I am fishing with Raymarine electronics now - Knowing your sonar "intimately" is important - in other words - knowing what crappies look like makes all the difference. Down South it is a little easier - especially when you get into an area where you know the big school of fish is a "pod" of crappies. Once we find crappies - we start fishing. The one exception to the rule is when the fish are really "high" in the water column. Sometimes you just have to set your lines and start trolling (or pulling) and once you catch fish - "turn and burn" on the school.

As far as Off Shore Planer boards are concerned - the biggest advantage is the boards spread your presentation and take your baits out to the side of the boat and present them to fish that flat lines wouldn't