Side imaging

[fireman1501]

IS THE SIDE IMAGE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CRAPPIE FISHING ARE IS THE DOWN IMAGE THE MOST IMPORTANT. I WAS WANTIMG TOO UPGRADE MY UNIT BUT WAS WONDERING IF I NEED TOO SPEND THE EXTRA ON SIDE IMAGE.

[kosmo]

good question ?????????????

[Fishorhunt]

I don't own a Side Imaging (YET) but, I have friends that have them and I have been watching EVERYTHING and I mean everything on them that I can find on Youtube. It is hard for me to swallow spending over $1,000 for a depth finder. It would help me (I believe) with time management. I have 3 kids, work a 12 hr job and run a farm. Being that the side imaging can cover up to 240 ft of water in a single pass means that I would be locating more fish faster. Right now I pretty much have to go on prior knowledge and "gut feeling" finding fish. My depth finder is a Lowerance X15 (old 2D type) and it is JUNK. Ever since the day I got it I have only used it to find the depth of something, water temp, and the occational brush pile. I RARELY fish in water deeper than 20 ft so the "cone" area that the depth finder is looking at is small. I don't know the exact formula but, I would guess it is looking at 10-15 feet (max) of bottom at that depth.

Now, with that said will I be able to see singular crappie scattered out on a flat with one of these S.I.'s or see big walleyes laying on the bottom or tucked against the bank in the spring? I don't know but, I do believe that it will help me find structure and schooling fish faster.

[crappiemax]

I found structure and caught fish using an old flasher unit. Now I have SI/DI/2d and GPS, I have units for and aft and I still sind structre and and still catch fish.
So I guess it's not truely neccessary but it is fun to play with while fishing at times.

I think any decent electronics is all thats really needed and if you use it along with some sort of GPS you're good to go.
DI doesn't show you anything that your 2d won't show you. You just see it differently.

PS, I had a Low x-15 mt on my boat previos to the HDS units and I personally loved that unit. I found more structure and fish with that unit than anything I've ever owned. I still have it and am considering hooking it back up to use in conjunction with these other units.

[tsherman]

My vote would be that the SI is more important than the down scan/imaging. To crappie fish you have to find STRUCTURE and the most effective tool for doing so is SI. Prior to the DI technology we would mark a way point using the SI technology. We would then pull up to the spot and fish for 10-15 minutes and move on if we didn't get a bite.

[chaunc]

I agree with tsherman. SI has helped me find spots that i've been passing over for numerous years. Love mine.

[brushnjigs]

sent you a pm

[beagle man]

you will be amazed at what is under the water, I mean we all know there is junk in the lakes and ponds we fish, but with the side/down structure scan imiging tools we know exactly where it is I find barrells,tires,logs buckets all sorts of brush piles I never knew were anywhere arround ,,, they take some getting use to but there worth it,,,, I sometimes turn mine on and just start in a new never fished before spot and scope it out and mark the spots that look like would hold fish, and spots that are holding fish and then go back after a bit and start fishing,,,, most always catch a few

[rnvinc]

2d will show what is under the boat...

DI will show what is under the boat...and out to the sides several feet...

SI will show what is under the boat...out 100+ feet to the sides of the boat...and which side of the boat....

Crappie are "structure" oriented...

SI is invaluable for finding "new structure"...more known structure...more fish in the livewell...

Rickie

[CatFan]

My vote would be that the SI is more important than the down scan/imaging. To crappie fish you have to find STRUCTURE and the most effective tool for doing so is SI. Prior to the DI technology we would mark a way point using the SI technology. We would then pull up to the spot and fish for 10-15 minutes and move on if we didn't get a bite.

+1