J-Doc

So how do you know when you have a bite if you're not monitoring it with contact? Ocassionally remove the slack and feel for weight? The fish could have munched on it for a long time without knowing it.

I see now. Well this bait would suck fishing it with wind over 5mph because the wind will put a bow in the line. I've seen that fishing crappie jigs in my 8 and 9ft crappie rods. It's hard to keep contact with the bait to feel "something" when there is an arch in the line. I have not tried it shallow yet. I will definitely give it a try this spring/summer though.

I'd like to see some of these videos if you can share.

Should make a super slow fall rate with smaller head. I was fishing 18-23ft and wanted it down quick. Even with 1/8oz, it took a while. I was using Zman also. Used 6lb braid and if I hadn't have barely felt a thump and watched my rod tip, I would have missed the bite it was so subtle. If you can't feel a bite on 6lb braid on a St Croix spinning rod with extra fast action tip.......you need to start throwing c-rigs!! Lol This was my dropshot rod and I can feel a knat fart under water on that rod. Point is, the bite was so very subtle.

Ah. The black bottom and multi layer probably means you need a new transducer. If you can swap units, you can test and confirm. If they are mounted in the boat, that's tougher. Might try pulling them to see for sure. A new transducer is about $80-100. My trolling motor transducer went out and did the same thing. Same type image. Replaced it and it was fine. Call Lowrance and talk to a tech support. They might be able to help. Not sure. I usually know more than they do when I call. lol!! Not trying to sou d like a know it all, just saying they have not always helped me in the past. But it's worth a try.

Depending on what color palette you have your settings tuned to, I'd say that was a very hard bottom. I've seen it before. On this color palette, the bottom is typically brown but when you find a rock bottom or boulder, it will show green.

First image may be random anomoly. Second image, did you trim motor any when the vertical lines appeared? Mine will do that if I trim the motor.

Resize the images using Microsoft Paint. It comes on every PC. You should have it. Easy to use.

Lol!!!

How much action can a thick 3" worm have anyway??

Why is it that you have to use such a small weight anyway? I forgot. I used this in a 1/8oz Thursday with success. http://www.arkiejigs.com/ARKIE-WEEDLESS-STAND-UP-HEADS-p/wmhp.htm

Well that certainly is a disappointment. Over 100 last year. Was a lot of interest in it this year till the weather forecast looked terrible.

So what was the number of boats at the Polar Bear anyway? Does anyone know? I left PC around 2 or 2:30 and there was only about 25 rigs left. Lots of people went home early.

Well there's a fella in a deep v glass boat then that's wondering why I was waving and honking. Lol! Careful......catching stripers is contageous. On e you get on a big one, you will want more. And they taste great too. I actually prefer them over walleye. Yes.......I said that. I like grouper, amber jack, and other salt water species also so there is my reasoning for the preference. Right now, they are moving up river. Catching your own bait is key I'm told. I bet they can be caught trolling too. If they are active. Depends on the day. Yes, they will survive the fight if released immediately. They don't keep well in a livewell. Probably because they aren't big enough to let them swim. Haha!

What is the DEAL with drum and that stinch?? Man they stink. Must be related to catfish somehow. Nasty suckers.

My carpet was wet still even last night from Jan 1 trip at Polar Bear. And it was in garage too since Thursday. I put fans on it and finally got towels and soaked up the water. Carpet just wouldn't dry out. Poor thing has to get dry out and get her cover on before getting kicked out of the garage. #meanolemotherinlaw (Long story)

They see me trollin'..... Ya know they haten' Lol!! :-) If I could catch bass like Donna does with a jig, I'd probably do that more. I can throw a jig all day long. I just don't catch that many fish with it. Bites are rare for me with a jig. So then memories of blackend fish hit my taste buds, and then mysteriously lines go over the sides and out behind the boat. :-)

I think I saw you yesterday Tanderson15. I tooted my horn at ya and waved. :-). You were by the nursery pond. At least I think that was you.

I'm thinking a grub could do it. I will definately give it a try.

Sounds like you got your answer then. :-)

Oh it's some kind of frustrating. I'm on a mission to find out how to get past it. There has to be a bait or method that will get the brain washing spiraling circles out of their eyes and break the hypnotic trance they are under. Just yesterday I found some really large fish. Had them swim up to the spoon really quick and when I let it settle and just flick it a little, they lost interest and would swim back down. They wanted it super fast and wanted it to run from them. Tried it several times and only way I could get their attention was to jerk the spoon repeatedly with short strokes and reel it up quickly. Acting like a fleeing baitfish. They would rocket upwards after it and then as soon as I stopped they would stop. I could watch them on the graph. It was painful to see......multiple times too.

Hard to say on the screenshots but my guess is whites. Marks are too large at that depth and distance to be crappie. The smaller school shown could very well be crappie as they like to suspend off the bottom like that.

Not true. Sometimes they get locked in on a specic type of bait. I'be thrown the kitchen sink at them and won't get a bite or a just a few bites. They want a specific bait that gives off just the right presentation, vibration, profile and they all react the same way. Whatever that majic combo is will be the key to filling the boat like a gas tank with all the recent low gas prices. I've done this several times this year. Find a massive school and catch nothing. You have to be on the outer edge of the bait they are chasing. If in the school or in the bait, nothing. Whites roam around and don't just suspend too which makes it more of a challenge. You have to stay with them and they will sometimes swim a figure eight style pattern in a large area. Just constantly moving.

It's really your preference. What's more important to you? GPS at the console or at the bow? Knowing how to read a graph is far more beneficial. I had a similar situation and put the better graph at the console. It worked for marking waypoints and because I used it at the console more. Now...... Better quality sonar is very beneficial. but until you get into Gen2 HDS or really larger more powerful older units with more rms watts do you benefit from sonar. The Elite 5 is a nice unit but I don't think it has as much power as the HDS units. More power means better clarity and easier to read sonar. Again. What's more important to you? It's very much your call. If you watch your graph religiously when fishing, the bow. If you don't really use the bow graph that much or for just reading depth only when fishing, there's your answer.

Like War Eagle arm near the sidewalk hole and past the 412 bridge.