The New Tech

[Mobasser]

   I don't plan on investing in livescope anytime soon. I'm not sure if it would really help me out all that much. I still enjoy cruising slowly along, casting to visible targets.                                             Many times, I don't even have my depth finder turned on when fishing this way.                              When the shallow bite dies off, I'll turn on my finder to fish deeper water. This is where I can see livescope helping, for deep water structure fishing.                  I'm in no way against this new technology, and I think it could be a useful tool. I'm sure as time goes on it will become even better.                                                But maybe I'm just an old fashioned fisherman.                             How do you feel about livescope? Do you think it will fit with your fishing style?    

                       

[Jig Man]

I feel that live view is just another step in the technology of the sport.  I am a Humminbird guy so I have been wanting the Mega Live and waiting for over a year.  I now have one and it will be installed later this month.  I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can get from it. 
 

I probably don’t have as much time left in a boat as you do and so I am trying to make as much as possible with the time I have left.

[Team9nine]

I love it and I hate it. Not happy seeing how technology, in general, has taken over professional fishing. Kind of ruined it for me. Reminds me of what Formula 1 has gone through in a way.

[OldManLure]

Livescope technology is pretty amazing.  It will change fishing.  For its users, it will be like fishing in the BassProShop fish tank.

[slonezp]

On 12/16/2021 at 4:57 PM, Team9nine said:

I love it and I hate it. Not happy seeing how technology, in general, has taken over professional fishing. Kind of ruined it for me. Reminds me of what Formula 1 has gone through in a way.

Professional fishing aside, I guess the saving grace is it's so dang expensive. If everyone could afford it, it could really take a toll on fish populations. 

[A-Jay]

If I were to buy a New Rig - 

I can see myself outfitting it with whatever the newest deals were at the time.

Which is what I did going on 6 years ago.

Man have things changed since then.

At this point, retrofitting my current rig with any New Electronics, 

is probably not in the cards.

A-Jay

[slonezp]

40 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

If I were to buy a New Rig - 

I can see myself outfitting it with whatever the newest deals were at the time.

Which is what I did going on 6 years ago.

Man have things changed since then.

At this point, retrofitting my current rig with any New Electronics, 

is probably not in the cards.

A-Jay

Maybe it's time for a new rig.

 

To drop $6k-$15k on new electronics when the current setup works just fine, to me, is a waste and, it's a little more than what I would call disposable income, at least in my case. 

 

I've got all sorts of ideas when I decide to pull the trigger on another boat. They'll be all old technology by the time I get it.

[Craig P]

I bought a new boat this past Spring and did not equip it with Livescope but my prior boat, I did.  On the last boat, at the very least, it helped me visualize what I was seeing on down and side imaging and I believe I can read a finder better today because of it but when it came down to actual fishing for Bass, I found it to be counter-productive to how I like to fish.

 

I found myself constantly trying to locate fish rather than fishing to only learn that there are situations where even Livescope cannot reveal everything, a precisely thrown cast however, more often can and if you rely on Livescope to save you casts, you will skip over many fish.  That is not to say that if you use it as an additional tool, it has benefits but it's easy to get swept up using it as a method and not as just a tool.

 

I will admit, it was neat and has many benefits to Crappie and Hybrid Striper fishing.  It becomes a video game and the amount I caught was off the charts but in my heart of hearts, I am a bass angler and those side trips to catch Crappie and Hybrids was just entertainment trying out the new toy.

[A-Jay]

4 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Maybe it's time for a new rig.

 

To drop $6k-$15k on new electronics when the current setup works just fine, to me, is a waste and, it's a little more than what I would call disposable income, at least in my case. 

 

I've got all sorts of ideas when I decide to pull the trigger on another boat. They'll be all old technology by the time I get it.

 That kind of scratch is 'at least' 3 trips to Mexico !

And I'm not ready to call changing out the electronic with the new stuff a waste, 

but I'm not sure it would 'improve' my fishing enough to justify the cost.

At least right now anyway.

Now if the bait monkey were to mysteriously install it all under the cover of darkness,

I could be good with that.

A-Jay

[MickD]

Seems like it shouldn't take 6-15K bucks to outsmart a fish with a pea sized brain.  But maybe that fish's brain is bigger than ours.

 

I'm for using tech in what I define as a reasonable fashion, but not playing video games on the water, and I look forward to a more "traditional and serene" day of fishing.  Everyone can define "reasonable."

[slonezp]

On 12/18/2021 at 4:32 PM, MickD said:

Seems like it shouldn't take 6-15K bucks to outsmart a fish with a pea sized brain.  But maybe that fish's brain is bigger than ours.

