After Buying A Side Scan.. Do You Catch More Fish?

[jbmaine]

Hi All,

          I've been thinking about upgrading to a side scan unit. I've seen the pics and videos, and there's no question what you can see with them is amazing. But at the end of the day(fishing skills and everything else being equal) do you find you catch more fish? This would be a serious investment, and I'd like to make sure it would be worth it.

  I'd be putting it on a 14ft Lund and replacing my current Lorance X125. The beam is not that wide. Would I have trouble with the motor blocking part of the signal?

                                                 Thanks

                                                         Jim

[Jig Man]

I have been running structure scan for 4 years now.  In that time I have located and marked 100s of brush piles and under water lay downs using side scan.  When I vertical fish I use down scan and can sometimes see fish in brush piles and drop a bait right down to them.

 

It is just another tool but to answer your question, yes it has helped me catch more fish.  I use it for crappie in the fall and winter.  The first year it helped me put over 1000 in the boat.

[Wayne P.]

I don't catch any more as a result of using Imaging, but I waste less time doing so since it shows me where the fish are and I am always fishing for the fish instead of just fishing.

[Many Boy]

Side scan doesnt show anything more than down image, only a wider area. If you don't already have down image and have to choose between side image and down image then choose the down image. That will definitely help you catch more fish after you learn how to use it and know what you're looking at/for. Like Wayne P. said, side image just helps to scan an area faster, then after I find something that I want to look at closer, I use down image to see if the fish are there. You can see fish on side image but usually has to be a lot of them bunched in one area to see them well.

[jbmaine]

Thanks everyone

   I appreciate the input.

               Jim

[Wayne P.]

Side scan doesnt show anything more than down image, only a wider area. If you don't already have down image and have to choose between side image and down image then choose the down image. That will definitely help you catch more fish after you learn how to use it and know what you're looking at/for. Like Wayne P. said, side image just helps to scan an area faster, then after I find something that I want to look at closer, I use down image to see if the fish are there. You can see fish on side image but usually has to be a lot of them bunched in one area to see them well.

Disagree, Side Imaging shows a lot more than Down Imaging including fish. Side Imaging shows the water column and to the sides. It is way more useful than 2D or Down Imaging in shallow water due to the coverage. I would rather see dozens of feet away from under the boat than a few inches under it. I rarely use Down Imaging at all. Since I got the 360 (rotating Side Imaging), I use Side Imaging less.

 

I saw and caught the bass that is at the lower left of this screen shot. Note the depth and the Side Imaging range setting:

 

[Chris186]

I have and like the side and down imaging, I like it to see whats down there. However, I will say this. I only use it to find stuff, then switch back to the regualr sonar. If you watch closely on the Bassmasters tv broadcasts, you never see the pros units on side/down imaging when they are fishing, they are using regular sonar.

[Scott F]

Disagree, Side Imaging shows a lot more than Down Imaging including fish. Side Imaging shows the water column and to the sides. It is way more useful than 2D or Down Imaging in shallow water due to the coverage. I would rather see dozens of feet away from under the boat than a few inches under it. I rarely use Down Imaging at all. Since I got the 360 (rotating Side Imaging), I use Side Imaging less.

 

I saw and caught the bass that is at the lower left of this screen shot. Note the depth and the Side Imaging range setting:

 

Where exactly is the fish you say is in the screen shot? Is it directly above the 2 in the speed measurement?

[Wayne P.]

Where exactly is the fish you say is in the screen shot? Is it directly above the 2 in the speed measurement?

Yes

[junyer357]

To me it works best when prefishing or preparing for a tourny. Last thing you want to wast time on the clock looking. I do feel it can help catch more fish but it also allows me to skip over other areas when im not seeing activity or cover. Its a good tool when used properly.

[Smokinal]

I'll never not have a si unit. I dont use it to directly find fish but to find structure, therefore finding fish. I now have hundreds of waypoints on my home lake so I always have spots.

[martintheduck]

I have caught exponentially more fish since having an SI unit. Without one it was a daunting process to pinpoint high percentage areas in open water. With SI, it's quick and easy. Best investment ever. 

[carlm01]

If you can afford it ,pick up the Helix 5 SI/GPS While it's not the biggest screen available it has everything you'll need to get started and learn to how to use SI It also has has D/I and much more . I have one on my boat and love it ...Good Luck

[jbmaine]

IMG_0550.JPGIMG_0551.JPGIf you can afford it ,pick up the Helix 5 SI/GPS While it's not the biggest screen available it has everything you'll need to get started and learn to how to use SI It also has has D/I and much more . I have one on my boat and love it ...Good Luck

As luck would have it I just bought this exact same unit. I installed it on Sunday, but between work and weather I have yet to try it. I told my boss to not be surprised if I played hookey the end of the week.

   Do you have any tips on getting the most and best use out of this unit?

                                                                    Thanks

                                                                            Jim

[Wayne P.]

IF you installed the transducer correctly for your hull, it will do OK with just the factory settings.

 

Adjust the Chart Speed to match the GPS speed.

[curtis9]

I just installed a helix on my boat last week. Factory settings were fine. It's a huge improvement over the unit that was on the boat when I bought it.

I also bought autochart at the same time so I've started mapping my lake and I can replay the SI recordings on my computer to overlay on the map.

It's a fun new toy

[desmobob]

Choose a unit with side-imaging, figure out what is the biggest screen size you can afford, and then buy the bigger one!  ;-)

 

Side imaging shows more information about what's on the bottom than you would believe possible.  You will find structure easier/faster,  be able to determine exactly what it is, and determine the best position and angle to cast from, etc.  

 

It will blow your mind when you can plainly see that the little "bump" you were seeing with your conventional or down-scan sonar is a cinderblock or car tire, or that series of "posts" you were seeing are the ends of the ribs of an old wood boat wreck buried in the silt...

 

Finding more structure will find you more fish.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[flyfisher]

I am hoping it helps me find them a little quicker and then catching them will be up to me.  I just mounted a Helix 5 SI unit on my kayak and plan on it's maiden voyage tomorrow....

[retiredbosn]

I am hoping it helps me find them a little quicker and then catching them will be up to me. I just mounted a Helix 5 SI unit on my kayak and plan on it's maiden voyage tomorrow....

How did you like it?

On the subject catch more fish, idk. But it does help locate structure from about 100 feet to either side, I no longer have to pass directly over pass directly structure to find it. Best investment in my fishing enjoyment ever. I have used mine to help keep track of schools of both bait and hybrids. It was especially handy when the hybrids went back deep to chase the bait back up.

[flyfisher]

So far so good.  I am obviously still trying to figure out what all i am looking at and making sure that my paddle stroke is as smooth as possible because any movement in the kayak impacts the picture.  I plan on using it heavily this next week as i am heading to the OBX and doing some inshore fishing and it should help there for me to locate schools of baitfish, reds etc...