Modern electronics play a key role in fishing success Defining technology for today s fishermen by Dennis Foster I In the last few decades the ever-increasing presence of technology-specifically computer processors has changed every aspect of our lives. Even though for a lot of us, the pursuit of outdoor activities is used as an attempt to escape from the hassles and stress of the modern world, we simply cannot hide from it no matter how hard we try. Whether we like it or not, electronic gadgets have become ingrained into pretty much everything we do. We might just as well embrace this bold new world and put this technology to good use in helping us become more successful fisherman. Even with all the modern advances, we have yet to even come close to decimating fish populations as predicted with the advent of fish locating sonar many years ago. You may recall that, at one time, there was legislation pending in Minnesota to make depth (fish) finders illegal because it gave fishermen an unfair advantage. Page 50, Dakota Country, July/August 2013 Still today, even scratching a limit can often be a daunting task. The odds still, and will remain firmly in favor of fish, and I for one have no problem taking advantage of every tool I can to find them. Technology Advantages That being said, the evolution of electronics from what just a few short years ago was termed depth finders and then advanced
into more reliable units that could be more accurately described as fish finders has been tremendous. Now a mere fish finder would be considered the most mundane and basic of units. We have so much capability now that sonar is merely one component. We can combine this with GPS, Background Mapping, Down Scan, and Side Imaging. Heck, we can even get a subscription and have satellites provide you music and control it via Bluetooth with your Smartphone. Also available is the more practical option of weather radar. It can seem a bit overwhelming, but put into perspective, it s no different than anything else. What now may seem new, confusing and intimidating soon enough becomes accepted as mainstream. Also keep in mind that you need not fear this new technology, no matter how averse you are to electronics and technology. Nor do you need to be fluent in geekspeak to run them. Most units are designed for the straightforward nature of stodgy fishermen and you ll find navigating through the various functions much easier than you would have imagined. Just take a few moments to peruse the manuals to gain a basic understanding. Then a little hands-on experience while experimenting on the water will have you proficient in no time. If you haven t updated your electronics in a while, even if you re running units only a couple years old, you re at least one generation of advances behind. Not that there s anything wrong with the older models, but by upgrading, you will take the biggest forward step you can make in equipment, short of buying a new boat. I will try to shed some light on what s available and help you to sort through what you really need, based on your needs and budget. Budget Battle Budget is probably the main concern for most of us. If money is of no concern, then I would automatically recommend going with the biggest and best, sporting every option that s available. If that s not the case, Live Bait Tackle Licenses Pop Hot Lunch Snacks Pizza Lodging Old Highway 281 N. on Devils Lake, Minnewaukan (701) 473-5440 701 351-1294 www.percheyes.com Hunting/Fishing Reports: www.jjsbaitshop.com Dakota Country, July/August 2013, Page 51
instead of skimping on functions, I would try to keep costs down by going to a smaller screen size and still maintaining a core of valuable and usable options. The first would be acquiring units with GPS and corresponding background mapping software from proven and reliable vendors such as Navionics. Not only do you have the obvious benefit of being able to return to that spoton-the-spot you ve discovered, you can also repeat productive trolling passes with pinpoint precision. With the detail of the background maps available today, we can identify areas with good potential before we even launch the boat. Just mark them with icons and you have a pre-set milk run of prospective spots to hit. Thus, we spend our valuable time on the water in the wisest manner Special Boat Summer Pricing! 2013 Lund 1600 Fury Tiller 25 hp Mercury, ShoreLand r trailer... Great Fishing Boat Special... $11,999 2013 Lund 1675 Impact Sport 90 hp Mercury, trailer ~ Special... $23,999 ~ 2013 Lund 1875 Crossover 150 hp Mercury, trailer, many nice upgrades ~ Special $36,999 ~ 2013 Lund 1900 Tyee 200 hp Mercury, 9.9 hp Mercury Kicker, trailer, upgrades ~ Special $49,999 ~ GUN & REEL Give Us A Try... Before You Buy! Sports! Page 52, Dakota Country, July/August 2013 possible. Aside from the aforementioned benefits, safety is paramount. As we are often caught in or forced to fish in inclement weather, we can rely on GPS positioning in relation to the background map to safely navigate through driving rain, fog, or even snow. We can now confidently keep from running aground on shallow humps and bars in lakes. In reservoirs, we can run in the safety of the old river channel, avoiding underwater obstacles like submerged trees or stump fields, not only saving your boat, but more importantly, yourself and your passengers. What Features to Consider Even if your funds are limited to only a basic sonar unit, the NOW S THE TIME TO BUY! 2013 Lund 186 Tyee GL 150 hp Mercury, 9.9 Mercury, Minn Kota Terrova, trailer, Lowrance HDS 7, upgrades, ~ Special $49,999 ~ SPECIAL SUMMER PONTOON PRICING! 