When Structure Scan/Side Imaging was brand new to you...

I think this is the right place for this question; if not, I apologize and will happily post elsewhere. I am about to invest in new electronics. I am leaning toward Lowrance at this time. I am not really wanting brand recommendations as I know everyone probably loves whatever they went with and use. What I do want to know is, when this technology was all new to you guys/gals, how did you get started? Was it frustrating trying to learn how to use the tech? Is it worth my expense?

I have only used traditional 2d sonar and not even color, so these are big improvements I'm making. I think the color units and especially down imaging will be a joy to use compared to my current unit. What I am wondering is will I really use side imaging? And if so, how long does it generally take to understand and become proficient at it?

Any input or suggestions appreciated. I feel like I am spending a ton of money on this stuff and I think I am getting trigger shy.

SI will find new structure out to the sides of the boat that you didn't even know was there ...

Then you can reposition the boat and see exactly what it is with DI ...

And then fish it effectively with the 2d you're used to ...

And the waypoint you created on it will let you return to it over and over again ...

Rickie

Like you, all I ever had was b/w 2d sonar. Heck, I even used a flasher now & then, up until 8 or 10 years ago !!

I purchased a Lowrance Elite 5 DSI from a member ... and now I'm totally sure of what is within the sonar sweep of the DI, and not trying to interpret a bunch of b/w blotches or relying on "fish symbols" to (maybe) tell me there's fish around me. I get a picture-like image of what I'm going over, so the guesswork is gone :HandsClapping

I was a total newbie to this technology, so I started a thread about my unit in Nov 2011 ... to get some help with the learning curve. The most recent post was made in Mar 2015 ... after 86 pages of discussion & info sharing. Much of that info may be of some benefit to you, especially the charts & diagrams, and possibly more.

I am of the belief that SI is most useful for "scouting" areas, especially on new lakes or areas of your local lakes that you're not too familiar with .... and possibly even some areas that you are quite familiar with. Lake bottoms are not static ... they're constantly changing in varying degrees. Whether it's silting, cover being placed or moved, or shifting sand bars ... what's down there last year may no longer be there this year, and something new might take its place next year. That may mean that a certain spot that you used to fish without much success in the past, can end up being a honey hole ... after you've given up on it.

Getting your unit set up, installed correctly, updated, and any of the other "learning curve" situations you might be confronted with ... can usually be solved by simply letting the fine folks on this forum know what the deal is, then wait for them to reply back with the solution. It's what I did ... and I'm appreciative of their help, and continue to try & pay it forward by helping pass along what I've learned from them & from my experience with my unit.

I totally understand the sticker shock that comes with the latest/greatest technology that's out there ... I went for around 40 years using $100-$150 low to middle end depthfinders, only to use them for the simple function of telling me how deep the water under me was. My $475 for this Down Imaging unit was a momentary "trigger shy" moment for me, too. But, now that I know better how to use it, what it is capable of, and how to make the functions work for me ... that outlay of funds seems way less of a deal than it was when I was writing the check !! The more I use it, the more a bargain it seems to have been. (and I say that & believe that, even though Lowrance has discontinued that particular model)

... cp :kewl

The last depthfinder I had used was an old black and white 2d model from the early 90's. I bought a color down imaging with GPS wow what a difference. The down imaging gives an almost photo quality detail of what is below the boat. I can mark fish and get them to bite. When funds allow side imaging will be next.

Thanks everyone who has responded here; this is some helpful info. I did some recon at Bass Pro last night and these newer units blow me away. I was thrilled to see the touch screen feature and to better understand how to connect the bow and console units. As I understand it, I need HDS Gen 2 or up for touch screen. I am thinking HDS 7 at console and either another 7 or the next size screen up at the bow as well. One question I have is the transducer mounting/sharing. The Structure Scan td will be mounted on the back of my boat, but the bow unit will use it as well correct? I read something on another forum about the structure scan td and the other td being mounted near each other. I definitely want my bow unit to be mounted to my Trolling Motor. I am assuming this is all possible and how most people are doing it?

CrappiePappy, I am going to find the thread you mentioned and read all 86 pages.

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Originally Posted by htr2133

Thanks everyone who has responded here; this is some helpful info. I did some recon at Bass Pro last night and these newer units blow me away. I was thrilled to see the touch screen feature and to better understand how to connect the bow and console units. As I understand it, I need HDS Gen 2 or up for touch screen. I am thinking HDS 7 at console and either another 7 or the next size screen up at the bow as well. One question I have is the transducer mounting/sharing. The Structure Scan td will be mounted on the back of my boat, but the bow unit will use it as well correct? I read something on another forum about the structure scan td and the other td being mounted near each other. I definitely want my bow unit to be mounted to my Trolling Motor. I am assuming this is all possible and how most people are doing it?

