Just Fishing

[Mobasser]

This style of bass fishing is probably gone now for many of us. Are there any BR members who enjoy bass fishing with no electronics?           My older brother taught me what to look for. Certain types of cover, changes in the shoreline, something different in an area that looks the same.                               I still like this style of bass fishing. There's a feeling of accomplishment when you pull a good bass from an area that you discovered without electronics. It's the very basic style of bass fishing.           Do you enjoy fishing with an old school approach, without any electronics?

[Functional]

12 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

This style of bass fishing is probably gone now for many of us. Are there any BR members who enjoy bass fishing with no electronics?           My older brother taught me what to look for. Certain types of cover, changes in the shoreline, something different in an area that looks the same.                               I still like this style of bass fishing. There's a feeling of accomplishment when you pull a good bass from an area that you discovered without electronics. It's the very basic style of bass fishing.           Do you enjoy fishing with an old school approach, without any electronics?

that worked when I lived in NY. I could see the land, see the shoreline and cover and pick spots that would produce.

 

Once I moved those same tactics didnt work. I need electronics in the South or I'm just burning time and myself in the heat. 

 

I do miss northern fishing but its a bit more satisfying figuring out the puzzle down here. Not saying fishing in the north is easier, just thats what I grew up on and know it better. 

[WRB]

That’s how we usually stumble into good spots by trail and error. Using way points is how I return to spots off shore now.

Always observing the environment and terrain for signs that indicate potential, need to fish to find out what’s is actually there.

Tom

 

[gim]

No electronics at all, not even basic sonar?

 

I wouldn't even launch my boat without at least that.  I need to know its deep enough to throttle down with my outboard.  Running into shallow water is as much of a safety issue for me as it is a tool for locating habitat and fish.

 

Bear in mind I've only ever fished with at least basic sonar in the boat, and a few years later, we always had GPS mapping in the family boat shortly there after.

 

I will say that on one particular lake I do a lot of casting to visual targets like shoreline and docks so I guess you could call that "just fishing."  But I use my graphs and GPS to go from the landing to Point A or Point B.

[river-rat]

I have little need to use the electronics since the depth rarely exceeds 5 feet in the Atchafalaya Basin and marshes in south Louisiana.

 

I will however have the GPS and depth finder on split screen on the console of my boat turned on. I run so much shallow water I'm more comfortable knowing the depth of the water I'm running.

 

The last thing you want to do is run aground on a sand bar. That's like dropping your boat off the trailer in a parking lot. There have  been a few times I have had to have someone pull me off a sand bar.

 

 

[gim]

1 minute ago, riverat said:

The last thing you want to do is run aground on a sand bar.

That's kinda what I was getting at with my previous post.  Plowing into a rock reef while on plane does not sound very appealing to me.

[MediumMouthBass]

I have 3 kayaks and 1 jon boat, and fish on them alot along with bank fishing, and theres no electronics with me when im fishing. I am probably the one of the few people here, and probably only 1% of the younger generation thats against technology. Whether thats on boats, cars, homes, etc.... I dont even have a phone.

And now with AI, have any of you seen any of the terminator movies?

 

I bought a fish finder last year just because i wanted to know the depths, well i returned it instead.

A 1/2oz jig tells me everything i need to know about the bottom and how deep it is.

Time on the water is the best way to learn good spots and what the bass want.

 

I like to fish the "old school" way i guess, if im fishing im doing it for enjoyment and relaxing.

Staring at a screen for 2 hours of a 3 hour trip doesnt seem that fun, nor does having to spend extra money on batteries, time to charge, connect the wires, etc.... And a fish finder isnt a game changer either, theres been days the guys with 2-3 screens on boats that cost more than i could make in a year came back to the launch talking about how the bass werent biting that day, i didnt share with them that i caught several already....

 

When fishing becomes more of a job/chore than a hobby whats the point?

 

But for the guys on huge lakes i can totally understand the need for GPS and depth so they dont run aground. (but they seem to be using it more for navigation than fishing)

[Tennessee Boy]

[softwateronly]

I’ve always fished this way. Since getting back into it as an adult, I spend a vast majority of my time on bodies of water that I’ve known for years. I’ve built up enough time on the water and learned enough from others to find fish relatively consistently. 
 I did travel down to TX in early Feb of 21 to fish an impoundment and definitely struggled to find offshore fish. But I also came away from 5 days of fishing with 2 PB’s. Maps, birds, and the fish themselves told me where they were. There are definite cons to fishing this way, but I think it’s just as important to realize it’s also quite a rush and satisfying to figure it out on your own. One day I’ll leave this strange club of having a boat but no electronics and am not sure if it will always be for the better. 
 

scott

[Bird]

In the heat of the summer I'll look for offshore structure, ledges but mainly use the electronics for depth, water temps.

I like having them but would rather be fishing then looking at a screen.

 

 

[WRB]

We actually caught bass before GPS/Sonar by studying topography maps using visual land marks by triangulation.

When flashers came out we could tell the depth and fish between the surface and near bottom covering a small cone area.

Flashers were superseded by paper graphs that printed a history of what the boat passed over. Graphs were superseded by digital 2D sonar followed by color sonar with GPS..

Todays sonar units can scan a wider area up to 360 degrees plus full screen FFS.

