So whats wrong with fishfinders?

[Peter Waller]

A certain carp angler, most notably one who fishes for large, known, imprisoned, tame fish from a small enclosed water, has been known to critiscise me for using fish finders. Well, take a look at this well known, and very large, Broadland water,

http://www.go-fishing.org/upload/files/HICKLING_BROAD.bmp

and tell me how to would go about finding the fish! And there is no sitting there for months for just one fish! You want to get catching and you don't know the water. Okay, so watercraft is an option, but how about a fishfinder?

 

[ 03. May 2005, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

[Sportsman]

Do fishfinders really find fish. I have always thought of them as feature finders. Ideal for finding holes, drop offs etc where fish are likely to be, but not some magic machine for locating or targetting individual fish. On some of the Scottish Lochs I fish watercraft would be difficult with no visible features and depths that vary from 3 to 300 feet very quickly.

Therefore no problem with fishfinders - but don't get me started on baitboats :mad:

Regards

Dave

[chesters1]

theres one in the left corner

[Peter Waller]

Fishfinders certainly find fish during the summer months when pike are off the bottom. I use one like I would a torch, pointing it at the reeds etc. With the 'grey line' feature its quite possible to find pike in reeds and dense weeds.

[Sportsman]

I' never used one like that, but with my rudimentary knowledge what would I know

Dave

[Byrdthefisherman]

All the finders I seen basically show depth,temp, and rivets,holes,ect. in the water. But hey what do I know theres no tellin what they're making these days.

[The Flying Tench]

Peter, i don't have a fishfinder, but I'm thinking of getting one some time. If I did I'd certainly want the grey line feature you're referring to. The commonest ones on ebay seem to be Smartcast, which mainly are RF10 up to RF30, the 30s seemingly a bit cheaper. Are they all OK, or does one need to go to the more expensive end?

[Peter Waller]

I'm no expert John. Actually I thought the Lidl one a pretty good deal, be my choice over a Smartcast.

 

None of mine are super modern models. I just hold the transducer in my hand and point it, or have it on the front, or side of my boat, pointing it like a searchlight, fish on the port bow, 185 meters away!

[Newt]

John - smartcast is great for shore anglers who want to use it for feature finding close in. Smartcast is great as a backup for a boat angler who likes to anchor and fish - allows you to pinpoint detail from where you are anchored.

 

However, if you have a boat they are a very poor primary sonar unit. Not much detail, short range, lack of features, and so on. You can do much better for your in-boat unit.

[Wordbender]

Peter Waller:

...tell me how to would go about finding the fish!

Find the features and fish to 'em, mate. S'obvious.

 

Are you really saying that it's impossible to catch from there without using electronics to find the fish for you? Or is it just more difficult? Eh? Eh?

 

And as for your disparaging falsitudes (er...I think I made that word up) about my glorious syndicate lake, let me know when you get your passport back and I'll guest you on there for a session. Let's see how you do without half of Marconi blimmin Industries to do your watercraft for you.

 

 

P.S. Do let me know which wine, horse's d'oeuvre, and main course you'd prefer, and if you'd rather our carp-valet gave you a full massage or just the old-persons' foot rub.

 

PPS. Bivvy slippers and Realtree bow-tie are compulsory, Luvvy.