Does anyone turn off their electronics in shallow water? If so, what depth?
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Does anyone turn off their electronics in shallow water? If so, what depth?
Why would u turn them off?
I turn mine on when I hit the water and turn em off when I pull out.
I was told by a very respected Sippi guide that he turns his off so the fish won't hear or feel the sonar ping. He swears it makes a difference when the fish are shallow in the water column or are in shallow water, less than 8'. May not make a BIG difference, but in a tourney, 1 good one could be THE difference.
I have had mine on right on the edge of a bream bed....so shallow I could see the fish.....didn't bother them a bit.
I leave mine on to give the fish a sporting chance.
What brm & Rees said.
If Im single poling structure or grass all electronics are doing is sucking up battery life but if I have out spider rig shallow or deep..my electronics are ON so I understand why I am catching fish.
I leave mine on most of the time too if I'm fishing a narrow creek channel, cover, or tight ledges or structure. I turn it off on shallow flats and lakes without much structure, and go with the wind if there is any. No scientific data to prove wether it works or not, but I believe it helps.
My sonar tells me a lot about an area, and if the fish are there, but I don't think it helps me understand why I'm catching fish or not. I've seen fish tons of times on the sonar and they wouldn't bite. Heck, I still don't understand why they didn't. [emoji12]
To each their own!!!! Do it like You like it. [emoji4]
Something I have learned about all fishing, if you are confident in it do it, works most of the the time, if you dont have any confidence in it you wont be near as successful.
I leave my electronics running, live well running, and usually a air pump running....so lots of noises and vibrations from my boat. I still catch fish....have not scared them all off yet , lol
I don't turn mine off even when the troller is dragging mud
I trust my source on this one. He and his partner have won a many a tourney in their careers. They're doin something Right. [emoji4]
Exactly. I've sat in spots and caught limits w/o moving and banged my boat, threw fish in the cooler, everything else making noise. I think it depends a lot on the time of year and why the fish are there. If spawning, they aren't going anywhere. Doesn't matter what the next guy thinks. You have to have confidence in what YOU do.
Ah Bologna that tick tick tick sound. Sounds like craw fish I leave mine on all the time , catch walleye and crappies in less than a foot of water 10 feet from the boat no problems. JMHO.
The reason i say "why" is before i had any electronics on my boat I would waste at least an hour every trip finding where fish are. Like during the summer if I'm fishing deep water and ledges and can't catch anything so I start experimenting with depth the all the sudden you find out its not that the fish were not there its that you were fishing 5 ft too shallow. A sonar will tell you that way before you can experiment and waste time.
Can you, with a gps/fishfinder combo turn off just the sonar????:dono:dono:dono
You could just unplug the 2D ducer.
Thanks, fishing a lake like Washington once you dial in on an area I use my maps more than anything else. With that said this will be my first spring fishing with side image, located and caught a lot of fish last summer and fall using the SI.
If turning off electronics is too keep from spooking fish don't bother. I've caught fish wading in 2' water with a 6' rod because I broke the top section of my 12' rod.
Thanks Rees and BRM. Think I'm on same page as y'all. Running 2d sonar in 3ft of water at 83khz is only going to cover a 3ft swath at 200khz only 1 ft. Don't see any advantage to leaving it on in 3 ft or less. I do like the SI in the shallows like Rees is talking about. Didn't mean to start an uproar on this one. Like BRM said Do what you want to do.
:Rofl:Rofl:Rofl
Humminbird you can just push the power button so the little pop up for the lights etc. comes on and there is an option there to turn it off.
I fished an area regularly and knew where the fish would be but liked to keep the graph on for the slow times. 25fow. The front unit at the time was a HB 565 and not too high powered. The console was a Low 527 rated for 4000 watts and had a narrow cone, 12*. Pulling up to the spot I left both units on and caught a few fish as I usually did. In about 20 minutes the nite quit, real out of character for the place. I drifted off of it and gave it 20 or 30 minutes, turned off both units, and went back to it. I caught fish for the next 3 hours til I left to go home, and left em biting. I will say that the low unit had such a ping that it could be heard, at times, by myself and passenger in the boat. I try now to only use one unit when keeping one on. I have had this conversation with many people and have heard a lot of arguments one side or the other, I feel that when they aren't that active it can make a difference. There are times when you could troll with one of Mama's curlers and take a limit, and I'm sure it wouldn't matter. This was just my experience.
I fished with a buddy who ABSOLUTELY swears by turning off anything radar, ping making noise, BUT leaves his on board CD player roarin......complains he don't catch as many fish as some. Hmmmmmm! Think I'll let him figure this one out on his own.
I think some people try to over analyze things. Kind of like that coach did by not running the ball with a foot to go!!!! :) Dag gum. I have to think too much at work. Last thing I want is having to stress my brain fishing! Every now and then, I'll start talking to em though. Singing em a little song or two getting em in the mood and all.
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