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Lowrance units with touch screens are designated as "Touch" models prior to Gen 3. There is an HDS Gen 2 that is not Touch, and an HDS Touch. Besides the touch screen, the touch models have integrated SS while the non-Touch HDS Gen 2 would require an LSS box to have SS and DS.

Once you go to Gen 3, all HDS units are Touch with built-in SS and DS.

The close location of the 2D transducer and the SS transducer is to get good images on DS overlay, which is a mix of 2D and DS sonar. Nice to have, but not critical for getting great use out of the unit.

Sonar, either 2D, SS or DS is shared over an Ethernet connection whether you are using units with integrated SS or an LSS box. Your HDS unit at the bow will be able to display the SS, 2D or DS from the other unit, as well as the 2D from its own transducer.

SS is most useful idling in a straight line, so you generally get the most benefit seeing it at the console. Some people use SS at the bow, but I don't really think I'd use it much there. My standard procedure is to idle around with the SS and mark waypoints, then move to the bow and approach the waypoints with 2D sonar to fish them.

To be honest, the installation is the hardest part. Once you've chosen a good location and got your transducers installed, the units are easier to use than older stuff. That's equally true of both Lowrance and Bird. What's a little difficult is getting an understanding of what the images are telling you. It's not incredibly hard, but it's just a new way of thinking. Check out http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...r-quiz-thread/ and http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...reting-images/ for some good discussion and example images.

It would be easy to get a console unit and play with it for a while to get a feel for it before you decide which screen size you want for the bow.

Feel free to keep posting your questions in this thread as you figure out what you want and how to install it. Many of us have been through the learning process.

Here you go htr2133 : http://www.crappie.com/crappie/fishi...-chartplotter/

... cp :kewl

Per your original question, I found it easy to use right away! Now with that said, it has taken more time to learn to interpret the FF info into what kind of fish I actually think it is.
Have learned a lot about what I see on the screen from this forum.
It will really help if you can do with a ride along with someone that has been running a unit for a while.
Learning to use the unit was no more frustrating, than trying to get a crappie to bite that doesn't want to!
It is definitely worth the expense.

I'm new to side imaging as well, been using it for the last 4 months. When I first bought a side imaging unit I started a thread about finding side imaging useless. Received a bunch of good replies and started to work at understanding it. Since then it has become indispensable to me. The ability to see something 50 feet to the side of the boat, turn around, switch to down imaging and get right over it made huge difference in my catch rate. Last week out on the water I wasn't doing well in my usual spots and decided to go exploring. Spotted a pile of brush off to the side. Made my way over with split screen 2d and down imaging, past over the brush and dropped a bouy. Stood off 15 feet and lobbed a jig over and caught a beauty. This continued for over an hour, and caught 10 of the best crappie all year along with 20 throwbacks. I guarantee you I would never have salvaged the slow day without side imaging.

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Originally Posted by Zippy

I'm new to side imaging as well, been using it for the last 4 months. When I first bought a side imaging unit I started a thread about finding side imaging useless. Received a bunch of good replies and started to work at understanding it. Since then it has become indispensable to me. The ability to see something 50 feet to the side of the boat, turn around, switch to down imaging and get right over it made huge difference in my catch rate. Last week out on the water I wasn't doing well in my usual spots and decided to go exploring. Spotted a pile of brush off to the side. Made my way over with split screen 2d and down imaging, past over the brush and dropped a bouy. Stood off 15 feet and lobbed a jig over and caught a beauty. This continued for over an hour, and caught 10 of the best crappie all year along with 20 throwbacks. I guarantee you I would never have salvaged the slow day without side imaging.

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This is using each sonar technology (2d/DI/SI) for the benefit that each does best ...

:ThumbsUp

Rickie

Color sonar alone was a great advancement! I could never figure out the dang darker grey vs. lighter grey on black & white graphs. I bought a HDS gen 1 7" bundle several years ago and I felt stupid for spending that much money on a graph, the first time out I was blow away by the rockpiles and cool stuff I was finding. It was painting pictures of what was below the water, just way too awesome! Fast forwards a few years and I have now spent over $7k on just graphs and ducers. Although I still think they are overpriced, I don't feel as stupid about buying them after seeing what they can do.