Multiple units???

[NHBull]

Gents, the only folks that run electronics at the TM on my lake, is tournament guys, and I don't see myself going down that path.

That said, I love my toys and fishing will be my primary retirement activity.

This Fall I am reading and watching everything I can and comparing unit.

My question...........many say duel or linked units have changed how they fish, spend more time fishing and not looking, and becoming more productive.  If this is the case can you please expand in this?

 

Apologies for being a pain in the *ss,  but I want to set the new boat up right the first time.

 

Al

[3dees]

I have always had a unit on the bow and console. mine are linked but hasn't really changed anything. having a unit only at the console can cause headaches. you will be reading what's under the boat 16,17,18 feet away. if you mainly fish the banks then you might get away with one unit. linking the units has advantages, but more so for the tournament angler. your going to spend the same amount of time looking at either unit. most of us will look at the bow unit much more because that's where we are most of the time. for trollers, a bow unit isn't as useful. can't see how one could be more productive by looking less. 

[12poundbass]

As you know I don't have any units yet but will soon. For me the reasons I'm going to go with two units is simple. 

 

1: I want to be able to putt around a lake Mark waypoints and be able to go to those at a later time. 

 

2: I want mapping up front as well as at the helm. Having mapping at the bow helps you see possible "fishy" spots.

 

3: I want all the tools with me up front that I have at the helm.

 

Some people only use one large unit at the helm and just turn it when at the bow. Another option to save money is go the route I'm going and get a couple units that are linked instead of networking. If I had the budget I'd have a TM and a couple units all networked together. As long as I can share waypoints I'll be good.

[slonezp]

Having a unit on the console allows you to find spots and having a second one on the bow allows you to fish those spots. Having the ability to link to like units takes you one step further and as discussed in the other thread, linking in a GPS trolling motor is the cats azz. If you are trolling for walleye or trout, a bow mount unit is not so important. If you are going to be casting, you will spend 90% of your time  on the bow deck. Seems only fitting you should be seeing what's under or to the side of the bow.

 

Just an example. I followed this school of panfish around for almost 2 hours. I found them with the console unit and chased them with the bow unit. I sorted thru well over 100 fish. Wouldn't have been able to do that with a single unit.

[NHBull]

8 hours ago, slonezp said:

Having a unit on the console allows you to find spots and having a second one on the bow allows you to fish those spots. Having the ability to link to like units takes you one step further and as discussed in the other thread, linking in a GPS trolling motor is the cats azz. If you are trolling for walleye or trout, a bow mount unit is not so important. If you are going to be casting, you will spend 90% of your time  on the bow deck. Seems only fitting you should be seeing what's under or to the side of the bow.

 

Just an example. I followed this school of panfish around for almost 2 hours. I found them with the console unit and chased them with the bow unit. I sorted thru well over 100 fish. Wouldn't have been able to do that with a single unit.

Makes perfect sense, and thanks.

I know bugger is better, but what is the size of your unit at the TM, appreciated!

[slonezp]

11 hours ago, NHBull said:

Makes perfect sense, and thanks.

I know bugger is better, but what is the size of your unit at the TM, appreciated!

10"

[Sprocket]

I don't tournament fish much.  I have two 7" units on the front deck.  One of them is primarily for Panoptix.  And I have a 10" and a 5" on the console.  About the only one I could do without is the 5" on the console.  But I use it for mapping lakes that aren't mapped by any other source.

 

SE Kansas grass grower

[Further North]

Lots of good advice here.

 

Like a lot of the others, I use my console unit to find structure (and fish) and for when I'm running at faster speeds to avoid shallow water (shows up on the maps) and I use the bow unit while I'm fishing.

 

Someone mentioned the separation you get by having the two transducers at both ends of the boat...and it can be more than that given cone angles...you could be 40' off if the water's deep enough...

 

Having a unit at the console also gives me something to look at when I fish from the back of the boat (I typically set up the bow for gear and the back deck for fly casting if I'm out by myself).  Even though I can see the bow unit from the back...I want to know what I'm over at the transom when I'm back there (and that's where my 360° is mounted).

 

I run a 12" Helix G2N SI (MEGA) at the console and a 10" Helix G2N DI unit at the bow.