Having a problem here

I've listen to guys talk about these $1500 to $2500 units to help you find fish and etc. Well, I can find crappie all day every day on a $ 300 dollar unit and still don't see where this extra money helps. Yea, you keep up with the Jones's and you can say I have this and that but has it put more fish in your boat? I can find drop offs, channels, rocks, trees and etc, with my unit but am I missing something here? I mean I've heard some of these guys paying $2000 to $3000 for units and putting them on boats that arn't worth $2000, whats up with that? Please help me understand why you'd spend that kind of money and fight with customer service all the time because you can't see a hair on a nats butt from 40 ft. away!! I mean if you can't find a brush pile or a laydown with a regular fish finder than you've got problems. How many times do you find crappie out in the middle of the lake holding to structure that you can't find with a regular unit? Yea, if your fishing a lake like Stockon or a big open water lake you MIGHT find something, but as a rule most of us know almost every foot of the lake we're fishing so what does that thousand of dollars do for you?
I'am not putting anyone down here, just help me understand how all that money and trouble with .c.s. helps you, prove it to me please.

Well I am still using a $200 unit. But the way I understand it is...if you are say fishing a tournament on a strange lake....you can find the cover a lot quicker and easier because instead of just looking straight down at a small area....you are looking at 150 ft. on each side of the boat. I can see where this would save a lot of time scouting. But like you I fish familiar lakes and still using the lower price model.

I am going to be fishing with 2 different guys this year with these units, so I want to try and understand the reasoning, one I know, he told me if it is new he had to have it....... told both of them just call and I will tell you where they are...... told another one that had $1700 worth of units, so I said if you would take that $1700 building stakes beds and gas to put them in would be a better pay off........ my biggest concern about these, will be in 3 years there will be another one that is just a little better, but cost more.......:)

$1500 shore would buy a lot of Busch beer;) Nuf said!

Maybe stimulating the economy??

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Originally Posted by olesilverside

I am going to be fishing with 2 different guys this year with these units, so I want to try and understand the reasoning, one I know, he told me if it is new he had to have it....... told both of them just call and I will tell you where they are...... told another one that had $1700 worth of units, so I said if you would take that $1700 building stakes beds and gas to put them in would be a better pay off........ my biggest concern about these, will be in 3 years there will be another one that is just a little better, but cost more.......:)

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Thats what I mean, next year all these units will outdated and they'll want you download crap off of the internet to do this and that when its all I can do just to turn my computer on!! And I could fill a small lake up with stake beds for $2000!!! I know I'am old school and set in my ways, so I'am trying to understand this.

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Originally Posted by longliner

I've listen to guys talk about these $1500 to $2500 units to help you find fish and etc. Well, I can find crappie all day every day on a $ 300 dollar unit and still don't see where this extra money helps. Yea, you keep up with the Jones's and you can say I have this and that but has it put more fish in your boat? I can find drop offs, channels, rocks, trees and etc, with my unit but am I missing something here? I mean I've heard some of these guys paying $2000 to $3000 for units and putting them on boats that arn't worth $2000, whats up with that? Please help me understand why you'd spend that kind of money and fight with customer service all the time because you can't see a hair on a nats butt from 40 ft. away!! I mean if you can't find a brush pile or a laydown with a regular fish finder than you've got problems. How many times do you find crappie out in the middle of the lake holding to structure that you can't find with a regular unit? Yea, if your fishing a lake like Stockon or a big open water lake you MIGHT find something, but as a rule most of us know almost every foot of the lake we're fishing so what does that thousand of dollars do for you?
I'am not putting anyone down here, just help me understand how all that money and trouble with .c.s. helps you, prove it to me please.

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You don't even need a $300 fishfinder you have one thats the best thing goin and priceless...........ME;):D:D

The 2 times I fished with Jamie, we never used a fish finder and loaded the boat both times. Thanks to him and Dr. Jim!

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Originally Posted by longliner

I've listen to guys talk about these $1500 to $2500 units to help you find fish and etc. Well, I can find crappie all day every day on a $ 300 dollar unit and still don't see where this extra money helps. Yea, you keep up with the Jones's and you can say I have this and that but has it put more fish in your boat? I can find drop offs, channels, rocks, trees and etc, with my unit but am I missing something here? I mean I've heard some of these guys paying $2000 to $3000 for units and putting them on boats that arn't worth $2000, whats up with that? Please help me understand why you'd spend that kind of money and fight with customer service all the time because you can't see a hair on a nats butt from 40 ft. away!! I mean if you can't find a brush pile or a laydown with a regular fish finder than you've got problems. How many times do you find crappie out in the middle of the lake holding to structure that you can't find with a regular unit? Yea, if your fishing a lake like Stockon or a big open water lake you MIGHT find something, but as a rule most of us know almost every foot of the lake we're fishing so what does that thousand of dollars do for you?
I'am not putting anyone down here, just help me understand how all that money and trouble with .c.s. helps you, prove it to me please.

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Damn---- and I was going to get one, not now and have you two beat on me like a borrowed mule no way.

I have a humminbird 565 that was on the boat when i bought it, to be honest all i use it for is water depth and temp, if it wasnt on the boat i probably wouldnt even have one, mostly i just eyeball a spot and pick what i like to catch crappie, when i`m bassin i hardly even look at it.

