Thread: Tips on finding known structure

Sometimes I have trouble re-locating submerged tops. (I mainly jig for crappie in structure rather than troll, etc.) My preferred method is to follow my GPS to coordinates for a known top. I drop a marker buoy at the spot indicated by GPS and then search for the structure with my fishfinder…moving in circle around that marker buoy. Once I see the structure on my fishfinder, I drop a second marker buoy to identify the spot. When I try to find tops without dropping that first marker buoy, I often find myself wandering 30-40 feet away from the spot I’m searching for. My GPS usually shows accuracy to 14 feet on the lake where I usually fish so the search area isn’t real large…. but I’d still like to shorten the search time.

How does everyone else locate known structure?

Thanks,
Dan

I'll just idle around with the big motor and keep going over the spot till it shows on my console finder and drop my marker. I only drop one marker depending on which location I'm fishing. Unless I want to keep a reference of a ditch or something.

I've been looking at the Lowrance H2O gps unit. Wll it be able to bring me back to an area of 14 feet. Or will the new units bring you closer to you top?

Catchum
Jerry or Darryl can, and probably will explain better than I can. I have watched them use two graphs. One on the front of the boat and the other on the rear. I intend to rig another graph on the front of my boat if Santa is nice this year. If you are just using the one on the rear, you may well be further away from the brush that you think. Also throw your marker a little up wind from your GPS point instead of directly on top of it. It will settle closer to the brush than you think plus it will be out of the way when you pick a fight with the fish and he wants to wrap your line around something.
DP

Catchum; I too am a top (structure jigger). I don't have a GPS and I always have waypoints along the bank in different directions. When I pull up close to my spot, I take both poles (one in each hand), drop them below the depth of the top of the structure and turn my depth finder on. With a pole out each side jigging and the depth finder in the middle, I usually find it fast and I usually catch several fish out away from it while I'm hunting for it. When I hang it with a jig, I then throw out a buoy, gently get the hung jig loose and start fishing. Sounds primitive, buts works and I'm fishing instead of just looking for my spot. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by CatchumDeep

Sometimes I have trouble re-locating submerged tops. (I mainly jig for crappie in structure rather than troll, etc.) My preferred method is to follow my GPS to coordinates for a known top. I drop a marker buoy at the spot indicated by GPS and then search for the structure with my fishfinder…moving in circle around that marker buoy. Once I see the structure on my fishfinder, I drop a second marker buoy to identify the spot. When I try to find tops without dropping that first marker buoy, I often find myself wandering 30-40 feet away from the spot I’m searching for. My GPS usually shows accuracy to 14 feet on the lake where I usually fish so the search area isn’t real large…. but I’d still like to shorten the search time.

How does everyone else locate known structure?

Thanks,
Dan

Thats pretty much how i do it,i have found it is alot easier to get on spots if you get within 100' or so with the big motor then drop the trolling motor and go to your spot drop the buoy and most of the time you'll be so close you wont need to drop a second buoy just use the first one for reference.This method works well for me with a handheld gps and a finder on the trolling motor.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate how everyone on this board takes time to help each other.

Dan

When I make a spot with brush or pvc, I will take the time to first drop 4 marker bouys. I try to drop them in a big square formation. Then I will drop brush in the middle of the bouys. Then as I pick them back up I'll mark a waypoint over each one. It makes for a big blob on the map screen but when you zoom in all the way you can easily drive through the center of the waypoints.I know that a gps can be off by a few feet so by marking 4 waypoints it will create an overlap in the center and I should be really close on at least one of them. This has worked really well for me. I have about ten spots marked in a river I fish and when I drive through my waypoints I usually run right over my brush the first time. I will first go to all my spot and throw out a marker on each one. This takes about 30 minutes. That gives the fish I spooked time to settle back down on the first one. Then I'll run back to the first one and cut off the big motor about 200 yards away and run up the down wind side with the trolling motor. This method uses a lot of waypoints but has saved me a lot of time and patience. CF

I do the same. But i have found myself searching for a long time looking for a top. Only to say someone must have dragged it off. Then later drive right up to it. Those GPS can trick you, especially if your not getting all the available satellites.

Originally Posted by drill instructor

I do the same. But i have found myself searching for a long time looking for a top. Only to say someone must have dragged it off. Then later drive right up to it. Those GPS can trick you, especially if your not getting all the available satellites.

i,m with you DI --i,ve got 2 gps on the boat and its always the one on console-- garmin says its not the windshield but i,m not buyin that