Fish finders

[firefightermike]

Ok I need some help. I just got my tracker heritage and it has the no so great but works for what it is hook3x on the dash. Looking to buy one for the trolling motor Lowrance® Hook2 5 SplitShot™ Sonar/GPS Combo with Navionics+ but I'm really not sure if I should put it on the dash or trolling motor. My train of thought is I spend 90% of the time at the trolling motor. The Lakes I fish aren't huge so the amount of time I spend behind the wheel is not that much. Advice please and thank you 

[Ratherbfishing]

Results/satisfaction may vary but I put my cheap unit in the back and my Helix 7 on the front (though the transducer is still on the transom).  It is the best arrangement I've found (so far).

[Jig Man]

I always spend more time at the bow than at the helm.  I want the best I have to be where I spend my time.

[12poundbass]

At the bow for sure but if the budget is available I'd go bigger. You're looking at a 5"? You'll be standing (I'm assuming) and that 5" unit will be pretty small and making details harder to see. A 5" unit is about the same size as a pop can turned sideways. Just something else to think about. 

[firefightermike]

Yeah I would like bigger but the budget thing lol. Will the DI or any other features be negatively affected by mounting the transducer on the trolling motor? 

[12poundbass]

4 minutes ago, firefightermike said:

Yeah I would like bigger but the budget thing lol. Will the DI or any other features be negatively affected by mounting the transducer on the trolling motor? 

Nothing will be affected by mounting it to the TM

[firefightermike]

Ok ty was thinking about Lowrance® Hook2 7x TripleShot™ Sonar/GPS Combo. Instead. No navionics but I don't really need It but its bigger screen and in my budget. Comments? 

[AustinHellickson]

Have you had any success/ problems with the hook 3x? i cant get mine to read right

[12poundbass]

21 hours ago, firefightermike said:

Ok ty was thinking about Lowrance® Hook2 7x TripleShot™ Sonar/GPS Combo. Instead. No navionics but I don't really need It but its bigger screen and in my budget. Comments? 

The tripleshot looks like a good unit. Lets us know how it goes. I don't think we've have anyone chime in on the new tripleshot yet. 

[firefightermike]

18 hours ago, AustinHellickson said:

Have you had any success/ problems with the hook 3x? i cant get mine to read right

No from what I've seen its working fine. Not at high speeds.  I don't where they mounted the transducer on the heritage. Looks to close to the outboard 

[12poundbass]

59 minutes ago, firefightermike said:

No from what I've seen its working fine. Not at high speeds.  I don't where they mounted the transducer on the heritage. Looks to close to the outboard 

Another option for the same price as the Lowrance is the Garmin Striker plus 7sv. It has everything the Triple shot has and you can make your own maps with the Quickdraw feature and save around 2 million acres. 

[3dees]

side scan isn't going to do much up front, especially if your new at it. it's best in a straight line so any turning of the tm can be confusing. go with the largest unit you can afford. if you split screens on a 5" model, your going to squint to see any detail, especially if your standing. I went from a 5" to a 7" and now I have two 9". can't afford the 12's.

[Troy85]

1 hour ago, 3dees said:

side scan isn't going to do much up front, especially if your new at it. it's best in a straight line so any turning of the tm can be confusing. go with the largest unit you can afford. if you split screens on a 5" model, your going to squint to see any detail, especially if your standing. I went from a 5" to a 7" and now I have two 9". can't afford the 12's.

I second this.  Even if you have to wait a little longer and save up a little more money, get the 7".  Doesn't sound like much, but it makes a huge difference.

[Zigkx]

I have a tracker heritage coming in also, I wanted to do the same thing, move the hook 3x to the front and get the Lowrance hook 2 splitshot for the console. I was wandering if y’all knew if the transducers would work from the 3x to the splitshot? That way I wouldn’t have to worry about moving the transducer and filling the holes and then just put the new transducer under the trolling motor. Thank you!

[3dees]

I may be wrong, but I think they use different power cords. an adapter might be available.

[Rahlow]

I am as serious as I can be when I say, I cannot for the life of me understand the need for a “fish finder” for bass fishermen. I fully understand sonar, it’s uses and benefits for seeing the underwater details,,,, but unless you are in 30’ or deeper, sonar does not come close to showing what’s under you,,, I have never caught a bass of any size closer than 15’ or so from my boat, in deeper than 8’ of water. The suspended bass I have caught were on structure  I had located with the cheapest Humingbird on the market in the middle 1990’s.

I have friends that Striper fish, they have high dollar sonar, I understand that use of sonar,,, but LMB????

[Russ E]

2 hours ago, Rahlow said:

I am as serious as I can be when I say, I cannot for the life of me understand the need for a “fish finder” for bass fishermen. I fully understand sonar, it’s uses and benefits for seeing the underwater details,,,, but unless you are in 30’ or deeper, sonar does not come close to showing what’s under you,,, I have never caught a bass of any size closer than 15’ or so from my boat, in deeper than 8’ of water. The suspended bass I have caught were on structure  I had located with the cheapest Humingbird on the market in the middle 1990’s.

