Electronics Help And Troubleshooting

[Troy Gregg]

Hello Everyone, It has been way to long since I have been on the forums. I had a friend tell me that there were some guys looking for some electronics help and that my name had come up a few times. I have been absent from these pages for a long time and for that I apologize. I am here now to answer any questions or concerns on your electronics.

For those of you who don't know me, I am Troy Gregg; Fishing guide and the electronics guy at Bass Pro Shops here in Branson.

For those Who do know me, How has everyone been??? I'm sure I have missed out on alot of excellent conversations.

So let the questions roll and I will do my best to answer anything you guys come up with.

[Football Head]

Lakemaster or Navionics chip? Which is better Troy?

[motoman]

Welcome back Troy!.......the lakemaster vs. navionics question will be one to watch. :-)

[Champ188]

Good to see you back, Troy. Hope all is well.

[sholder02]

Troy is an excellent guy. I fished as a co-angler in his boat at a tournament at LOZ. He put us on some sows!

[Troy Gregg]

Good Morning everyone. Glad to be back. James and Seth nice to see you guys on here Hope all is well.

Now for the Lakemaster vs Navionics question.

I can't say which chip is better because each one will excel in different scenarios and situations therefor you should pick the chip based on your needs and the regions you are fishing. With that being said both of these chips offer awesome detail and both chips have their shortcomings. I will explain some of the benifits to these chips and maybe help everyone decide what is best for them.

LAKEMASTER

The first thing about a lakemaster chip is you need to know your unit, Lowrance or Humminbird. They are sold in seperate formats

Lakemaster chips are also designed for the northern part of the u.s. and offer great amounts of detail and you can tweak them for your needs for example depth markers, depth shading, and changing depth for falling and rising lake levels. These chips are starting to expand over the nation but some of the lakes are still not available on here.

NAVIONICS

These chips are nationwide leaving a few of the smaller lakes uncharted, Many of the lakes are starting to be mapped in whats called HD or 1 ft increments. You also have two levels of chips to choose from; Premium and Platinum Levels.

Premium Charts are the most common and really the only chart anyone will need in our region or nationwide, they offer the same level of detail as the platinum chips with 1 ft contour intervals, road beds, creek channels and other structures that one may find in the lake. The Platinum chips offer satellite overlay, 3d views, and panoramic photos of certain areas. Unless you are going to use the feature it is wise to save the $50 dollar difference.

Navionics chips offer amazing detail on the mainlake areas of any of the lake that are mapped, you would be hardpressed to find more information. Where these chips start to falter is in the backs of the creek and river arms. They simply havn't been mapped or are not displayed, If you fish the Long Creek Arm above Cricket, Kings River arm Above Viola, and to the backs of Flat Creek and the James you will be left wanting.

LEI HOT SPOT MAPS/ LAKE INSIGHT

I know these were not brought up in the question but in order to be fair I will include them. These maps are for Lowrance users only, They are nationwide and they do not offer the level of detail across the lake that navionics or lakemaster do. However, they offer detail all the way to the skinny water in all of our creek arms. The Level of detail is sufficient to locate the drops, roll off points, and any other underwater you detail you may want to find. However, with 10 ft intervals its not as detailed as the other maps. On the other hand with 10ft intervals its not nearly as cluttered as the other maps either.

CONTOUR XD

This is Humminbird's map. It Covers 3000 nationwide lakes and is similar to navionics in design with out the finer details. However Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Stockton, Truman and Beaver are not on it yet

I know this is a brief summary of some of the finer points but might help with some questions.

[fishinwrench]

Where these chips start to falter is in the backs of the creek and river arms. They simply havn't been mapped or are not displayed

And that has been an issue with lake mapping ever since the first topo-map was printed. Once you enter a max area depth of 15' maps do not show accurate structure or even an accurate shoreline contour or channel location. When you stop to realize that most fish are caught shallower than 15' it kinda makes you wonder if these maps are helping you or hurting you. What is the problem there anyway? If 20+ft areas are supposedly accurate (to a degree) then why are the shallower areas so far off?

Is the mapping any more "correct" on any of these units than the paper maps are?

There are tons of points, humps, ledges, and flats that do not show up on any map or mapping software I have ever seen, and many even show structure contours that are not even there.

[Troy Gregg]

And that has been an issue with lake mapping ever since the first topo-map was printed. Once you enter a max area depth of 15' maps do not show accurate structure or even an accurate shoreline contour or channel location. When you stop to realize that most fish are caught shallower than 15' it kinda makes you wonder if these maps are helping you or hurting you. What is the problem there anyway? If 20+ft areas are supposedly accurate (to a degree) then why are the shallower areas so far off?

Is the mapping any more "correct" on any of these units than the paper maps are?

There are tons of points, humps, ledges, and flats that do not show up on any map or mapping software I have ever seen, and many even show structure contours that are not even there.

FishinWrench,

You are correct on this. However, the hotspots papermaps and Hot Spots chips are the most accurate I have found for this 15' of water and less dilemma. it gives the channels and where the standing timber and other structures are at. Now even then not every structure, hump, hole and point can be mapped and the reason for this is flooding. Especially in this area.

Prime example is Bull Creek on Taneycomo, I grew up fishing there and every spring flood would change the terrain just a lil more each time and it still does. It is impossible to map the ever changing bottom. The past few years we have had torrential spring rains and all that water moves things around, digs holes out and silts others in. The River arms are going to constantly change, but the channels are going to remain in the same area and lay in the same fashion, just the structures in and around it are going to change.

[fishinwrench]

You are correct on this. However, the hotspots papermaps and Hot Spots chips are the most accurate I have found for this 15' of water and less dilemma. it gives the channels and where the standing timber and other structures are at.

I gotta disagree. The Hotspot mapping is so far off on LO, Truman, and Mark Twain that it's rediculis.

The old yellow Structure Graphic paper maps are the most accurate that I have ever seen for these lakes, but even they suck in the upper creek arm areas and back 1/2 of all coves.

There hasn't been THAT degree of contour and channel change due to erosion. Those contours on Hotpot are something that a 4 year old child could improve on.

Not attempting to dog any products, I have just always wondered how/why they can get pretty close to accurate on midlake areas but just go completely off the charts on the upper ends.

[Troy Gregg]

I gotta disagree. The Hotspot mapping is so far off on LO, Truman, and Mark Twain that it's rediculis.

I was referring to Table Rock so you have my apologies there, Each body of water is different.

Hotspots even though it is rudamentary in some aspects will still get you the backs of those coves and creek arms. The Deepwater arm on Truman specifically is a treachorous path and many of the actual mapping boats can't get back there, nor have I tested the limits of hot spots much past bucksaw... but navionics won't even get you that far. I have never been on Mark Twain so I can't comment.