Fish finders

[FLATHEAD]

Here ya go MC

 

[cyclops222]

More drugs ?

 

[dingbat]

What has happened to just fishing for fun and enjoyment ??

Fishing is boring……much rather be catching….lol

I personally find it enjoyable to use all the tech skills and knowledge I’ve acquired over the years.

Using sonar, satellite data (water temp) and radar to locate and catch fish is both challenging and fun. Yes, radar is a very powerful tool to locate fish you know what you’re looking for.

I cant see the point in returning the small ones to the water if they are immediately scoffed by waiting Albatross .
They are lovely birds .....and a pain in the arse.

Fortunate we don’t have this problem, thou have snagged a couple of gannets over the years throwing lures in blitzes. Sharks are more of a problem than anything else.

 

[redneck joe]

So I'm def not a fan of FFS. Catching is the bonus side of fishing.

 

[redneck joe]

As I hit the lake yesterday i passed by several boats. 5 of the six were all head bowed looking down at a screen with pole in hand. Not fishing. IMO that is just sad.

I finally got my trolling motor mounted and found a mile or so long shoreline. About a 100 poor executed casts (really haven't fished in 25 plus years) and not a thing. Turned back to the ramp and threw out a line to troll while I learned how to do with both electric and main. Two beers later with again no action pulled everything in a kicked on to the ramp.

I would rather do what I did all day long instead of staring at a screen getting neck cramps.

 

[redneck joe]

B.A.S.S. Announces Major Forward-Facing Sonar Rule Change for 2026 Elite Series

B.A.S.S. shakes up the angling world with an announcement about the use of forward-facing sonar, the most polarizing technology in fishing.

www.wired2fish.com

 

[cyclops222]

More effective way is a small plane out everyday radioing location of fish schools.
Fish stocks should disappear soon enough.

 

[cyclops222]

YIPPEE HOORAY

 

[dingbat]

I finally got my trolling motor mounted and found a mile or so long shoreline. About a 100 poor executed casts (really haven't fished in 25 plus years) and not a thing. Turned back to the ramp and threw out a line to troll while I learned how to do with both electric and main. Two beers later with again no action pulled everything in a kicked on to the ramp.

Could have saved a bunch of time and effort and just “trolled” in the drive way to the same end…..lol

There is a reason why 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish and it isn’t a better sonar setup.

You’re sitting in your tree stand and a low level fog rolls. You sit and you wait, but the fog persists. Frustrated, do you just climb down and go home or do you start randomly shooting in hopes of hitting something?

To me, sitting in the tree taking random shots in the fog isn’t “hunting”. Doesn’t take much of a stretch to say randomly casting to places that don’t hold fish isn’t “fishing” either…… just a sore arm at the end of a day….…lol

 

[airshot]

Die hard boating fan here, just the ride out and back is enjoyable for me...catching is an extra bonus. I often just take my boat out for a ride up and down the river going thru our town. Nice to see what changes, improvements and damage has been done to the shoreline along the river.
Many times they fish were not biting or stopped biting, so I just go for a ride.
I enjoy boating, fishing and catching is just a bonus.

 

[tr@v1s]

I certainly don't have the money for FFS...hell, I'm still trying to learn to use the 20 year old fish finders. That said, I actually go fishing with hopes of putting fish in the freezer AS WELL as having a good time and enjoying the lake with friends and family. My buddy and I caught a 37 pound blue a few weeks ago fishing below a dam. My family has enjoyed that cat and some hybrid, crappie, and walleye that were caught on the same fishing trip for the past several weekends.

I guess, for me, the only thing annoying about the technology is the young people out bragging they "play the video game" better than the old guy that didn't have a television growing up. I'm glad to see them make rule changes for the tournaments (though that's not my thing). Being an electrical controls engineer (I program industrial machines/robots), I'm certainly not against technology and understand it for profitability, accuracy, and efficiency. I guess there's just something in me that realizes there is a vast difference between the level of a man who can build things by hand and a guy who can push a button and watch the machine build it. The same for fishing and hunting. The guys that do it and do it well without technology have a skill that the rest of the world doesn't begin to understand. Show those guys the respect they deserve.

As for my fishing...I'm like a lot of people - I want to catch more than I want to fish. I haven't always had the time to go learn the lakes and rivers and know well where the fish are. So, if I could have some help from a guy who has done that or from a piece of technology to help me put some fish in the freezer, I'm in - but only at the level that it's affordable for me. So, I'll keep trying to learn both from the guys that have it and from the technology I can afford. At the end of the day, I hope to enjoy every time I put a pole in my hand and that is just a little easier to do when there's more catching. Either way, I try to remember to be thankful for everything I do catch.

 

[redneck joe]

Could have saved a bunch of time and effort and just “trolled” in the drive way to the same end…..lol

Then I would not have been on them water.