I`d rather depend on my own witts and knowledge to catch a fish than electronics, makes me feel like I accomplished something when I go home with a livewell full of fish.

plus when I dont go home with a livewell full of fish theres nobody to blame, I`d be pretty pissed to have one of them fancy $2000 machines on my boat and still go home empty handed.:eek:

Heck most of the time my depthfinder consist of a 3 ounce weight or a light wire treble hook on the end of my line. i like to feel whats really down there. im very old school!!

No one seems to want to jump in on the pro's of some of the latest technology so I will. I fish Stockton which is a completely different lake then Truman or LOZ where you have a great deal of structure to fish. Stockton crappie have been following schools of shad that are suspended and moving. You can not stay with a school of crappie on the move very long with a regular sonar. It is simple in 40 feet of water you are only able to see about 10 feet with my side scan I can see 500 feet which allows me to locate and keep up with with the crappie. The crappie do not relate to structure the same at Stockton as other lakes so locating them is not as easy. They may be hanging on channel ledges in 20 foot of water today and move to a flat tomorrow. Locating them can be tough because they will move out from under a boat and then move back after the boat passes. Another advantage is when fishing brush piles you can determine from a distance which ones are holding fish without spooking them Stockton is a very clear lake and putting a boat over a brush pile to check it will spook the fish. Fishing from 20 feet away with a slip bobber can be the difference in catching larger numbers. I have more reasons but I think from the above you can see a few advantages for fishing Stockton.

Thanks Tom, I'am just trying to understand all the hype about the new units.

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Originally Posted by Pole Bender

No one seems to want to jump in on the pro's of some of the latest technology so I will. I fish Stockton which is a completely different lake then Truman or LOZ where you have a great deal of structure to fish. Stockton crappie have been following schools of shad that are suspended and moving. You can not stay with a school of crappie on the move very long with a regular sonar. It is simple in 40 feet of water you are only able to see about 10 feet with my side scan I can see 500 feet which allows me to locate and keep up with with the crappie. The crappie do not relate to structure the same at Stockton as other lakes so locating them is not as easy. They may be hanging on channel ledges in 20 foot of water today and move to a flat tomorrow. Locating them can be tough because they will move out from under a boat and then move back after the boat passes. Another advantage is when fishing brush piles you can determine from a distance which ones are holding fish without spooking them Stockton is a very clear lake and putting a boat over a brush pile to check it will spook the fish. Fishing from 20 feet away with a slip bobber can be the difference in catching larger numbers. I have more reasons but I think from the above you can see a few advantages for fishing Stockton.

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Well said bender. you can eliminate a lot of dead water. as meany of you know stockton is a hard lake to fish.

I have yet to use one but I did just install one on my boat. The main reason I did is because I like to fish new lakes and I also like to fish open water. It seems like it might help me understand what I am looking at on my sonar a little better as well. I have had my own boat for nearly 20 years and I still struggle on new lakes trying to determine exactly what the sonar is telling me. I have been with many guys that are unreal with their sounders and fish for a living that determining exactly what they are looking at.

I will also ask this to all who think it is crazy to spend money on good electronics; are you still watching a 19" black and white TV? You can still watch the same TV shows on it but I bet you have a better TV. I can catch fish out of a 12' john boat as well but I choose to do it out of a boat that goes 70MPH. I can drive to work in a Yugo but I choose to drive to work in my crew cab pick-up. My truck is more comfortable and rides much better as does my boat.

I think there are times and places there is zero doubt they would help you catch more fish. I also think there are plenty of times they won't.

Here is a picture you might like to see. I don't have one yet of the side scan to show but will get some. I have my regular sonar on the right and the transducer is mounted on the trolling motor. On the left is the down scan and it is mounted on the back of my boat. I find this useful to help stay on a school of fish as I can see what is at the front and back of the boat.

Don't the more expensive ones have larger screens, too?

I wish I would've known more when I bought mine. I went cheap--$200--for a monochrome graph. The resolution was better but it only had a single 20° beam. In 20' of water I *still* need to be practically on top of a pile to see it. Not much room for error.

However, the graph is on par with the boat so...when I upgrade the boat, I'll upgrade the graph. Probably won't go put the majority of my money into the graph, though....

It tells me what I need, usually. Depth, drop offs, temp, etc. Just that locating specifics is frustrating.

If you don't wander far from your home lake you do not need a high end unit,but I fish several lakes including Lake Michigan.With hotmaps and navionics you have 100,s of detailed lake maps w/fishing hot spots programmed in the unit. When I am fishing a reef inthe middle of green bay that has 2 small humps 200 yds apart I mark my waypoints and with my gps tracking I can find that exact spot nomatter where I am at. day or night. These are wonderful but if you stay close to home you really dont need one .

Dang monk thanks for calling me out!!:D:D
I lucked out this year and picked up a few extra sponsors. So mine are on order. Here one thing that convinced me. I have fished some areas year after year that have been good to me. I was fishing with a Bass buddy in one of those areas that had a high dollar Humminbird. I put him on fish on a trip back to the live well he says hey what about these stack beds and other stuff here we going to fish them. We found some stake beds and many stumps within 30 feet of that spot and pounded some big fish one after another.
I had never seen that stuff with my unit and would have had to make many many cross and zig zags. I can see some of the stuff now on my unit since they are mark.

Crap I should have just agreed with ya. Ya them units suck no one should buy one!!

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Originally Posted by rangerman93

Heck most of the time my depthfinder consist of a 3 ounce weight or a light wire treble hook on the end of my line. i like to feel whats really down there. im very old school!!

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I thought he was talking directly to you when I read it.:D:D

off the front, that would be like hog heaven for me...........:D and don't be calling me asking me where they are............