 

I'm for using tech in what I define as a reasonable fashion, but not playing video games on the water, and I look forward to a more "traditional and serene" day of fishing.  Everyone can define "reasonable."

Fish don't make decisions based on emotions, people do.  If 6-15k is going to make someone think they're a better fisherman, so be it.

 

I ran SI on the Lund and while it was a fantastic tool, 2D and mapping were the most important features I utilized. Livescope and MEGALive are tools that look to be fantastic. With a C&R mentality,  I don't think it matters much to the health of the fishery.

 

The new technology is just another tool. 

[gim]

I don’t think the common weekend angler can afford to just upgrade their electronics to the latest and greatest every season, or even every couple seasons. Seems like when I get a new graph with new features, the next one is already on the market and my “new” one one is already outdated.

 

Most pro anglers don’t pay a dime to use the newest features. At least to my knowledge.

[MN Fisher]

Right now, I'm lucky to have a Striker 7cv...and it's not even the Vivid model.

 

Maybe someday I'll be able to afford an Echomap...but that's a year or two down the line at minimum.

[Dirtyeggroll]

I like tech. All kinds.

fishing tech. Computer tech. Operating room tech.

I think it’s fun.

I have all the latest and greatest gizmos and gadgets on my boat that I want.

Hope to continue to. 
I use it when I want or ignore it when I don’t.

 

Sometimes I still fish from bank with just a pole or two and still have a great time and still catch fish.

 

I never have cared about professional or tournament fishing so I really don’t care what they use.

[bait__Monkey]

On 12/18/2021 at 3:55 PM, A-Jay said:

Now if the bait monkey were to mysteriously install it all under the cover of darkness,

I could be good with that.

A-Jay

noted……

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, bait__Monkey said:

noted……

Cool ~

Guess I should have @bait__Monkey

Won't forget next time.

It's not like you owe me or anthing....

A-Jay

 

[schplurg]

I've never used it but I don't like the idea of it, for me anyways. The hunt is half the fun. It's like playing hide and seek with x-ray vision. "Gee you found me, whoop-de-doo!"

 

I would not find satisfaction in that. And knowing that the technology will only improve...just no for me.

[jbmaine]

Truth be told, if I could afford it, I'd be tempted. However, I still have a nagging problem with any electronics , that is I don't totally trust it. I fish in pretty clear water, seeing bottom at 10-20 foot depth, and I know for a fact there are times my Echomap shows fish under the boat. I can look down and there just isn't any fish there. So forward looking sonar is cool, but , not sure I'd ever really trust it. 

[12poundbass]

10 hours ago, schplurg said:

I've never used it but I don't like the idea of it, for me anyways. The hunt is half the fun. It's like playing hide and seek with x-ray vision. "Gee you found me, whoop-de-doo!"

 

I would not find satisfaction in that. And knowing that the technology will only improve...just no for me.

I’m the opposite. I’d probably find them (hard emphasis on probably) but wouldn’t be able to catch them. It would drive me nuts seeing the fish on the screen, looking at my lure, and thumbing their nose at it. It would probably drive me to the point of doing something drastic…..

[WRB]

If you are a tournament angler fishing deep structure lakes having Forward scanning Live Scope technology saves a lot of time locating the elusive suspended bass.

I remember Bill Murphy saying this is the future of bass to catch those bass. Murphy was developing trolling lure and trolling patterns to take advantage of big suspended bass knew were there but extremely difficult to locate.

Murphy would have loved Live Scope it opens the frontier he worked to discover.

My concern is big bass are fragile fish when caught deep and require TLC to revive, livewells kill them. The survival rate post mortality is lower do to over handling and water temp change shock.

If I was tournament fishing today Forward scanning sonar with Live Scope would be essential tool to be competitive.

Tom

[schplurg]

Of course anyone would be a fool not to use it if big money was involved and the electronics were allowed. As a less than casual tourney watcher I'd like to see electronics limited in them. Most sports do have limitations on equipment (no rocket-powered shoes in track n field...)  

 

But then who would promote all the newest gadgetry? I guarantee you the manufacturers would fight to keep them in tournaments for that reason.

[WRB]

Sonar technology get its start from the off shore tuna-marlin Sport Fishing and commercial charter boats. We had 360 scanning sonar in the 90’s, too expensive for the fresh boats. A few years the price will be affordable for majority of the bass boating anglers. You can’t stop innovation.

I remember when Minnesota initially out lawed the of sonar 2d units thinking it was unsporting technology.

Tom

 

 

[padon]

for me im not really interested, at least not now. i still  dont feel i use my mapping and side imaging to its full potential yet . not an electronics problem a me problem.i think for me 360 would be more useful. the ability to look forward and to the side and make sure im within range of the cover/structure that i think im fishing.