Side Scan vs Down Scan positioning question.

[LionHeart]

Hey guys, so I've got two different 'fish finders,' and I'm trying to decide the best location for each.  One is a Lowrance Elite 9Ti2 (which has side scan, and the other is Lowrance Elite 5HDI (downscan only).  My thinking is to put the 9Ti on the front trolling motor as forward facing, and the 5HDI on the transom as rear facing.  My line of thinking is that I typically select spots by looking at charts, and then fish them the next day.  I don't typically spent much time idling and looking at imaging.  Mounting the 9Ti would allow me to get the most from side scan capability of the 9Ti, while still having down scan at the rear of the boat.

 

I'm fairly novice with sonar, so any suggestions or insight would be very much appreciated.  Thanks

[casts_by_fly]

Personally I’d do it the other way. When I’m up front I’m not using side scan. To best use side scan you need to be moving along at a relatively constant speed. If im up and fishing, then it’s stop start and not staring at a fish finder (except for live imaging). So I’d put the better unit at the console and then just use the front unit for current depth and maybe downscan if you want. 

[Catt]

42 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

To best use side scan you need to be moving along at a relatively constant speed.

 

I'll scan the structure, if I don't see anything, it's on to the next structure.

[MediumMouthBass]

 

5 hours ago, LionHeart said:

My line of thinking is that I typically select spots by looking at charts, and then fish them the next day.  I don't typically spent much time idling and looking at imaging.  Mounting the 9Ti would allow me to get the most from side scan capability of the 9Ti, while still having down scan at the rear of the boat.

 

Put the fish finder that will benefit you the most where you will be seeing/using it the most.

 

The majority if not all, will put side scan at the front and back, the rest will be side scan at the wheel, and down scan for the front.

 

If you spend alot of time at the wheel using the engine (maybe youve got lakes that are over 1,000 acres) the masses thinking would make the most sense, but if you spend most if not all of your time at the front using the trolling motor how would that help you? It wouldnt, in this case put the side scan where youve already thought about putting it.

 

If slow speeds made side scan obsolete why are so many guys putting it on there kayaks that arent motorized? I know it wont be getting the most out of it, but it will work.

Edited February 22 by MediumMouthBass

[Choporoz]

I have sidescan (transom mount) at console, and downscan on the trolling motor.  However, my forward unit has a 9" screen.  I would really struggle with a 5" screen up front.

[A-Jay]

Not a huge 'electronics guy' but

I am with @Choporoz on this one.

Except I'm running 10 inch screens.

Not a huge difference, but between the glare and OG eyes, that's about as small a screen as I could effectively use.

Especially when I am running more than 1 view.  Have the original As360 at the bow as well.  Still running strong. 

A-Jay

[WRB]

You can network Lowrance TD’s so the location should accommodate the largest Side Scan TD at the stern, down scan on the TM. I would put  the larger screen at the bow on a adjustable mount and use split screen to view both.

Both TD’s are not live it’s a history of what you passed over.

Tom

[casts_by_fly]

14 minutes ago, WRB said:

You can network Lowrance TD’s so the location should accommodate the largest Side Scan TD at the stern, down scan on the TM. I would put  the larger screen at the bow on a adjustable mount and use split screen to view both.

Both TD’s are not live it’s a history of what you passed over.

Tom

im pretty sure that the ti2 can’t share side or down imaging. Just basic 2d and mapping. My dad has one on his boat and I looked into it 2 years ago when he wanted to add on and network. 

 

3 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

If slow speeds made side scan obsolete why are so many guys putting it on there kayaks that arent motorized? I know it wont be getting the most out of it, but it will work.

Not slow speed, inconsistent speed. Paddling along at 3/4mph is just fine for side imaging. Motoring at 4 mph is also. Just adjust the scroll speed to give the right screen picture. But stop go or being still will give a bad picture. It might give you an inkling that there is some type of structure there to then scan it again, but it wont be very good and you’ll still have to scan again. If you’re doing like catt says and just motoring down the bank from the front looking for structure then fine. Or going down the bank at a constant speed casting moving baits you’ll get a good picture. 

[rangerjockey]

On 2/22/2025 at 1:35 PM, MediumMouthBass said:

 

Put the fish finder that will benefit you the most where you will be seeing/using it the most.

 

The majority if not all, will put side scan at the front and back, the rest will be side scan at the wheel, and down scan for the front.

 

If you spend alot of time at the wheel using the engine (maybe youve got lakes that are over 1,000 acres) the masses thinking would make the most sense, but if you spend most if not all of your time at the front using the trolling motor how would that help you? It wouldnt, in this case put the side scan where youve already thought about putting it.

 

If slow speeds made side scan obsolete why are so many guys putting it on there kayaks that arent motorized? I know it wont be getting the most out of it, but it will work.

Side imaging doesn't work well at the front. The boat needs to be moving around 5mph to get a decent return.

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

Side imaging doesn't work well at the front. The boat needs to be moving around 5mph to get a decent return.

Tell that to the guys on Tiny Boat Nation, Decked Out Jon Boats, and any kayak FB or Reddit group. I cant even begin to count how many guys have side scan at the front and front only. They seem to have no issue with it. Again put your best tool where you will use it the most, if he fishes from the front all day side scan with be worthless and "wont work well" at the back, if he fishes from the back and spends most time behind the wheel then at the front it will also be worthless.

