Rocks give me wood

[FryDog62]

I have admittedly been a below average off-shore fisherman my whole life. I can beat the bank and power fish about as well as anyone else. But when the bite got tough or it got to be later in the season when fish glue themselves to deeper structure, I struggled. 
 

I’ve had Livescope (or the Panoptix predecessor) for about 6 years now and it’s great. But I think it excels early in the year when fish are moving. Has helped me especially with the spring migration and the jerkbait bite. 
 

From August til the end of the year in our part of the country... the returns on Livescope diminish IMO. Fish cling right to the bottom - especially to boulders, gravel, chunk rock. But they are there... you just can’t always see them on ‘scope..

 

Two years ago, I added 360 Imaging. It really becomes valuable this time of year when I find less effectiveness with Livescope. 
 

Being a tad Type-A, I was never patient enough in the past to spend the time side imaging and finding quality rock. Sure I found a few by chance and dropped some waypoints, but then going back and casting to “dots” on my mapping screen wasn't always great... I had so-so results at best and I’d eventually move on. 
 

Two years ago it all changed. Yes, I could side image and find rocks, but now with 360 I can go back and look at the waypoint “dots” but more importantly, hone in on real time images of exactly where those rocks were, their size, shape, next to weeds, etc. Then make targeted, repeated casts to high percentage areas with bottom contact lures - football jigs, Neds, etc. The returns have been phenomenal. 
 

The best lakes have been those with only a few chunk rock, small boulder filled areas. The rest of the lake is relatively feature-less, but these rocky areas are like Velcro magnets for bigger fish this time of year especially. 
 

It’s also allowed me to renew the use of the old "Ball and Chain" - aka Carolina Rig. Old guys like me used it years ago to find isolated, off-shore structure. We could “ feel" structure since we didn't have decent electronics to see it. Throw out a few marker buoys each side of the structure and try to pick it apart before the other boats saw your markers and jumped in on the fun.  Those big, deep water hook sets are hard to beat!!
 

Been a great two years finding the bigger gals in our northern waters. Looking forward to our last 2 months of fishing before it turns rock hard again around here... (see the photos of sweatshirts and coats on cool August mornings in Minnesota - lol).
 

In the meantime, football jigs and Carolina on my mind... 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                        

[casts_by_fly]

11 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I have admittedly been a below average off-shore fisherman my whole life. I can beat the bank and power fish about as well as anyone else. But when the bite got tough or it got to be later in the season when fish glue themselves to deeper structure, I struggled. 
 

I’ve had Livescope (or the Panoptix predecessor) for about 6 years now and it’s great. But I think it excels early in the year when fish are moving. Has helped me especially with the spring migration and the jerkbait bite. 
 

From August til the end of the year in our part of the country... the returns on Livescope diminish IMO. Fish cling right to the bottom - especially to boulders, gravel, chunk rock. But they are there... you just can’t always see them on ‘scope..

 

Two years ago, I added 360 Imaging. It really becomes valuable this time of year when I find less effectiveness with Livescope. 
 

Being a tad Type-A, I was never patient enough in the past to spend the time side imaging and finding quality rock. Sure I found a few by chance and dropped some waypoints, but then going back and casting to “dots” on my mapping screen wasn't always great... I had so-so results at best and I’d eventually move on. 
 

Two years ago it all changed. Yes, I could side image and find rocks, but now with 360 I can go back and look at the waypoint “dots” but more importantly, hone in on real time images of exactly where those rocks were, their size, shape, etc. Then make targeted, repeated casts to high percentage areas with bottom contact lures - football jigs, Neds, etc. The returns have been phenomenal. 
 

The best lakes have been those with only a few chunk rock, small boulder filled areas. The rest of the lake is relatively feature-less, but these rocky areas are like Velcro magnets for bigger fish this time of year especially. 
 

It’s also allowed me to renew the use of the old "Ball and Chain" - aka Carolina Rig. Old guys like me used it years ago to find isolated, off-shore structure. We could “ feel" structure since we didn't have decent electronics to see it. Throw out a few marker buoys each side of the structure and try to pick it apart before the other boats saw your markers and jumped in on the fun. 
 

Been a great two years finding the bigger gals in our northern waters. Looking forward to our last 2 months of fishing before it turns rock hard again around here... (see the photos of sweatshirts and coats on cool August mornings in Minnesota - lol).
 

In the meantime, football jigs and Carolina on my mind... 

