sonar....? crappie primarily

[zin65622]

I'm shopping so those of you who have some newer tech. On your boats who crappie fish a lot what will benefit me most? Side or down doubt I can swing the $$$$ for a combo unit but I'm looking for real world suggestions. You guys on here are real as it gets.

[Feathers and Fins]

Price range?

HDS units are always going on sale and the downscan is a must have, My sidescan I have really been using lately to look under docks more and more both are great but I wouldn't go without down scan

[zin65622]

Probably sub 500 range

[zin65622]

Found a helix hummingbird 409640-1 is the model # seems to have everything I'm looking for plus some. Might be a winner. It's 499$ but seems like it's a great buy.

[fishinwrench]

I have installed a bunch of killer sonar systems but I'm personally still using plain old LCR's, and oddly enough I catch a shitload of fish.

I think I gave 110 bucks for mine several years ago. Are y'all sure you need those things ?

[zin65622]

No but I'm not sure about using Lcr either. I'm a picture worth a thousand words kinda guy. See fish catch fish see tree catch tree lol

[grizwilson]

That is good equipment for the price. Not sure what the difference is between it and the KVD model. Tackle Direct has it for $455, sure there are some better prices than list. The SI is a handy feature to cover trees under docks, plus the color sonar is nice. Think you found a winner. Just FYI it will not link to the "core" humminbirds to share info or I would have one on the front of mine.

g

[Old plug]

Wrench is right. I have built a few large crappie beds in my area. I have watched people come buy these places and map them on their finder. They come back and cannot catch crappie. Many times it is because they are in the right place at the wrong time. The other big thing is they get way to close. In my experience just because you see them does not mean they are going to catch them. I use mine to look for structure now and then. The finder is never going to fish for you. There is a lot of things between the seeing and the catching. I would rather know those things.

[J-Doc]

I have installed a bunch of killer sonar systems but I'm personally still using plain old LCR's, and oddly enough I catch a shitload of fish.

I think I gave 110 bucks for mine several years ago. Are y'all sure you need those things ?

Not all of us can fish like Ernie bud. I've seen you with a bass jig. And other baits. You're just good.

https://youtu.be/PK8u-QX5zKU

[J-Doc]

Depending on which brand you like (Lowrance, Hummingbird, Garmin, etc) the downscan is a great feature because it answers the question of "is that fish or a brush pile"?

Raymarine has some really nice units with chirp sonar. The screens are a bit small though.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Raymarine-Dragonfly-5-DVS-Sonar/1994611.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D1000004438%26Ne%3D1000004438%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfish%2Bfinder%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchallpartial%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_st%3DSearchRefinements%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dfish%2Bfinder%26searchTypeByFilter%3DAllProducts%26x%3D10%26y%3D6&Ntt=fish+finder

Hard to beat this one....

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lowrancereg-Elite-5-CHIRP-SonarGPS-Combo/1839172.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D10000054%26Ne%3D10000054%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfish%2Bfinder%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchallpartial%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_st%3DSearchRefinements%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dfish%2Bfinder%26searchTypeByFilter%3DAllProducts%26x%3D10%26y%3D6&Ntt=fish+finder

And for the Bird lovers.....

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Humminbirdreg-Helix-5-SI-SonarGPS-Combo/1930809.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D10000054%26Ne%3D10000054%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfish%2Bfinder%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchallpartial%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_st%3DSearchRefinements%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dfish%2Bfinder%26searchTypeByFilter%3DAllProducts%26x%3D10%26y%3D6&Ntt=fish+finder

Some folks don't rely on sonar and have enough knowledge and experience that a graph is not that big of a tool for them. And I have seen first hand experience where my hi-end units did not show fish on the graph but I was catching fish. And vice versa......(which is usually the case) showing lots of fish and still not catching any.

Graphs are great tools and I think it's widely known that I'm a bit of a sonar geek and I embrace the new technology. It's a confidence thing with me and I use it as a tool. I find underwater structure (ledges, logs, etc) that I never knew were there and sometimes it explains why I am catching fish in a particular area. I also log sonar and upload to Genesis and it tells me bottom hardness as well as more accurate contours. The hardness tells me what fish are relating too and when they are on a crawfish bite. I use it as a tool.

But unlike fishinwrench, I DON'T catch a ton of fish. At least not my last several trips. However, I am typically on the water on weekends when traffic is heavy, my lake has more pressure than a tax accountant in January, and I'm still learning every day.

For crappie, it's not necessary unless you fish a big reservoir lake. Too many places for crappie to hide and the graph can save a lot of time and find areas where they are holding (under docks on points, docks in coves, flats, etc).

More often than not, my graphs put me on fish and I fish an area with confidence when I know there are fish there vs. blind casting and trying to find a bite.