How Have Improved Electronics Changed Your Fishing?

[kzoofisher]

Originally Posted by Burr

I got side scan shortly after it first came out. I rarely admitted that I was quite frustrated by side scan because I never seemed to be able to identify the detail others would talk about. Yeah, I could clearly see changes in bottom composition, and I could identify rock piles and such, but it was like a miracle for me to actually mark fish in side scan, and that was frustrating for me.

Now jump ahead to just a few weeks ago - I went fishing with a friend of mine in his boat. His electronics are 2 or maybe even 3 generations more current than my electronics. When I looked at his side scan images as we were fishing - it was EASY! Well, that trip fishing with a friend is going to cost me a thousands....

Evidently the earlier versions of side scan have been improved immensely.

With friends like that...

[Gary Korsgaden]

Originally Posted by Mojo-NC

Gary, you bring up a really good point regarding two units being able to be linked together. They both share the same GPS signal and waypoints, but the way mine are set up, each unit uses its own transducer. My bow unit uses the transducer mounted on the trolling motor and my console unit uses the transducer mounted on the stern of the boat.

One thing I need to keep in mind is when I'm idling along using the power of the outboard and decide to drop a waypoint on specific structure, I'm using the console unit and actually "seeing" the bottom structure from the stern transducer. Once I move to the bow and start fishing, when I arrive at the waypoint, even though the boat is positioned the same as it was when I dropped the waypoint, the structure that I marked is actually 18' behind me.

These units are now so accurate, that relatively short distance can actually make a big difference.

I have Lowrance units for 2D but use my HB's for mapping and and waypoint placement. Do your units share waypoints?

[Gary Korsgaden]

Originally Posted by Burr

I got side scan shortly after it first came out. I rarely admitted that I was quite frustrated by side scan because I never seemed to be able to identify the detail others would talk about. Yeah, I could clearly see changes in bottom composition, and I could identify rock piles and such, but it was like a miracle for me to actually mark fish in side scan, and that was frustrating for me.

Now jump ahead to just a few weeks ago - I went fishing with a friend of mine in his boat. His electronics are 2 or maybe even 3 generations more current than my electronics. When I looked at his side scan images as we were fishing - it was EASY! Well, that trip fishing with a friend is going to cost me a thousands....

Evidently the earlier versions of side scan have been improved immensely.

Hummingbird mega side scan is stellar. Right now we are fishing a distance outside the weed lines, side scan helps see the once weed edges.

2D is so improved with chirp. Now Lowrance units, allow for selecting frequencies. I really like 105 as my go to frequency, and it is locked in my custom frequency menu. HB units won't allow selecting frequencies as they are dual beam. The selection Airmar offers in transducers really helps fine tune 2d. Picking tight bottom hugging fish is easy now. Selecting frequencies, allows for a unit to be on, bow and stern, networked. Without interference.

Hummingbirds mega DI my choice for crappies right now, want a narrow cone angle to pinpoint and get on top of the fish in the deep water

[Mojo-NC]

Originally Posted by Gary Korsgaden

I have Lowrance units for 2D but use my HB's for mapping and and waypoint placement. Do your units share waypoints?

Yes, my console and bow units are both Lowrance HDS and are tied together using an ethernet cable. I have a Point-1 puck that is mounted right behind the drivers seat and both units share that same external GPS signal, and they also share the same waypoints.

Because the two units are tied together, I can also share the same transducer signal too, but I don't. I would just have to change the source of the signal in the settings. The rear transducer is a TotalScan and the trolling motor transducer is sonar only. When I'm searching I use the TotalScan but when I'm fishing I rely only on sonar.

[Ozark Bob]

HB 2D is highly selectable now. Dual spectrum now.
Intro from HB site: https://www.humminbird.com/learn/son...spectrum-CHIRP

[mikear]

Like others have said, side scan helps identify structure and for me, the occasional fish. This has shrunk the number of passes I need to make over an area before targeting structure or fish. Pair that with Livescope and it is easy to see fish in relation to structure from afar. The Livescope in Perspective mode has also helped me this fall when fish are pushing schools of shad near the top of the water column. This helps me track the shad in an otherwise open body of water. My catch rate has increased tremendously.

The other thing Livescope has helped me with is targeting individual fish. Line up the Livescope and cast to them. It’s amazing how many fish will spook or not pay it any attention, but even better is the 1 out of 10 that you can get to bite. It’s has also assisted in eliminating water by showing me the mood of the fish. Fish behavior and their switch from active to neutral and back in such a short time frame is amazing. It’s as much of a learning tool as a catching tool. Obviously this thing works great for crappie over brush, so I won’t go into detail there.

My Lowrance units are older Gen 3 with LSS-2 transducer which I’ve been running since 2016. I always had my side scan set to 800kHz for more detail and clarity. Rarely could I see past 30-40’ either side of the boat, but the definition was good. This summer I switched to 455kHz and the range is amazing. I can see structure up to 150’ out of each side. If I want to define that structure better I’ll switch to 800kHz and move in a bit closer. Far from the mega imaging HB is putting out, but it works for me without spending more $$$.