Guys,
on a scale of 1 to 10, please rate how useful you feel down imaging is to your fishing success.
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Guys,
on a scale of 1 to 10, please rate how useful you feel down imaging is to your fishing success.
I'd rate mine as a solid 8 .... but, that's comparing it to a b/w 2d unit, and that's not really a apples to apples comparison. That would be a Lowrance Elite 5 DSI vs a Lowrance Strata 128, and several other (older) models of Lowrance depthfinders. I'm giving the DI capabilities such a high mark, simply because I can see an "image" of what's beneath the transducer versus a pixel blob rendering that I would have to interpret.
To me, actually "seeing" that it is a tree, brushpile, stump, or whatever ... vs ... seeing a b/w or color "blob" of pixels, and basically having to guess what it is, makes Down Imaging more advantageous.
... cp :kewl
Let's see ...
For dropshottin about a 8 or 9 ...
For vertical jiggin about a 8 or 9 ...
For Ky riggin about a 8 or 9 ...
For dock shootin about a 0 ...
For casting about a 0 ...
For long linin about a 0 ...
For crankin about a 0 ...
For spider riggin about a 0 ...
But then that's just me ...
Rickie
On the bow I give it an 8.
1 for me, I mainly cast jigs.
X2. Love to see the brush with them fish hovering over it!Quote:
Originally Posted by rnvinc
so thus far, everyone seems to like DI on the bow and don't really use it much at the helm,
I was envisioning SI to find brush and DI to get a good look at it, see if it's worth fishing.
My ideal would be just that. Side at the helm then drop a waypoint on something I found. Send that waypoint via network to bow to pick it apart with the di. My only problem is I cannot afford a side image unit lol. I guess I got to do with my di.
Very interesting !! Except for the dock shooting score, I would think Down Image scores would be just the opposite of yours, Rickie. :scratchhead :donoQuote:
Originally Posted by rnvinc
Seems like most any fishing method that requires the boat to be in constant motion, would be a good fit for DI ... as it would show you a "picture image" of what it is you're going over. With that in mind, one would think that ... if slow presentations like using a Ky Lake Rig, Drop Shot Rig, or Vertical Jigging would receive a 8-9 score --- and DI image production requires a little speed for best results --- then constant motion methods like crankbait/jig trolling should receive a better score than a zero.
Now, of course, one has to remove the influence factors of the GPS & mapping capabilities, when answering the question of what score you'd give DI (alone) ... as it affects your fishing success. And I can see where Spider Rigging may receive a low to middle range score, seeing as how your baits are well in front of the DI scanning range ... and GPS waypoints or map contours would be a greater influencing factor ... but why would near stationary methods receive such high scores, and constant motion/speed methods get zero's ??? Are your scores pursuant to the use of "regular" DI, or the 360* imaging unit ??
... cp :kewl
My scoring would pertain to how some "vertical presentations" are using the DI technology...
The DI info is generally "what was passed over" in opposition to methods that need info from the MFD unit of "what's coming up ahead"...or "what's straight under the xducer...or "what's out to the sides of the boat"...
Some using vertical presentations are incorporating a system of "passing over a marked waypoint" with DI to determine if there are fish holding on the structure/brush..
*If there are fish ...then a buoy would be tossed out and the boat repositioned to fish the structure with the 2d...
*If there are no fish...then continue on to the next marked waypoint...
Conversely....longlinin,cranking, and other faster type trolling main focus is "what's ahead of the boat"...wherein, the chart is the most important tool...and DI's narrow beam (from to back) does not give as much pre-warning as the 2d cone shaped beam...of structure "coming up" to give time to adjust the troll pattern from potential hangups or problems...
DI's beam angle seems a little short (sideways wise) to get any useful info from under a dock where a SI beam could potentially pick up suspended fish under the dock..
Once again, these are just my opinions of DI usefulness broken down into the different fishing methods...as each method requires a different type (or scenario) of sonar unit information needed...
Rickie
This is indeed, effectively using each sonar tool (2d/SI/DI/GPS) for what each is "best at"...Quote:
Originally Posted by brettw
SI advantage is "findin stuff"..
DI advantage is "pickin it apart"...
2d advantage is "sittin on top of it"...
GPS advantage is "guidance to it"...
Rickie
If your going to verticall fish i think that the 2d is the best just because of the nature of the 2d beam compared to the Di beam.one example would be if the person fishing wanted to watch his bait in relation to fish/structure the 2d will get far better results.another good example would be something that i like to do is to keep the boat back away from the structure by watching the 2d.the Di really does do a very good job of this.seams to me that the Di works best for me is when Im done fishing ill go over the structure and take a picture then when some one asks were did you catch those fish ill show the picture .:crazy:
I don't fish in the spring much anymore, 95% of my fishing is between December and the first of March before the water temps start to move up and the terrorist start arriving. So I'm generally fishing in deeper water and two poling, I do cast some but not a lot. I run my bow HDS 8 on split screen, one side 2d and ds on the other. The brush starts showing up first on 2d because of the shape of the sound wave, then it will show up on the ds. So for me the ds keeps me "on top" of the brush much better. Your mileage may vary.
