Side Scan, Down Scan

[idbefishing]

What do you guys think about these new imaging stuff. To me, it doesn't seem to be fair. Should it be allowed in competition? It takes away most of the variables of fishing that makes fishing such a challenging and fun sport. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have one but it doesn't make me a better fisherman then a guy without one.

[avidbasser]

I think the advances in fish/depth finders are amazing, but feel they take away from the anglers "learning" experiences. I have seen finders that connect to the boats trolling motor that navigates the boat automatically. These advances in technologies are awesome for the "SPORT" of fishing, but do not add to the actual "FUN" of fishing. I love dropping into a new body of water with only a standard fish/depth finder and "learning" the structure and cover by feel. This alone is why I fish. FUN

[Stevens]

Well i have one, and before i got one i was in the same boat as you. But when i got one i realized its not as easy as it seems. Theres actually a HUGE learning curve that goes with it, and it takes a while to learn what you need to be looking for with it. And its time consuming using it, you have to idle just perfectly parallel to the structure to get a a good picture of whats down there, if you mess up, you have to go back and do it again. You could have probably already fished that spot and figured out where the sweet spot was in the same amout of time. Its cool to see whats down there, but its a time consuming ordeal and half the stuff you see on there that you think will hold fish.. doesnt. I can honestly say i still havnt found a jackpot spot with it. I've found areas and then later went back and saw why that spot was good, but you really have to be dialed in with it to have a clear advantage.. and most people who have one probably arnt that great with it.. including me. I hope that i am that good with it, but if i ever am, i dont think i need to feel bad about it at all. I believe i will have earned it with the work i put into learning those electronics.

[SkeeterB]

You may see them, but you still have to catch them. I bought one this winter and can't wait to use it.

[idbefishing]

You may see them, but you still have to catch them. I bought one this winter and can't wait to use it.

Yeah but isn't finding them the hardest part? I haven't seen one in action in person but saw the one Shaw Grisby has in his boat. He idled past a trees line and was able to see which one of those trees had fish on it. Normally, he would have had to fish a bunch if not all to find the fish. You no longer have to pattern anything since you can tell if they're there or not.

[ThumpThump]

Shhhhhhhh...... Keep it a secret

[Stevens]

Yeah but isn't finding them the hardest part? I haven't seen one in action in person but saw the one Shaw Grisby has in his boat. He idled past a trees line and was able to see which one of those trees had fish on it. Normally, he would have had to fish a bunch if not all to find the fish. You no longer have to pattern anything since you can tell if they're there or not.

He's selling his product.. I've talked about side imaging with another good fishermen who has it and he gets frustrated because he cant find a setting to help him locate balls of baitfish.. You can see them when there over deep water, but if the bottom is visible, they pretty much blend in.. If someone can SEE bass on there side imagining, then thats amazing. I think you'd have to have the setting set to 10 feet away and the cover would have to be well off the bottom so that its not visible. Thats not patterning bass consistently, its a circumstance.