteristics of the fish your seeking and the sonar displays fish in those habitats, they're probably the fish your looking for.

[tracker]

I tend to use my graph more for water depth or more important "lack of water depth". In northwestern ontario most of our lakes bottoms are rock structure and it's not uncommon to be in 20 ft of water one minute and next thing you know your sitting on top of a reef minus one prop. Ask anyone who's fished Lac des Mille Lacs, they would be lying if they say they haven't wacked a few rocks with the bottom end. I also use for finding structure. Those little humps in the middle of the lake you would keep driving over if you had no graph to detect, hold a lot of fish. As for what kind of fish, usually the ones your fishing for as the post above says.

[sib]

I'm with tracker on this one. I use it for depth and to get a look at the bottom structure. Seeing fish is great, but finding that structure is better in my book. The GPS can get you pretty close, but use it in conjunction with a graph and you can find that little rock pile, no problem.

I was fishing the 1st week of March, I and one other boat were fishing below a dam. I didn't even have my sonar on, as I know the area real well. The other boat was over-using his sonar. Maybe not over using, but over relying on his sonar. As I drifted past him I inquired on how he was doing. He said he hadn't had a bite and he couldn't understand it, because he was marking fish left and right.

I didn't say anything to him about the sonar, but these are my thoughts on his "marking" fish.

We had just had a winter thaw and the water was up quite a few feet. The launch near by was even underwater. The items he was marking, in my opinion, were bread bags, Tide bottles and other misc. crap suspended in the water. I couldn't believe the junk floating by on the river and could only imagine the junk moving downstream under the surface.

Now after saying that, I also agree with KP, anything that gives you confidence is good. One just has to keep in mind all the different variable when using tools. This guy hadn't even given a thought to something that was very obvious to me, the river is full of garbage from the high water.

I love them for ice fishing, I can see my lure down there, no guessing at depth, just another great tool in the arsenal.

[Walleye Express]

Tex.
When I'm on Saginaw Bay, I'm using my graph, knowledge and experience along with other pieces of equipment to fomulate a fish catching game plan for the day. I know all of the species that roam the Bay and many of their feeding habits. Seldom do catfish, carp, suckers and drum suspend in the water column as an example. I'm not saying never, but seldom. I'm also looking for those clouds of baitfish, and don't really care what specie they are. I've taken walleyes with everything from perch to bullheads in their stomachs. I also want to know where those ledges, weed beds and the very rare humps on the Bay are located. All of these are not listed on the Hot-Spots maps. I want to draw a mental picture in my minds eye of just what the attraction is in this spot where I'm catching all these fish. And the graph is a big part of this variable to do so. Capt: Dan.

[Eyez]

The graph doesn't tell you what kind of fish it is. Actually, it just tells you that there is a fish (or something) there. You are using your knowledge and experience to make a good guess what what kind of fish those are based on what you know. The Graph is a tool, you're the one interpreting it. Which means that like any tool, it's only as good as the person using it. If you can take the information you see on your electronics, and make an accurate guess at what kind of fish they are, great. That's something that depends alot on the lake you fish, and the fish you're fishing for. Most of the time I see a hook on the graph, I treat it like a walleye, cause I just don't know. It really could be anything. :)


Eyez

[bob]

When it is sept and I am out trolling in 72 ft of water and I am marking fish that are suspended at 20 to 60 ft, I know for a fact they are either walleye or steelhead.

[Texeye]

I apreciate the posts.I think the graph is the most important piece of equipment in my boat.The first thing I do when I get in is turn it on and the last thing I do is turn it off.I suppose most of what you interpret is based on experience.

I know when I am going a constant speed ,I can tell larger fish from smaller fish.I understand some may travel with you in the cone but as a whole the average size of the fish will be noticeable.I can sometimes see the larger arcs of walleye under feeding sand bass and feel confident if I can get through the sand bass I can catch walleye.When I look for schooled crappie in the winter they often remind me of a christmas tree.I know without a doubt that it is crappie.I like what Bob said about his September fishing.By knowing the habits of different species it helps eliminate or at least narrow the search down considerably.

I know walleye sometimes are loners but as a whole I find that they are usually at least loosely schooled fish.I also seem to see a pattern in the size of walleye.It seems as though walleye tend to school according to size.I might catch one larger fish to about every five or six smaller ones and it seems to me most of the bigger fish hang together.

I agree as others mentioned that finding the right structure with your graph is also important.I often look for the type of structure before I look for fish.I hear some of you northerners talk about schools of big walleye chasing bait on the great lakes and I think I can just see those big wads of bait with those big hooks unerneath!What an adrenaline rush that must be! Later...

[Lund AnglerMJ]

A Graph? I've got the Lowrance model I bought in 1982-a paper graph,and it's a very valuable tool. I don't rely on anything as much as my instinct's and what that sonar tell's me. I've found fish at 25 ft at one point of the lake;then in another spot,those fish are suspended in 25 ft also.Hmmm, take that knowledge to the bank.That's a good start point.Not written in stone,but a hard fact. Good to consider. Bait is my first item I look for on that thing. My LCR is a tool also to show the presence of bait.It also show's the presence of bait,and I consider that heavily.Sometimes fishing bait is the ticket. In the deep water reseviour's I fish it's almost a necessity to have going,for certain fish. Like Walleye. I don't get caught up in relying on that so much that I lose all other touch with other factor's that put those fish in the boat.That's the only thing to remember.Don't get caught up on looking for arche's only.DON'T DO IT!!!