 

The Garmin 7SV is very popular at the other groups and forums i visit, many guys are putting them on jon boats that are trolling motor powered, at best we are talking 1-3-5mph. Again they have no issues with those speeds. So ill be pickup one of these up to put on my jon boat, and maybe another for my kayak to test it myself.

 

And most kayaks only go 1-5mph whether paddle or pedal, with the average speed 0-2.5mph. Why are so many people going out and buying side scan fish finders for these kayaks if it wont work? Ive heard from several people, even read it on here numerous times from guys who have experience with them that they get returns just fine going slightly under or over 1mph even.... Heres a link to this forum to read further into it.

 

[rangerjockey]

1 hour ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Tell that to the guys on Tiny Boat Nation, Decked Out Jon Boats, and any kayak FB or Reddit group. I cant even begin to count how many guys have side scan at the front and front only. They seem to have no issue with it. Again put your best tool where you will use it the most, if he fishes from the front all day side scan with be worthless and "wont work well" at the back, if he fishes from the back and spends most time behind the wheel then at the front it will also be worthless.

 

The Garmin 7SV is very popular at the other groups and forums i visit, many guys are putting them on jon boats that are trolling motor powered, at best we are talking 1-3-5mph. Again they have no issues with those speeds. So ill be pickup one of these up to put on my jon boat, and maybe another for my kayak to test it myself.

 

And most kayaks only go 1-5mph whether paddle or pedal, with the average speed 0-2.5mph. Why are so many people going out and buying side scan fish finders for these kayaks if it wont work? Ive heard from several people, even read it on here numerous times from guys who have experience with them that they get returns just fine going slightly under or over 1mph even.... Heres a link to this forum to read further into it.

 

Okay. You have zero experience. You have no clue except  what you parrot from other forums. But you go ahead and do what your 1 year of bass fishing knowledge tells you.

I don't think you will see any prop wash from a kayak

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

Okay. You have zero experience. You have no clue except  what you parrot from other forums. But you go ahead and do what your 1 year of bass fishing knowledge tells you.

I don't think you will see any prop wash from a kayak

Why do you feel the need to start a fight with me, and insult me about this? Anytime i make a comment you argue with me, whether it was about the Fenwicks a few weeks ago, the hybrid line last week, and now this. Do you have a personal grudge against me or something?

 

And whats wrong with learning from forums? If you make them out to be so untrustworthy and that everyone but you is a liar why did you join here? I joined here to learn, because many on here have rods and reels i dont. And i value their input, along with their knowledge, i wasnt born rich, nor do i have an endless amount of cash to buy everything related to fishing to learn myself.

 

I have about 17 years experience with fishing, i started when i was a child. I have been fishing for bass since 2019 although i didnt take it seriously until 2020. So lets just call it 5 years now.

 

But even if i did only have 1 year experience, why would you want to put someone new to the hobby down? Instead of helping them learn.

 

You should talk to a therapist if you are so angry in life you feel the need to attack me on a bass fishing forum because i shared a post that was from here where many guys said they had no issue with having side scan on a slow moving kayak.

Edited February 25 by MediumMouthBass

[DaubsNU1]

Both my finders have side and down imaging. They are networked. 

 

I rarely, if ever, use the side scan on the bow mounted finder.

 

Console / transom to side scan when I'm idling around the lake, marking spots. I then head back to the mark and use the front finder on the TM to get close, or right over the spot.

 

 

[rangerjockey]

14 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Why do you feel the need to start a fight with me/insult me about this? You did the same thing with the hybrid line post a week ago, did i upset you to this day from that? 

 

I have about 17 years experience with fishing, i started when i was a child. I have been fishing for bass since 2019 although i didnt take it seriously until 2020. So lets just call it 5 years now.

 

You should talk to a therapist if you are so angry in life you feel the need to attack me on a bass fishing forum because i shared a post that was from here where many guys said they had no issue with having side scan on a slow moving kayak.

Hey, your the dude that knows everything, it's not personal your just talking out of your hat and you insist your always right

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

Hey, your the dude that knows everything, it's not personal your just talking out of your hat and you insist your always right

Cant remember ever saying that, i make a comment with my opinion, and when you try to start an argument with me and only me ill reply with what ive learned from doing research here, reddit, FB, YT, and tackle shop reviews if i dont have first hand experience with it.

 

You need help, ill pray for you, Until then ill just block you. Have a good day!

[LionHeart]

Lots of insight so far.  Thanks guys.  Not to sound like a noob but should I not be concerned about scaring fish if I idle over them?  This would be one of my reservations about mountind side scan on the back.

[A-Jay]

28 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

Lots of insight so far.  Thanks guys.  Not to sound like a noob but should I not be concerned about scaring fish if I idle over them?  This would be one of my reservations about mountind side scan on the back.

While you 'could' run over fish, there's really no need to with side scan. 

In almost every case side scan operates best with the transducer mounted on the stern.

 

SIDESCAN - ACTIVE IMAGING

Perfect for searching large areas for fish-holding structure, SideScan provides views up to 600 feet to each side of the boat, allowing you to cover more water in a shorter period of time, and view areas too shallow for your boat – like next to the shore or bank.

https://www.lowrance.com/sonar-basics/?_gl=1*2l2uba*_up*MQ..*_gs*NQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp4Sv-fnkiwMVvkf_AR3hdgB2EAAYASAAEgJ9UvD_BwE

 

A-Jay

 

[WRB]

Side Scan you don’t go directly over the fish, Down scan you do go over the fish.

Fish in water deeper then 20’ boats don’t tend get spooked bass easily.

Tom