I have friends that Striper fish, they have high dollar sonar, I understand that use of sonar,,, but LMB????

if you have a decent fishfinder and know how to use it.  You can get a pretty good picture of what is under you in less than 10ft of water.

Most of my bass fishing is in 15 foot of water or less.

I rarely use it to find specific fish, but I am constantly watching it for contour change, weedbeds, brushpiles, trees, and everything else that is in the water. If you add GPS, down imaging, and side imaging it can be a valuable bass fishing tool. 

It definitely helps me eliminate unproductive water.

[Rahlow]

That’s my point, you can see what’s under you, not what the features are 20 or more feet away from you. Unless you are down fishing, which isn’t cast and retrieve bass fishing. 

I’m not trying to argue here, just trying to understand the importance being placed in expensive sonar, 

[Russ E]

4 minutes ago, Rahlow said:

That’s my point, you can see what’s under you, not what the features are 20 or more feet away from you. Unless you are down fishing, which isn’t cast and retrieve bass fishing. 

I’m not trying to argue here, just trying to understand the importance being placed in expensive sonar, 

 

Thats what side imaging does.

In a new area, I will make a pass running the big motor, to scan an area.

My side imaging can accurately see around 100 feet on each side of the boat.  you can find brushpiles, weed edges, etc. then mark it on the gps map and drive right back to it.  

Once you learn how to use it. it will change how you fish.

I learned how to fish using a basic sonar flasher. The technology available today is incredible.

[Rahlow]

I can understand the side scan, that makes more sense to my old brain.

I guess I’m too old school for all that, plus the fact if I can see em and still not catch em, I might get a lil frustrated lol,,,

[3dees]

it's not about finding fish. it's finding structure and cover that will hold fish. you may not see fish at the moment, but if it's the right structure it should have fish using it at some time so it's important to mark it for future reference.

[Rahlow]

12 hours ago, 3dees said:

it's not about finding fish. it's finding structure and cover that will hold fish. you may not see fish at the moment, but if it's the right structure it should have fish using it at some time so it's important to mark it for future reference.

I agree with the strategy, structure and cover are key, that’s why I like my topo lake maps so much

[Further North]

I look at my electronics this way:

 

• Bow
  • I want to look down at what I am over at the moment, so I know the depth, temp. and what is down there.
  • I like having mapping up there, in my case because I run an Ulterra that I can direct to go to a spot I like, or follow a route, of follow a contour...but it's not critical.
  • Had I waited until bow mount 360° came out, I'd rather have that at the bow than the transom...but I can compensate without a lot of mental gymnastics.
  • I run a 10" screen at the bow because that's plenty to see what I want to see.
• Console
  • I want mapping so I can see what the lake looks like as a move through it at speed.
    • This also helps me not do stupid stuff like tear up the lower unit on a submerged hump or rock bar.
  • I want Side Imaging at the console, because the way I fish is to run a section of lake, mark structure, then go back and fish it.
  • DI and 2D are important back there as well, for when I, or someone else, is fishing the back deck.  YMMV.
    • I tend to throw gear from the front deck, flies from the back.  Stops the fly line from getting wrapped 'round the gear rods.
    • I run a 12" screen at the console because I often have a split screen with mapping on one side, SI, DI or 2D on the other and I want them to be big enough to see detail.

Obviously everyone is different and "Different strokes for different folks" and all that...

[WRB]

Getting back to the OP's original question will a 5" unit be OK on the bow, yes! I use a 5" unit mounted on a RAM and can see everything needed. The 3" unit in the dash is nearly worthless IMO. 7" console unit with GPS Navonics maps is a valuable tool. You drive your boat at the console looking at both maps and sonar, map to find structure elements and or way points and sonar to locate baitfish, thermoclines, surface water temps and bass on or suspended in structure or cover. 

Remember it's important to eliminate where the bass are not located, what depth zone baitfish are in and if you can't find any suspended baitfish or bass in deeper water that tells you to eliminate deeper water.

Sonar units starting with flashers have always displayed everything the modern units do, the flasher didn't have a scrolling memory to save and display the history, you had to watch the flasher to see fish, the bottom depth isn't changing fast, fish are small targets that move.

How much money you can afford to spend on larger size screens is a personal choice, the minimums for me are; 5" bow and 7" console.

Don't leave the marina until you survey it to determine water temps, if there is thermocline, baitfish depth, life zone depth to solve the question where to start fishing and lure selection, every boat bass angler should know this information without guessing.

Tom

 

[Further North]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Getting back to the OP's original question will a 5" unit be OK on the bow, yes!

@WRB....the OP's question was really about placement:

On 5/8/2018 at 2:38 PM, firefightermike said:

Looking to buy one for the trolling motor Lowrance® Hook2 5 SplitShot™ Sonar/GPS Combo with Navionics+ but I'm really not sure if I should put it on the dash or trolling motor. My train of thought is I spend 90% of the time at the trolling motor.

That said, I think screen size is really a budget/preference issue.

 

No way I'd go with a screen that small 6 feet from my eyes, but it'd probably work for a lot of folks.

 

I do know I prefer to look at a 10" screen, but understand that there are reasons why some folks wouldn't go that route.