Finding Brushpiles

I know there are a lot of crappie experts on this site so I need a little help. I am a bass fisherman trying to turn in to a crappie fisherman. I still have a lot to learn to be able to do it consistently. My question is what is best way that you use to accurately find the brush piles you have marked? I still have trouble finding them. Today I fished in 12-16' of water straight lining with a single pole/jig in brush piles. It wasn't pretty even in the calm water. LOL. I have some pretty good depth finders. I have the Lowrance HDS7 touch control units. They are very easy to use to mark the brush piles. I have marked plenty. But they only let you zoom in so close to the way point that you have marked so it is hard to find that brush pile in that very small cone from the transducer. I am not sure how close the way point actually gets you to brush pile when it looks like you are on top of the way point. Any pointers on best way to find a brush pile with a way point? Thanks

Do you have a point 1?

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by point 1.

Use your split screen to view your gps and side scan simultaneously while you are approaching your wpt. When you get close, start watching your si to locate the brush. If you see that it is 20ft to your right, then toss a buoy 20ft to your right and circle around. Switch to di/si split screen and scan to see how the brush lays in relation to the buoy as you circle it. Also check to see if it is holding fish. If so, drop your lines and start fishing. If you dont see fish, move on. Sometimes I will do this with multiple brush piles before I find one that I want to fish.

You should be able to nail the waypoint by driving over it each time. Sounds like you are using the Internal antana on each graph. The internal is fine for the bow unit, but you really should have and EXternal antana above the transom. If the console unit is using the INternal antanna it will be off by about 8 or so feet (distance from ducer to graph) , because the ducer is on the transom or builge area, and this is what is marking,, the antanna is forward of the ducer. If using EXternal antannas you need to go into each unit and see what antanna each unit is reading. There will be a silver tag on the antanna wireing with numbers. Make sure that unit is reading that antanna. It would help knowing how you have each unit set up.
The point 1 antanna is the fastest real time update antanna available. The internal antanna updates at 4 seconds and using the 2000 or 3000 antanna makes it difficult to find waypoints at very slow speeds such as using the TM.

When we are fishing in 10' or more we drive right over the waypoint and toss a buoy just over the side knowing the brush/stumps is on the right or left of the buoy, shut the motor off, using the Tm to turn the boat around around and start fishing. Being at this depth or deeper the motor wont spook the fish at all. If we dont see the fish we wont drop a buoy and go to the next waypoint.

A good hand held will put you right on top of it, thats what I use, a etrex legend. Never have trouble finding my brush piles, got 200 marked now.

The problem I found when I started out was not finding the bp but fishing it. I like to put marker buoy just up wind of the brush then use that as a reference point. Your front graph and your rod will tell you where to fish then just try to stay in the area where you find fish.

The best brushpile finder ever!! Is the A-Rig(alabama rig)!!! Then mark it with a bouy!!!

I like jigfishex's reply. I will add that it makes a difference in the water level fluctuation. If the lake has dropped 10 foot since you made the waypoint, then the sattle lights will think your triangulation is 10 foot above your current position. That is when you skills as a hunter with your depth finders will shine. I like to mark my positions 3 or four times just to know I am in the right area. DP

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Originally Posted by tncrappiebass

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by point 1.

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The Point 1 is an external GPS antenna with a built in heading sensor. You will get a faster refresh rate on the gps plus the unit always knows which way the boat is pointed. With the heading extension turned on there is a line projected on the map screen indicating where the boat is pointed. Line up the heading extension on the waypoint and drive straight to it. IMO this is a great addition to any HDS unit, well worth the $200 costs.

Lowrance Point-1 GPS Antenna - LOWRANCE | Marine Electronics

There is a lot of information here.
BBC Boards

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Originally Posted by justinp61

The Point 1 is an external GPS antenna with a built in heading sensor. You will get a faster refresh rate on the gps plus the unit always knows which way the boat is pointed. With the heading extension turned on there is a line projected on the map screen indicating where the boat is pointed. Line up the heading extension on the waypoint and drive straight to it. IMO this is a great addition to any HDS unit, well worth the $200 costs.

Lowrance Point-1 GPS Antenna - LOWRANCE | Marine Electronics

There is a lot of information here.
BBC Boards

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That's the problem I have Justin. When I turn the gps doesn't react as fast and then im to the other side of it. It takes me 1/2 hr. sometimes to get to a waypoint, an my navionics map will only zoom to 50ft. Its a HDS 10 gen I

I use a cheap hand held Garmin etrex and have transducer for depth finder mounted on trolling motor. I fish 40 or more brush piles per morning with little locating trouble.

Mine doesn't do me any good, I'm at KY Lake and my bow unit with most of my marks is 400 miles away at home. Gonna be roughing it.

Because they can be built to "hug the bottom" is exactly why am SO fond of hard wood "BB"s (brush blocks). On rough bottoms (rocks, riprap, ect) they can actually "disappear" and often are visible only from 1 or 2 directions to most sonars. Needless to say, more than a few dozen have found happy resting spots in CJ Brown Reservoir. 1 has supposedly become a very good walleye spot ! Btw, deploying them is a dream; simply stack them on the bow and push 4 or 5 overboard all at once. Surprisingly in water over 10` deep they seem to spread out a bit, and enmass seem to attract both pre spawn and fall "biguns` and assorted other species...

These are some great responses. Much appreciated. It is also good to know that there are reasons why it is difficult besides just my ability. LOL

Mistake me not, i'm not saying replace what you have. This is just my solution. I too struggled the with the same issue with my old 2d sonar. Just didn't have the time & patience to search for brush piles. Then on top of that had to run over the brushes to effectively confirm it because i'm in 30ft or less. I saved up for a 598 side imaging and it completely changed the way I fish crappie. I zoom in 25ft off to each side and found so much more piles and piles holding fish. Cut down my search 75%. If it didn't hold fish, i did not waste time. This site has lots of education on these new technology. Don't get wrong, i know people who still fishes without any sonar and do okay, just much more work and time.

Also be sure to go into the menu under gps and make sure the unit is running under I believe it 1x and be sure to push accept after changing to this. These units are nothing more than a computer and need to be programed. Once they are set up properly it will be worth the hour of being a pain in the butt setting it up. Im guessing you are using the nema cable with the Ts so the units can talk to each other??

Yes, I have the NEMA cable with the orange ends hooked up to each touch HDS7. However, it has never worked. I wanted it to share waypoints between the 2 units but when I make a waypoint on one, it doesn't show on the other. Never figured out how to fix it. I will look at the '1X" setting when I get home to see if I have it set up that way. Thanks for the help.

Sent ya a pm

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Originally Posted by tncrappiebass

Yes, I have the NEMA cable with the orange ends hooked up to each touch HDS7. However, it has never worked. I wanted it to share waypoints between the 2 units but when I make a waypoint on one, it doesn't show on the other. Never figured out how to fix it. I will look at the '1X" setting when I get home to see if I have it set up that way. Thanks for the help.

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You have Ethernet, which is what you need. Post your settings.

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Originally Posted by dvuks

Mine doesn't do me any good, I'm at KY Lake and my bow unit with most of my marks is 400 miles away at home. Gonna be roughing it.

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Just follow that Purple boat an you will be fine.

Ha-ha, haven't seen him yet.