On the stern I use the ss for finding stuff and the ds to big eye it. I enjoy playing with my depth finders almost as much as fishing, but not as much as eating them.
I do not have 2d capabilities in my bow unit. I have my DI unit mounted on the TM. I have/do use the DI image while in a more or less stationary position, for vertical presentations, but with the idea/fact in mind that I'm going to be seeing horizontally stretched out images of cover (much the same as what I'm used to seeing with 2d, while stationary).
Now, I will have to quantify the fact that I'm used to a 20deg cone angle in previous 2d units. And in the normally less than 25 fow that I'm used to fishing, a 20deg cone only covers ~8ft diameter circle of bottom ... & progressively less diameter of water column from bottom to transducer. My DI unit's "angle", though only 6deg "thick", is 45/75deg wide (depending on using 455 or 800kHz setting). And, of course, I can split the screen between the two settings.
Consider, too, that I skipped past a large portion of the technological changes in depth finders ... skipping over the dual frequency 2d, color 2d, etc. and went from a series of low end b/w 2d depthfinders to a DI unit with GPS, mapping, water temp, waypoint marking, speed registering, color imaging capabilities, which can be customized to my preferences. I will also admit that I bought the unit primarily for those capabilities, as much as or moreso than for the DI image capabilities. I've just learned to admire the DI images, over the pixel blob images of 2d, as they take a lot less "interpretation" (or experience) to understand what's being shown. I'm still in the newbie learning phase of DI, so I'm hoping to continue to get better at using its capabilities.
... cp :kewl
cpappy,
I'm surprised the di works well for you sitting on brush, any chance you can elaborate on this? including pics? or on a separate thread. thanks
I do have a picture or two :Quote:
Originally Posted by brettw
Attachment 132021
Attachment 132022
Unfortunately, they were taken prior to my having a micro-sd card. :Doh:
And, actually, were taken on the first trip where I had waypoints loaded into the unit ... and my digital camera along.
As you can see by the overlay ... my speed is 0.00mph. Actually, I was not anchored or tied up, but drifting due to a slight breeze ... just not fast enough to register on the GPS (so probably < 0.3mph). You will also notice that I am nowhere near a marked waypoint, having drifted off while messing around with getting the camera ready, casting the area, or enroute from one waypoint to another. The brush that is shown in either picture, was "found" while drifting ... and since it represented a similar image to what I'd seen when hovering over the brushpiles that I had waypoints marked on, I just quickly took pics of them and then proceeded to continue my fishing.
That particular trip was primarily to check the accuracy of the GPS coordinates that I had manually entered into my unit (at home). Once they proved to be pretty much dead on ... fishing took priority. The pics were just an afterthought.
I equate these images with being similar to what I've experienced from 2d units, while basically stationary over a target, since they both render horizontally stretched images across the screen ... due to the ping constantly reading the same echo point. It does, in fact, show that there are single branches rising above the main pile or sticking out from it ... and at what depth. I like the DI version better, for the simple reason that it shows greater detail. I would expect any of my previous 2d units to have shown a "blob" of pixels, which wouldn't have shown that amount of detail/separation. Granted, I never had any "high end" 2d units ... but, even after seeing the 2d images posted in many of the threads on this forum, I still wouldn't be "sure" of what they were ... if they didn't have a DI image next to them.
I never anchor, and rarely tie off .... so I'm not dependent upon my unit to give me constant images of what's below. I'm usually positioning or re-positioning the boat with the TM ... or moving along at a speed that's conducive to whatever method I'm using at that time. More often than not, that would be casting a jig or slow trolling with two or three rods with minnows. Occasionally I may even be vertical jigging, but not while stationary ... usually at around the same speed that I slow troll (<0.7mph) I don't actually "Spider Rig" fish, in the sense that my rods are not over 10ft long & are not out ahead of the TM ... but, are in fact angled out to the side of the front seat. I get to see the depth changes, and the beginning edges of brushpiles I'm approaching, just prior to my leading rod's line/bait coming upon them. It's not a perfect system ... but it's what I have, so I make the best of it, hopefully without having to give up using any method I'd like to, or have to, use to present my bait in the most efficient manner.
... cp :kewl
thanks,
I could use a perfect fish finder, for not too much money
None of them are perfect. The only way to get perfect would be military grade sonar and I doubt you can get it even then.
Couldn't we all !!! :deadhorse But, they don't exist.Quote:
Originally Posted by brettw
I paid a little over $475 for mine, but it came with a TM mount adapter (~$20) & an extra power/tdx cord (~$80). As I understand it, the ones being sold "now" contain the TM adapter. I've also recently seen them for around $300 & change ... but were running in the $500-600 range when I bought mine (Feb 2011) from a site member.