 

[Mc Tool]

Could have saved a bunch of time and effort and just “trolled” in the drive way to the same end…..lol

There is a reason why 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish and it isn’t a better sonar setup.

You’re sitting in your tree stand and a low level fog rolls. You sit and you wait, but the fog persists. Frustrated, do you just climb down and go home or do you start randomly shooting in hopes of hitting something?

To me, sitting in the tree taking random shots in the fog isn’t “hunting”. Doesn’t take much of a stretch to say randomly casting to places that don’t hold fish isn’t “fishing” either…… just a sore arm at the end of a day….…lol

Sometimes when the bite aint so good I gets to thinkin that I dont mind if the fish are there but just not biting , I dont like the idea I am unwittingly fishing in a place where there are no fish .......now that is a waste of time , but how would you know for sure.
The sitting in a tree comparison doesnt really hold water as I have noticed one fundamental difference . When blind fishing at worst the fish will ignore the bait but they hang around and maybe get hungry later , you start shooting blind and every game bird will bugger off leaving you no chance . Having said that we did often wander down to the next unoccupied pond and fire a couple of shots just to get the ducks up and flying about .

 

[airshot]

Look for used electronics, especially if you have bass clubs in your area. Many if those guys get some sponsorship from the electronics makers so they sell their 1 or 2 yr old stuff at a reduced price. I have a 2013 model Lawrance gps/ fish finder that has more bells and whistles than I know what to do with ! For just a couple hundred bucks, I have a like new unit that today costs over a grand. Nice to know when there actually fish down there and the GPS allows me to know where I am in case I want to return to that area. Is it necessary....nope...is it useful for putting food on the table..yep...
would I spent over a thousand dollars to buy another....nope !

 

[Mc Tool]

I have a Lowrance Hook reveal 9ts which I do make good use of in the sea but I haven't yet used it in fresh water looking for fish , I do use the side & down scans to spot underwater trees and branches so I can navigate my lures past them ........ being that most of the local lakes have at some stage been raised for hydro electric and there are a lot of submerged trees , some still standing , under the water

 

[Jeff J]

I have some electronics on my boat. I catch more bass beating up the banks when the screen shows no fish than I do when the screen is full of fish.

I bought Live Scope a couple of years ago. I shouldn’t have because it was out of my budget by a good bit. The hope was to help me find crappie. Here again, seeing is not catching.

My money would have been better spent hiring guides and learning to fish but I had an experience when I was young that soured me to that option. The guide cast to every bit of cover first and usually pulled a fish. My dad and I didn’t catch a one. I have learned a bit in the 40 years since and would probably fare better today, but I rarely pull a second bass off a rock or log like we were casting at that day.

 

[cyclops222]

Why is catching fish on their breeding nest called FISHING ???
It is MURDER of the fish in that area.
And fish close to shore are feeding ACTIVELY.
Fish schools off shore can be in a resting mode. Only live bait dragged into the school produces.

 

[dingbat]

Sometimes when the bite aint so good I gets to thinkin that I dont mind if the fish are there but just not biting , I dont like the idea I am unwittingly fishing in a place where there are no fish .......now that is a waste of time , but how would you know for sure.

Never leave fish to find fish, but patients isn't a virtue when fishing.
If we're not catching fish within 10-15 minutes, its time to move on.

The only time that rule doesn't apply is when surf fishing and I have a 120 qt. cooler full of adult beverages on the front of the truck to occupy your time. At that point, I've been know to go 2-3 hours between bait changes

The sitting in a tree comparison doesnt really hold water as I have noticed one fundamental difference . When blind fishing at worst the fish will ignore the bait but they hang around and maybe get hungry later , you start shooting blind and every game bird will bugger off

Ok, then change that analogy to bow hunting….lol

 

[Mc Tool]

Never leave fish to find fish, but patients isn't a virtue when fishing.
If we're not catching fish within 10-15 minutes, its time to move on.

The only time that rule doesn't apply is when surf fishing and I have a 120 qt. cooler full of adult beverages on the front of the truck to occupy your time. At that point, I've been know to go 2-3 hours between bait changes

Ok, then change that analogy to bow hunting….lol

A large part of fishing is the anticipation , and ones ability to use ones acquired skill and knowledge to influence the outcome to some degree.
When Im spinning for trout ( chuck n chance ) I dont just chuck the lure randomly , Im looking for fishy spots and there is local knowledge , and while I dont usually see the fish I have a good idea where they are likely to be . Part of the fun is being able to drop my lure into a 18" target circle from 20 yards
If I caught a trout with nearly every cast Id get bored pretty quick ....... like the Blue Cod , other than the primal food gathering instinct they are no sporting fun to catch , just getting food .
Yeah , surfcasting can be hard on the liver

 

[redneck joe]

Did yall not watch the video I posted?