2012 Palm Beach Pontoon 220 UltraSport Pontoon 115 hp Mercury, trailer ~ Special $23,999 ~ 2013 Palm Beach 200 Fishmaster Pontoon 60 hp Mercury, trailer ~ Special $23,999 ~ WE WANT YOUR TRADE! Call or Visit us for Great Summer Pricing! Total Fishing Headquarters! Everything for the outdoorsman. Serving sportsmen since 1953! w w w. g u n a n d r e e l s p o r t s. c o m (701) 252-2850 / 1-800-427-2850 115 1 st Street West, Jamestown, North Dakota! advantages of color vs. black and white are substantial. Color is key in deciphering differences in bottom composition that you just cannot do in black and white. This is important, as most fish, particularly walleyes, relate to transitions on bottom. Find these edges and more times than not, you will find fish. Down Scan can be a crucial feature that should be seriously considered if your budget allows. It s very beneficial for fishing deeper structure with the vertical presentations we often use for walleyes, perch, and crappies, and further aids in separating these hard-to-spot fish from bottom. It s also invaluable for fishing submerged trees. You can look through the trees and locate individual fish among the tangle of branches, and even distinguish relative size-truly amazing stuff. The last feature I would consider is Side or 360-degree Imaging. This no doubt has a place and will gain even wider acceptance as anglers continue to discover and refine its uses. Scanning submerged trees and shorelines from a distance in reservoirs is an asset that has already paid dividends for tournament fisherman. For now (and for the recreational angler), I consider this to be a luxury-type item as it does add considerable expense. I would predict that in a short time -- as with all things new and electronic -- you will see prices come down considerably. This option may be one that you will want to wait on a bit before committing the extra cash. In summary, three of the four features are pretty darn good and I would concentrate on selecting a unit or combination of units that offer the first three mentioned. Should price be a little intimidating, and once again, the only sacrifice I would make is that although the larger screens are darn nice in that everything is easily viewable even for older eyes, you can easily get by with smaller dimensions. Narrowing the Purchase Now that we have a shopping list on which to base our decisions, the next factor is in choosing the unit(s) that will best
serve your needs. I will give you a rundown of what I consider to be the big three manufacturers and then give you the exact specifics of what I run as a point of reference. Lowrance has a good reputation, solid products, and a large selection from to choose. As of late, Humminbird has been quite aggressive and has now re-branded themselves from the realm of basic low cost units and made strides in more advanced models, their inroads into sideimaging being the most notable, as well as integration with MinnKota trolling motors (both are owned by Johnson Outdoors). Although far from new to the sophisticated electronics scene, Raymarine can now be considered a major force in the freshwater market after earning their stripes and a worldwide reputation in the more demanding offshore and Great Lakes markets. They have recently made the commitment to infuse their superior technology into the freshwater scene. This can be evidenced by their newest offering for inland anglers, the Dragonfly. This thing is incredible. It offers photo-like clarity with its unique and proprietary CHIRP DownVision as well as offering the traditional clear and clutterfree Clear Pulse sonar for which Raymarine is famous. Combined with the GPS functions and Navionics Platinum Hotmaps, you can have a great do-it-all unit that will meet the needs of even the most demanding angler, and at a darn reasonable price to boot. I put Raymarine units to good use as outlined below. Getting Rigged My new Warrior 203 (that s right Warrior Boats is indeed back and with a vengeance) is sporting a couple of Dragonflies and a couple of E-Series MultiFunction displays in the following configuration: I run one Dragonfly on the dash and have its screen solely dedicated to the CHIRP DownVision capabilities. Alongside it is an E-127 with the full 12.1-inch screen split between traditional Clear Pulse sonar and the GPS background mapping. This thing has a touch screen like that of a Smart Phone and it s incredibly easy to navigate to any of the functions and is effortlessly viewed from any angle. By running this combination, I have traditional sonar for running at higher speeds and the Dragonfly for comprehensive inspection when slowed while searching or fishing, plus the benefit of the background map to guide me while at the helm. Up on the bow I employ another Dragonfly off my Terrova I-Pilot and right beside it is an E-125, 12-inch display that s networked to allocate information with the E-127 on the dash -- with the shared transducer shooting through the transom. In split-screen with the GPS and background mapping, I can see what s under the back of the boat in traditional sonar as well as having the fabulous detail with the CHIRP Downvision, while Dakota Country, July/August 2013, Page 53
up front running the bowmount electric motor. This is a great option, particularly while drifting sharp-breaking structure. I can not only spot fish under the front and back of the boat, I can also BORDER VIEW LODGE A Full Service Resort on Minnesota's Legendary LAKE OF THE WOODS July and August Midweek Guided Walleye Fishing Specials 3 Nights and 2 Days -- $369 4 Nights and 3 Days -- $524 Rates are per person based on 6 people per boat, 2 person minimum. Include lodging, guided walleye fishing 9 hours per day, bait, tackle, fish cleaning and taxes. Must arrive on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday on July or August 2013 BORDER VIEW LODGE 1-800-776-3474 Baudette, MN info@borderviewlodge.com www.borderviewlodge.com note the difference in depth from bow to stern and where the most fish are being marked. With this setup, virtually nothing goes unspotted and helps to put a lot more fish in the boat. Asking Questions This should give you an idea what you will want to look for and a good place to start. Do a little research. Ask some questions of experts, both friends and qualified sporting goods clerks. Carefully consider what will work best for you, then put some of the new generation of electronics to work. I do believe you will be quite happy with the results. I know I am continually impressed with what becomes available and what this technology can do for us. Dennis Foster is a outdoor writer and fishing and hunting guide from Mellette, South Dakota. He welcomes comments and can be reached through his websites - www.eyetimepromotions.com or dakotapheasantguide.com Brett's Place on the Bay 877-442-7388 SportSmen- we have everything you need. Here are just a few of the name brands we carry... www.brettsplaceonthebay.com Like us on Facebook Page 54, Dakota Country, July/August 2013 2736 Naomi Road, Sodus, MI 49126