Down scan for shallow water

[MDbassin]

I'm just trying to get water temps, exact depth and bottom composition/structure. Not trying to use it to see fish.

 

When I say shallow I mean 8ft or less the waters I bass fish are old mill ponds/lakes that are 40-50 acres and the deepest is 8ft but the avg depths throughout is more like 4-6ft.

 

would down scan work for what I'm trying to use it for at that shallow of water or should I invest in side scan?

 

Im looking at a kayak and there's a package available with all the bells and whistles but the fish finder that comes with it is a Raymarine Dragonfly which only has down scan. Or should I go with what I was looking to get if I didn't get the package deal which was the Lowrance Elite TI

[ksboy]

I'm no expert with marine electronics but I have a H'bird 581 on the front of my boat. I fish mainly in shallow water and I normally use the 2d sonar for depth and temp. 

[12poundbass]

At those depths I don't think your coverage area is going to be very much at all. If you want to know the composition in places other than right underneath you side seeing is the way to go.

Side note: I'm no expert I'm sure one will chime in. ?

[Turtle135]

I think the down scan will work just fine.

 

I have a Humminbird and have found that I keep mine in the down imaging setting virtually all the time. I also am looking at depth, water temperature and I am looking specifically for depth changes, weed lines, brush and logs on the bottom. I am more looking for conditions that ought to hold bass rather than marking fish. In shallow water you usually do not mark a lot of fish because as the previous poster pointed out the cone of coverage in shallow water is not very large.

 

Assuming they are throwing this fish finder in the package without a whole lot of markup I would go with it. Fish finders can always be upgraded down the line as technology gets better and prices go lower. 

[12poundbass]

23 minutes ago, Turtle135 said:

I think the down scan will work just fine.

 

I have a Humminbird and have found that I keep mine in the down imaging setting virtually all the time. I also am looking at depth, water temperature and I am looking specifically for depth changes, weed lines, brush and logs on the bottom. I am more looking for conditions that ought to hold bass rather than marking fish. In shallow water you usually do not mark a lot of fish because as the previous poster pointed out the cone of coverage in shallow water is not very large.

 

Assuming they are throwing this fish finder in the package without a whole lot of markup I would go with it. Fish finders can always be upgraded down the line as technology gets better and prices go lower. 

I you're looking for all things that hold fish than wouldn't SI be a better choice? With SI you can see a long ways on either side of the boat. Unless I'm missing something (again I'm no expert) I'd like to see off to the side say 50-70 where I'm going to cast rather than see a tiny portion of what's directly underneath my boat. I could see finding say a brush pile with SI then picking it apart with DI. 

I think using DI in shallow water to find fish spots you're really limiting your potential to find it in a decent amount of time. 

Wayne at anytime jump in a give us your input.

Edited April 26, 2017 by 12poundbass
Stupid auto correct!

[Turtle135]

59 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I you're looking for all things that hold fish than wouldn't SI be a better choice? With SI you can see a long ways on either side of the boat. Unless I'm missing something (again I'm no expert) I'd like to see off to the side say 50-70 where I'm going to cast rather than see a tiny portion of what's directly underneath my boat. I could see finding say a brush pile with SI then picking it apart with DI. 

I think using DI in shallow water to find fish spots you're really limiting your potential to find it in a decent amount of time. 

Wayne at anytime jump in a give us your input.

 

No doubt side imaging is a great asset to have.

 

However the OP is fishing from a kayak on a smaller body of water and IMHO having that oversize side imaging transducer hanging below your kayak (where it has to be to function) is a PITA.

 

Also, side imaging does come at a price. As I mentioned, the Dragonfly is probably a throw in to sweeten the deal on the kayak package. He is not investing a lot into that fish finder. I have buddies who bass fish from kayaks and they like having SI so much they are willing to put up with a cumbersome transducer arrangement. I have a greater number of kayak fishing buddies who opted to not go with SI. Me, I am more of a minimalist out on the water.

 

[Wayne P.]

13 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

I you're looking for all things that hold fish than wouldn't SI be a better choice? With SI you can see a long ways on either side of the boat. Unless I'm missing something (again I'm no expert) I'd like to see off to the side say 50-70 where I'm going to cast rather than see a tiny portion of what's directly underneath my boat. I could see finding say a brush pile with SI then picking it apart with DI. 

I think using DI in shallow water to find fish spots you're really limiting your potential to find it in a decent amount of time. 

Wayne at anytime jump in a give us your input.

 

 

Yes Humminbird SI is almost better than anything in shallow water---360 is better. You don't have to go over the top of the fish and scare them to find them.

 

I have been catching shallow since about mid Feb not even using 2D or DI. The only thing 2D has contributed is the depth readout and don't really need that since the water column is displayed on SI/360.

Caught 40 bass today (quit when I got to that number this afternoon) with the largest 8# 11 oz. Saw that one about 35' from the boat in 6' of water on a bed. Water was muddy so I did not actually see it, Imaging did.

 

There are enough screen shots posted at the top of this forum to help decide that sonar technology would suit you.

 

This is "that one":

[MDbassin]

12 hours ago, Turtle135 said:

 

However the OP is fishing from a kayak on a smaller body of water and IMHO having that oversize side imaging transducer hanging below your kayak (where it has to be to function) is a PITA.

 

So if I went with the the lowrance elite TI the side imagining wouldn't work cause the transducer sits flush with the bottom it doesn't hang lower.

 

The kayak that comes with the dragonfly is a big rig. But if I decided to go with side imagining then I will either still go with the big rig or I will be going with a atak 140 or lure 13.5. The atak and lure have a thru hull transducer section and the big rig has a oversized scupper to fit a transducer so either way the transducer will be in the water (I've seen some photos where people had the transducer inside the hull of the kayak so it had to penetrate the hull to get a reading) but surrounded by the hull not hanging beneath 

[riverbasser]

That's some screen you got on the front there Wayne. If I saw you on the lake I'd swear you were watching TV 

[Turtle135]

10 hours ago, MDbassin said:

So if I went with the the lowrance elite TI the side imagining wouldn't work cause the transducer sits flush with the bottom it doesn't hang lower.

 

This is correct. A side imaging transducer needs to ping out to each side, so it needs a clear shot.

 

My Tarpon 130x has a second transducer scupper where a side imaging puck could be installed (but even installed there the transducer needs to be able to be extended below the kayak to get that unobstructed side view).

 

 

 

[RoLo]

On 4/25/2017 at 8:18 PM, MDbassin said:

I'm just trying to get water temps, exact depth and bottom composition/structure. Not trying to use it to see fish.

 

 

Regardless of the water depth, "3D Downscan" is the proper tool for monitoring bottom contour,

water temperature, water depth and bottom content 'beneath the boat'.

I can easily live without side-scanning, but down-imaging is my right arm.

 

Roger

 

[WRB]

Down scan is basically what I have used for over 50 years. When looking at any down scan your view is about 1/3 the depth of water you are in; 8' = less than 3' diameter or a Hula hoop size area on the bottom. You also get surface water temps, that is about it!

Tom