I have never paid more than $150 for a depthfinder, in my life ... but, considering what this unit can do, that my previous 2d units cannot, I felt OK with the deal/price.
Hope you find a unit that does what you want it to do !! Just don't expect "perfection" from any of them, and you won't be so disappointed in their capabilities. Remember, the more capabilities they have, the longer the learning curve to operate them at their greatest ability. That camera photo of the screen was taken way before I learned how to "set" the unit up, and doesn't compare to the screenshots I've taken since. And believe me, I've had "better" images on the screen ... I just didn't take the time to reach down & punch buttons, to capture those images (I was paying more attention to my rods/lines, because they're what catches the fish !! )
... cp :kewl
I have the Elite 5 DSI and I love it for both vertical jigging and trolling crank baits. The main thing I like is being able to tell when fish are on the move, I assume they're feeding when I see the tail tale marks on the screen and when vertical jigging I stay on top of that and will pick up fish till they move off or quit chasing bait. I want to say a 10 but I'll give it an 8 since I don't have a lot of experience with any others to compare with.
Here's a picture using my 597hd/Di in the split screen with 2d on the top and Di on the bottom.i used a 1/16 oz. jig...it was very easy to keep it in the 2d coverage were i could watch it as i moved it up and down. At the same time you can see that i had a hard time keeping it in the Di coverage area.http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...psbb561187.jpg
Why did you post this?all this picture is showing us is that your getting trolling motor rf noise on your hds unit.i agree that you can track a 1/16 oz. jig and i can do the same thing with my 998or my 597 .(if you can keep it in the 6° narrow beam)this is why i say that the Di is very limited in its uses..Yohttp://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps23dd749d.pngur picture is misleading so ill post this picture of the cone angles for others to see.the picture doesn't give front to coverage ° but i can tell you its somewhere between 3°to6°.. (good luck getting that information from the Lowrance people)Quote:
Originally Posted by justinp61
Hay y'all , a fish is a fish and a stump is a stump.why do we keep having these pissing contest?:juggle:juggle:dono
Well kosmo, it pertains to this thread and my post on page 2 about how I use ds. That shot was taken last December, I had blown off what I was fishing and happened to see my jig on both screens so I raised it up and let it fall and took the shot.
Yes, I have rf interference when my trolling motor is running. So, is there a point to that statement. When I bought this boat it had a Maxxum with US2 and a HB 747 on the bow, interference was so bad I had to install a transducer on the tm, same when I went to my HDS units. The shot above is from the US2 on my new Fortrex (which is much worse than the Maxxum) with a HB choke and two ferrite cores. This is as good as it's going to get and I can live with it.
Your pissing contest statement is funny, cause you always seem to get a shot off in the first volley :deadhorse.
i went back and read your post on page 2..after readingreading that post i now i have a different view of what you posted above.if i every see you some time ill let you slap the hell out of me one time.(sorry) as far as the pissing go's,i might have started a couple..maybe three.Ah hell ,slap me a couple of times if you want:cheers2Quote:
Originally Posted by justinp61
No problem. I wasn't gouging you this time, however I reserve the right to in the future. :highfiveQuote:
Originally Posted by kosmo
Yeah, but ... Kosmo :
Isn't the HB DI signal the same 6deg as the Lowrance ?? Oh wait, it can't be, can it :Doh:
This thread is about Down Scan (DI ?? ) usefullness ... not SI, 2d, combos or configurations.
I've seen my jig, and even my hook/sinker/minnow rig on my Elite 5DSI ... but, I don't TRY to do it. It's also wired into my TM power line, and the tdx is mounted on the TM (43lb Motorguide) ... and I've had zero problems with interference. It tells me what I want to know, and shows me a picture of what's below ... & that's all I need it to do.
... cp :kewl
Quote:
Originally Posted by crappiepappy
That's because you don't/ can't use US2, I don't either with a traditional td.
I see were your coming from.i guess i inadvertently bashed you and other elite 5dsi owner's i apologize.Quote:
Originally Posted by crappiepappy
Beer summit time
Most everyone likes to think that what they have is "the best", or at least the best they can afford. I don't think you were trying to bash anyone (or their equipment), so no apology necessary (to me, anyway).Quote:
Originally Posted by kosmo
You were a great help with all the charts/diagrams/etc., over on my E5DSI thread ... and I appreciate all that you contributed.
... cp :kewl
I'm in ... Wurz da beer...??Quote:
Originally Posted by brettw
:cheers2
Rickie
guys vote as instructed !
1 to 10 !, di usefulness
My vote is already in as an 8.
... cp :kewl
I voted ...in relation to the method or task at hand..Quote:
Originally Posted by brettw
Rickie