You can put me in a boat with paper top map, compass and I can bass anywhere.

Tom

[gim]

7 minutes ago, Bird said:

water temps

 

I forgot about this in my previous post.  This time of year knowing the water temps is critical.  I look for warmer water in the north and it often greatly increases the chance of finding fish.

 

Not only that, water temps are a driving factor on when fish spawn.

[DaubsNU1]

That's a good question...started with nothing...and really just wanted to know depth. 

 

Round about 2000, got a Bottomline Fishin' Buddy, and could see depth, ledges, and basic bottom composition, and water temp. Pretty cool. 

 

 

In 2021 upgraded to Garmin Echomap 7SV, with down & side imaging, mapping and marking spots, water temp. Even neater. 

 

 

Last August new boat got two Helix 9 G4N's networked. 

 

 

I love, Love, LOVE to cast at shallow targets (trees, stumps, rocks, docks, weed-lines, etc.). That's the way my Dad taught me to fish...and is usually my go-to when starting the day. 

 

In these last few years with upgraded electronics, I find it very challenging and satisfying to find deep structure and get on fish. Bass, crappie, walleye, sunnies, etc., it's a hoot to find them and catch them using my electronics. 

[Susky River Rat]

There is no way I could safely navigate the river without them. 
 

fishing thr river really depends on the day. I like to know depth temp and let my instinct or lack of it do the rest. 
 

lakes around here are man made. They are mote or less featureless so I rely heavy on electronics 

[king fisher]

I fished 45 years without any electronics.  I would troll, use an anchor, even go swimming to determine depth.  I had to triangulate with objects on the shoreline in order to try and find places I previously caught bass.  I was successful, and always had a good time fishing, but I always wanted to be able to be able to have modern electronics, but I was never able to purchase even a basic unit.  I used electronics for my job saltwater fishing, but I wasn't the one paying for the technology.

       When I bought my kayak, I fished for a year before finally purchasing my first electronics. Now I have a simple Garmin unit with 2D, clearview, and the ability to make my own maps of the waters I fish.  I can still troll deep diving lures in order to determine depth, use markers to line up my casts, and put depth marks on my anchor rope.  Do I want to return to those methods?  Absolutely not.  I would rather be restricted to fish with one rod and small box of lures, rather than forced to give up my fish finder.

       I only have a kayak for a boat, and fish the shoreline much of the time, but I would spend money upgrading my electronics before I would upgrade to a better kayak, or a boat.   

        

[T-Billy]

I sometimes don't turn 'em on when I'm going pitch'n. 

[Team9nine]

I do it often when fishing shallow bank related cover, but honestly, I have more fun and enjoyment just pulling out and using only my old Lo-K-Tor from time to time  😎

 

[jbmaine]

I grew up fishing on both fresh and salt water without electronics of any kind. For the longest time I had no Idea what fish finders were. Of course these were the "I have a fishing pole, a can of worms, a couple of inline spinners, and maybe a jitterbug " days. Salt water was mostly hand lines.

 Today I wouldn't be on the water without electronics. I could fish without them, but knowing the depth and bottom contour is vital to me. Way back when boats and motors were like cars used to be. Simple, cheap and easy to work on. Remember before power trim and tilt , motors were designed to kick up if they hit something to keep them from being damaged? 

 The wife and I bought our dream boat when we retired. It's the last boat we'll ever own. I dread the $$$$$$$$ we'd have to dish out if we ever needed to replace the motor.

[Jar11591]

Sometimes during the summer when I’m not worried about water temperature and I’m on a lake I’m very familiar with, I won’t even look at the depth finder.

[A-Jay]

This fish finder sits in the back and does all the paddling ~ 

A-Jay

[IcatchDinks]

Bank angler/river wader here: I wouldn't know what to do with a fish finder or electronic gizmo thingy if I had the manual for it. I just walk the shoreline and/or riverbed casting into spots that look fishy, bouncing lures off the bottom to find the depth, and returning to the spots that produce. On the rare occasion that I have a boat, I do the same from the water. 

 

I just look for cover, drop offs, current changes, weed beds, etc to ascertain where I think the fish are. 

[Bankbeater]

On water that I know I don't use any electronics.  On new water I will use 2D mostly just to make sure I don't hit anything, but after I become familiar with the water I will leave the electronics at home. 

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

On water that I know I don't use any electronics.  On new water I will use 2D mostly just to make sure I don't hit anything, but after I become familiar with the water I will leave the electronics at home. 

Same here. We try to hit new spots early in the season before weed growth occurs where we'll use a Striker 4 just to find the details. Haven't been to many new spots in a few years so the Striker has stayed home. It's otherwise useless in 2-6 feet of water once it's topped out with weeds and pads.

[BrianMDTX]

In a 7’ inflatable, I have no room for electronics. Have to find fish the old fashioned way. As far as depth, I’m good in 3” of water lol. 
 

@WRB Tom, I so remember fishing 40+ years ago and utilizing topo maps. For hunting as well. You can learn a lot quickly with a good map. Find points, flats, sharp drop-offs, even the location of old buildings in reservoirs. It’s a skill long-forgotten or never learned by many today. Thanks for the reminder!

[Skunkmaster-k]

6 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

I dont even have a phone

Respect.