Bgctrading Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 Sorry to hijack this thread to an electronics topic on my first day here
Champ188 Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 Sorry to hijack this thread to an electronics topic on my first day here Not a hijack at all. Electronics and drop-shotting are more than related ... they are the same topic. I have some pretty expensive Humminbird units on my boat ... a 958C up front and a 998C on the console. Only difference is the 958 doesn't have sidescan, which I didn't care about up front. To be honest, if I had it to do over again, I'd go with two Lowrance HDS8's. I've always been a Lowrance guy and decided to listen to the Bird fans this time around. Just haven't really gotten over the hump with them yet.
Bgctrading Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 Seems to me like side scan up front would be more useful when casting towards the bank but I can see how down scan up front for drop shoting. Am I totally off base?
5bites Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 Si is useful up front but is definitely an investment and not as needed. I hardly use di but that's going to change. The target separation is very good on di and honestly I've been missing out by not using it. It's not needed for actually watching your worm fall to the fish since 2d is best for that.
mjk86 Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 When you guys are drop shoting are you always finding them on the depth finder or just going to some tried and true places. I have only done it once and the guy I was with lived by the fish finder screen while drop shoting. You def do NOT need good electronics to catch deep fish with a DS. Good electronics helps tremendously, however, it can also hurt you too. If you pull up on a spot, and see all kinds of goodies below you, you can spend wayyyyy too much time trying to catch those fish regardless of their willingness to bite. I just got a humminbird 587 or something like that (500$), but before that i just had depth sounder, all you need to know is how deep of water your in. Look at a topo map the night before, pick out a dozen or so points/docks/whatever that look appetizing. Hit each point and move quickly spending maybe 30 min working each one, work the thermocline depths starting at the bottom and zig zagging out to deep water (sometimes over 100ft), but keep your bait 20-30ft. Pay close attention to any strikes you get, how deep of water you were in? how deep your bait was? which point? what type? Even when you get a bite/fish, keep moving, but make a note of the details. Then go back over your "bite" spots slower, and more thoroughly. If you do have decent electronics, the deal is still the same, you just can eliminate unproductive water without fishing it.
5bites Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 You def do NOT need good electronics to catch deep fish with a DS. Good electronics helps tremendously, however, it can also hurt you too. If you pull up on a spot, and see all kinds of goodies below you, you can spend wayyyyy too much time trying to catch those fish regardless of their willingness to bite. I just got a humminbird 587 or something like that (500$), but before that i just had depth sounder, all you need to know is how deep of water your in. Look at a topo map the night before, pick out a dozen or so points/docks/whatever that look appetizing. Hit each point and move quickly spending maybe 30 min working each one, work the thermocline depths starting at the bottom and zig zagging out to deep water (sometimes over 100ft), but keep your bait 20-30ft. Pay close attention to any strikes you get, how deep of water you were in? how deep your bait was? which point? what type? Even when you get a bite/fish, keep moving, but make a note of the details. Then go back over your "bite" spots slower, and more thoroughly. If you do have decent electronics, the deal is still the same, you just can eliminate unproductive water without fishing it. This post made me laugh because I've been ssssooooooooo guilty of chasing fish on a spot for far to long! Very good points made
mjk86 Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 This post made me laugh because I've been ssssooooooooo guilty of chasing fish on a spot for far to long! Very good points made oh me too! Its a HUGE urge i have to fight every time im fishing.
Champ188 Posted July 9, 2015 Posted July 9, 2015 Seems to me like side scan up front would be more useful when casting towards the bank but I can see how down scan up front for drop shoting. Am I totally off base? Side scan is only effective when the boat is moving in a straight line at a steady speed. My boat is rarely doing that when I'm on the front deck fishing. rps 1
Longball22 Posted July 10, 2015 Posted July 10, 2015 If you wanted a cheap standalone unit to do everything you want for dropshotting, The Lowrance Elite 7 is a pretty good unit. Refurb units on Cabela's are $399 right now, which is as cheap as you'll find a 7" screen. I like the DownScan when dropshotting, because it makes it easier to discern structure from fish. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bargain-Cave/Electronics/Boating-Electronics%7C/pc/105591780/c/105681780/sc/105684480/Lowrancereg-Elite-7-HDI-Base-Combo-Refurbished/2039489.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fboating-electronics%2F_%2FN-1102704%2B4294388141%2FNe-4294388141%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105684480%3FWTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNU You'll pay a few hundred more to get the updated CHIRP model of the same unit.
Champ188 Posted July 10, 2015 Posted July 10, 2015 Champ, when you pitch boat slips what weight are you using? For straight vertical fishing I use 3/8-1/2 but that would be a little much I'd think for dragging and pitching. I use the 1/4-ounce weights when fishing boat slips. The cylindrical-shaped ones seem to hang up less than the round ones. 5bites 1
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