How has SI changed the way you fish?

[Hellbenderman]

I haven't bought a new depth finder in quite a while and am giving serious thought to getting a Humminbird 998C SI. I was wondering from you who have taken the jump, how SI has changed the way you fish. Do you look at the screen more, fish less, but catch more? Has it been what you expected? Have you learned anything about how fish are relating to structure or bait in your lake? Etc.

[Carrington]

it helps me find certain features about 10 times faster since im scanning sideways instead of straight down.

[Bobby Uhrig]

How has the SI changed how I fish HMMM They were so expensive that I cant take a day off from work to enjoy them. So I used to be able to fish -now - gotta work to pay for them.-  OK OK Actually probably best technology -thing to happen in years. Totally helps you eliminate unproductive water faster. Second forces you to slow down and fish for the fish when you do locate them. I said it 20 years ago when I seen the first ultrasound of a pregnancy- hmmm why cant they do that underwater- they did- Next it will be live video shots underwater with zoom in capabilities . Video cameras with ultra sensitive filters to filter out particles underwater so its crystal clear then instead of viewing it on a typical depth finder screen-it will be on a monitor- Some one quote me on that please. More sophisticated than the cameras that are on the market today that you can watch  live underwater video.

[Wayne P.]

It hasn't changed the amount of fish I catch, but it has reduced amount of water I put a lure into to catch that amount. Since I can see where they are, I spend more time fishing for those fish than just random casting, hoping to bring my presentation by one.

Also since I see fish away from under the boat, I can fish for those than haven't been spooked by going over them with the boat.

[BassCatt]

Wayne summed it up for me.  I find I fish less dead water, and at times I think I catch a few more fish because I'm fishing sweet spots and conentrations.  It helps remove the guess work from whats down there.

[Catt]

With side imaging I speed less time fishing where they aint

[fishfordollars]

Prefishing ain't what it use to be for me. Much more time easing around looking instead of fishing each spot.

A little tip: Get in the areas that everyone passes by. It will amaze you the cover/structure that no one is fishing. I picked off two fours last friday on a logjam sitting sixty yards off a do nothing bank that i have passed by for twenty years.

[OkobojiEagle]

My wife hasn't allowed me to read Sports Illustrated since the "painted on" swimsuit issue!  I sure do wish I had hid that issue.

steve

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Mine is getting installed as a type. Problem is she is also getting winterized at the same time :'( I am pretty sure I am more pumped for my first "find" with it, than my first fish of 2011 :

[Mike 12345]

For one, I can see how fish relate to things like creek channels.

As importantly, there are now not just vast expanses of open water.  Now I can see, for example, that 90% of the bottom of the cove or creek that I'm in is simply mud bottom-  what I can now do is quickly find the other 10% of interesting stuff- rocks, stumps, fallen submerged trees or brushpiles.

[Hellbenderman]

I'm no slouch as it is. I'm feeling that SI will give me an embarrassing advantage over the poor fish, but it is also a tool of knowledge that will fill in many small little gaps in my understanding...like why I can't pull much off a point that my every instinct tells me should be holding fish. I expect to find that fish were relating to the point in a way I didn't understand. I'm looking forward to watching schools of bait fish and seeing how bass relate. I'm sure SI will put me on more fish, but its value as a learning tool that could greatly advance your understanding of bass behavior may be more important in the long run.

[BigEbass]

I am relatively new to fishing - 3 years - 2 years in my boat - only probably 20 days per year or less on the water (work sux) - put the 998 on my modest boat april this year, have only used it probably 8 or 9 times - for someone that is new to fishing and to a given body of water, I feel much more confident in finding targets as others have pointed out.  It gives me more confidence that I am fishing productive water and I am slowly keying in on how to interpret the images and apply it to my fishing...

I am still too new at this all, including with this technology, but I am confident that with each new trip to my local waters, I will gain more and more knowledge of fishing spots, structure, cover, contours, etc...and I feel that my learning curve will be that much shorter....but for a person that already knows alot about their lake and has more experience than me, they probably would kick my novice but with a row boat with no electronics 

But a wise man told me recently on another forum - that the best unit you could use on your boat is your head - that is probably the first underutilized technology when we go fishing, myself first and foremost  ;D

[JohnnyBigger]

I want a SI  :'(

[Sam]

How has the SI changed how I fish HMMM They were so expensive that I cant take a day off from work to enjoy them. So I used to be able to fish -now - gotta work to pay for them.- OK OK Actually probably best technology -thing to happen in years. Totally helps you eliminate unproductive water faster. Second forces you to slow down and fish for the fish when you do locate them. I said it 20 years ago when I seen the first ultrasound of a pregnancy- hmmm why cant they do that underwater- they did- Next it will be live video shots underwater with zoom in capabilities . Video cameras with ultra sensitive filters to filter out particles underwater so its crystal clear then instead of viewing it on a typical depth finder screen-it will be on a monitor- Some one quote me on that please. More sophisticated than the cameras that are on the market today that you can watch live underwater video.

From your lips to God's ears.  ;D   ;D   ;D