finding features - fish finders

[fisher28]

hi,

 

i am thinking about buying a fish finder to find depths and features. I mainly do tench fishing in the summer and pike fishing in the winter and though this could be an asset as both species can often be found in drop offs and so on.

 

I just wanted to know if this will be a worthwhile purchase or a waste of money. Any opinions and info on these would be much appreciated. also what type do you all recommend for reasonable value?

 

many thanks

 

fisher

[chesters1]

saw one being used a couple of years ago ,it was a version where the transducer is casted with a rod and reeled in.

useless on our water as it has a foot of silt and you saw nothing but the user desperately assured me it worked elsewhere

[Newt]

I would be reluctant to ever take to the water without one. At times, even tiny changes in depth or bottom contour can act as a feature for fish.

 

That said, any recommendations will require knowing if you normally fish from a boat or from the bank.

[Emma two]

My finder is s permanent part of my boat gear. the sensor is attached to the trolling motor and the screen sits up with me in the stern. I use a 'Garmin 140' It's a mid priced one, it has worked reliably for me for the past 3 years, we had a 2n'd hand more unreliable simpler thing before that. Like Newt, I would feel a bit lost without it, although I suspect that I am not using it to it's fullest advantage. it has helped me see waters i have fished for years through a new lens. i found significant drop off, some vertitable underwater cliffs, areas as flat and as featurless as a football pitch, others feature and fish filled. A thing to beware is of course that a finder of this ilk shows you fish all right, but it doesnt show you 'what' they are, for example sometimes the screen will in chocker block with fish symbols and 'beeps', but they may be roach fry so your lures and spinners will be ignored. On the other hand you may be trolling without a fish or feature showing on the screen and then 'whamo' a pike takes!

 

The best thing about them is getting that mental map of the subsurface, if it's not going to be a financial hardship then get one.

[Vagabond]

hi,

 

i am thinking about buying a fish finder to find depths and features.

 

Good idea. The more you know about depths and features the better.

 

It's a pity they are called "fish finders" because that is one thing they don't do very well.

 

Every so often an outline of a fish travels across the screen.

 

Remember.

 

The information on the screen is a few seconds old - ie the "fish" you can see has gone!

 

The size of the "fish" image bears no relation to the size of any fish that might be out there, or the image may not be due to a fish at all. It might just be a bit of floating weed.

 

On more than one occasion I have been playing a decent-sized fish in front of the sensor, and had a quick look at the screen - no fish images at all!

 

That said, buy one.

For boat fishing I use an Eagle Magna III

For bank fishing I use a Smartcast

 

But these are several years old, so do a bit of research on what is available now. If possible get one that not only shows you the depth, but the nature of the bottom as well.

 

They will "find" fish for you, but via the route of telling you what the bottom features are. You then work out for yourself where the fish might be.

 

One last tip - if you get a Smartcast, tie the sensor to a wire trace - it is not unknown (although it hasn't happened to me) for a pike to have a go at the (very expensive) sensor as you wind it in!

Edited August 29, 2011 by Vagabond

[fisher28]

I would be reluctant to ever take to the water without one. At times, even tiny changes in depth or bottom contour can act as a feature for fish.

 

That said, any recommendations will require knowing if you normally fish from a boat or from the bank.

 

Thanks for that, I always bank fish as I havnt progressed as far as boat fishing yet!

[fisher28]

saw one being used a couple of years ago ,it was a version where the transducer is casted with a rod and reeled in.

useless on our water as it has a foot of silt and you saw nothing but the user desperately assured me it worked elsewhere

 

I too have seen one that didn't work, similar to yourself however I generally like the idea. Do they all have difficulties in silt?

[fisher28]

My finder is s permanent part of my boat gear. the sensor is attached to the trolling motor and the screen sits up with me in the stern. I use a 'Garmin 140' It's a mid priced one, it has worked reliably for me for the past 3 years, we had a 2n'd hand more unreliable simpler thing before that. Like Newt, I would feel a bit lost without it, although I suspect that I am not using it to it's fullest advantage. it has helped me see waters i have fished for years through a new lens. i found significant drop off, some vertitable underwater cliffs, areas as flat and as featurless as a football pitch, others feature and fish filled. A thing to beware is of course that a finder of this ilk shows you fish all right, but it doesnt show you 'what' they are, for example sometimes the screen will in chocker block with fish symbols and 'beeps', but they may be roach fry so your lures and spinners will be ignored. On the other hand you may be trolling without a fish or feature showing on the screen and then 'whamo' a pike takes!

 

The best thing about them is getting that mental map of the subsurface, if it's not going to be a financial hardship then get one.

 

Thanks for the advice on the wire trace. Although I would be using mine from the bank I think it would.still come in very handy!