 

 

Man, you're going to cost me money.  I too am not good at offshore (I'd say you're just fine from the pictures!).  I also really dislike 'dragging' rigs like a carolina or football jig (I'd much rather crank those rocks).  I have side imaging and have no problems going back and forth across a place with side, marking points, swapping to down.  However I'm in the autopilot which as you know isn't as easy to bounce around as a big boat.  Spot hopping offshore means a 15-20 minute run to the next point if nothing on this one.  Having 360 to show me a full area at once would be awesome, but that means a new head unit too....

[FryDog62]

23 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

 

Man, you're going to cost me money.  I too am not good at offshore (I'd say you're just fine from the pictures!).  I also really dislike 'dragging' rigs like a carolina or football jig (I'd much rather crank those rocks).  I have side imaging and have no problems going back and forth across a place with side, marking points, swapping to down.  However I'm in the autopilot which as you know isn't as easy to bounce around as a big boat.  Spot hopping offshore means a 15-20 minute run to the next point if nothing on this one.  Having 360 to show me a full area at once would be awesome, but that means a new head unit too....

LOL... yes this stuff gets expensive. This has all been for my bass boat up north, and for me its been worth it.  But you're right, then there's the Autopilot kayak in Florida this winter... I should have bought a Helix 9 to add on either Mega Live or 360 Imaging, but of course I only got the Helix 7. Sitting here trying to figure out how to rat-hole some extra funds before January to upgrade when I get there. Two boats = two cost centers! 

[Texas Flood]

A football jig is one of my favorite baits. Seeing a rock pile like that would make me excited too!

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

LOL... yes this stuff gets expensive. This has all been for my bass boat up north, and for me its been worth it.  But you're right, then there's the Autopilot kayak in Florida this winter... I should have bought a Helix 9 to add on either Mega Live or 360 Imaging, but of course I only got the Helix 7. Sitting here trying to figure out how to rat-hole some extra funds before January to upgrade when I get there. Two boats = two cost centers! 

 

Same story here.  I though the 7 would be enough and I'd never add 360.  If I'd have bought the 9 originally I'd already have the 360.  Since you already own the 9, you could just take the head unit down with you.  You go for long enough that it's not like you're swapping them every week.  Then you only need the 360 transducer.  The 360 transducer will still give you side imaging and the 7 transducer will give you down and sonar on the 9.  I've done this homework already...

[FryDog62]

4 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Same story here.  I though the 7 would be enough and I'd never add 360.  If I'd have bought the 9 originally I'd already have the 360.  Since you already own the 9, you could just take the head unit down with you.  You go for long enough that it's not like you're swapping them every week.  Then you only need the 360 transducer.  The 360 transducer will still give you side imaging and the 7 transducer will give you down and sonar on the 9.  I've done this homework already...

For fishing winter/spring in Florida... fish are moving then and not on rock/structure. So would prefer Mega Live over 360 the time that I’m down there. I could take my Helix 10 but it is Gen 2 and not compatible with Live. Or, thought of taking my Garmin 10 inch, and buy the Livescope bundle... but then have to figure out where to mount the black box (Mega Live doesn’t have one) which could be a pain. And if I go Garmin, I wouldn’t be able to add a 360 later if I want. 
 

Kind of trapped either way and that’s why I wish I’d have just bought a Helix 9 or bigger a year ago...

[TnRiver46]

The problem here is it’s all rocks, you don’t even need a depth finder or Carolina rig to find them

 

[gim]

And of course, the boat is beached right on the rocks because, well, there's nowhere else to park it.  LOL

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

And of course, the boat is beached right on the rocks because, well, there's nowhere else to park it.  LOL

All of our sand washed down to New Orleans 1 million years ago ha ha

[Texas Flood]

40 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The problem here is it’s all rocks, you don’t even need a depth finder or Carolina rig to find them

 

I think I'm in love!

[gim]

15 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Yes, I could side image and find rocks

My understanding is that you still use side scan to actually locate the isolated boulder fields, correct?

 

The second part with 360 isn't going to happen in my boat, but if I can find more of these patches of rock...

[TOXIC]

Fishing Lake St Clair for a week straight for the last 20 years has taught us enough off shore fishing to have a masters degree.?

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

My understanding is that you still use side scan to actually locate the isolated boulder fields, correct?

 

The second part with 360 isn't going to happen in my boat, but if I can find more of these patches of rock...

Yes, now I will side image and only drop a few waypoints on the outside edges of where the rock piles are. I used to spend a lot of time dropping dots on as many larger rocks as I could. Now if I mark the perimeter and come back with 360, I can actually see the better structure I want to cover and cast to it.  It’s just higher percentage fishing for me.