smartcast FISHFINDER?

[Steve Burke]

I very much agree with Newt when he wrote that he likes to know why fish are in a particular area at a particular time. I find this kind of knowledge absolutely fascinating, and it also helps to locate fish in similar conditions on other waters and on other days. In other words it contributes to watercraft.

 

I do have some reservations about using fishfinders from the bank, for fish location that is. However, as I posted earlier, for me the main advantage is in feature finding, and for this they're first rate.

 

Many who knock fishfinders have never used them. On many waters fishfinders will show you surprisingly few fish. What's more, especially on stillwaters, the fish will be moving around a lot. By the time you've cast to them they may be in a different swim! In any event, the fish may not feed in the area where you pick them up on the finder, or may not be feeding at all.

 

On commercial stillwaters I wouldn't expect fishfinders to be nearly as much help as on gravel pits etc. Location isn't then such a key issue as many are so grossly overstocked that there are fish almost everywhere!

 

Indeed, I know some anglers who use fishfinders on big low-stock waters but wouldn't dream of fishing commercials as they consider them unsporting!

[Paul_D]

Just a final note here from me. Again I don't know for sure but I would very much doubt if these portable sounders would have anything like enough pulse compression and/or repetition frequency to give them enough definition for actually locating fish accurately. Features though, definately.

[Nik]

I saw the article covering the kit in this weeks anglers mail and I was impressed. I dont think it is something that should be adopted for match angling but for pleasure anglers, making a first visit to a new venue its a god send. Instead of labourously mapping the contours with a marker float and losing most of a days pre paid fishing without actually casting for fish, this allows you to get those features quickly figured and settle down to a nice days fishing. It still offers no guarantees for catching, but it does mean you wont scare the fish off or annoy other anglers with constant marker casting.

[Newt]

Paul_D - depth, structure, bottom conditions (how hard/soft, if soft then about how deep to firm) are certainly the best uses for the device.

 

About the only 'fish finding' I'll ever try to do with one is a very general indication of something alive in the water at a certain point when I happen to look there. Could be fish, turtle, or some free-floating object that fooled the tiny brain of the device. But in general, if I see no signs of life in a given spot, I don't expect to catch there. Indications of lots of somethings and I like my chances better although I've certainly blanked where I saw lots of fishy symbols.

 

I really like the rod mount version too. Easier to keep an eye on the screen and the sonar head plus when I'm done feature finding, I can swap the sounder head for a lure, move the screen out of the way, and fish with the rod.

[steve17]

It is of great satisfaction to see fish, over a given feature that youve found with a smartcast, and at times can be quite exciting (call me sad).

ALthough it really can knock your confidence when youve searched out all the best features and not a fish to be found, your then casting upon an area you have just proved is fishless!

[Dick Dastardly]

I refer to my reply on the "fishfinder" thread.