Side imaging bream beds

I watched a little video on wired2fish not too long ago where the fella was describing his method of cruising the banks and looking for the telltale craters of bedding bream and fishing them with a drop shot. I am curious if any of yall use a similar method and what sort of settings work best for this. I am particularly interested in how close I need to be to the bank for a clear image and how far to the side I need to be setting the beams. I just bought a Helix 9 and this will be my first SI unit. I am trying to minimize the adjustment period and go straight for the slaying the panfish period. Thanks in advance!

I have found lots of beds with mine. And most of the time will use a 14 to 16ft rod to drop a Ky rig in there. Use a rubber band on the sinker. And it allows me to work the bait but not move the sinker. Do the same on crappie and bass.
Heres a shot in 6ft of water showing the beds and you can see the fish on the beds. White spot in the bed = fish
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...idescan/25.jpg

Beds next to an old road bed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...bay008beds.jpg
Pete

Wish I could my structure scan to get some clear images in that shallow of water. I will hand it to hummingbird they really do put out some great looking images.

Just remember that the greater the SI Range setting = the smaller everything looks in the SI image ...

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps397a7d04.png

Rickie

Works really well with si and 360.a lot of the time, there will be more than one bed in the same area. Also, I'm finding beds far out from the bank. There are beds out on ledges that come up shallow out in the main Lake areashttp://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...psy8frwhm8.jpg.

Wow, I never anticipated a response this strong! Thanks for the information and the great images. It seems to me that in these pics the lake bottom looks darker as you get towards the outside edges which I presume to be the bank. Does a darker color indicate rising terrain or just softer bottom? I know on my 597DI bright spots are hard bottom. I can make out some fish in some of those beds, will you guys usually zoom in and look to see if the beds are occupied or just fish them and see?

I am really excited about side imaging, I think it is going to be revolutionary for me. Get the grease hot!

I use it all the time for catching Gills. Won't go on the water without the si unit. Here is a bed in summer that I zoomed in on. I pulled 4 or 5 off of it and went onto next. I just cruise the shore looking for beds....almost too easy. Another pic is of a deep water bed where nobody was home....but I have it marked so will return this spring.

Regards

Do you think so few people will use and get good enough with this technology that it won't make a significant impact on fish populations?

It seems like the engineers are on such a role with this stuff now...in a few more years will it get so nothing is missed?

I'm just old enough I still wrestle with some of it.

These units will help you find fish. But you still have to catch them. Looking forward to seeing how much better the New Helix 10SI does over the old 987-CSI. Should limit out in a few weeks on Pickwick lake. Everyone is beating the banks for Big Bream. I move out 10 to 15ft deep and find the deeper beds. And Those big fillet size ones start rolling in.
Pete

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Originally Posted by doggone

Do you think so few people will use and get good enough with this technology that it won't make a significant impact on fish populations?

It seems like the engineers are on such a role with this stuff now...in a few more years will it get so nothing is missed?

I'm just old enough I still wrestle with some of it.

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It is a good subject but I don't think it will make that big of an impact for several reasons. As my son says "Lots of people fishing dad but most don't know how to fish". I have found that to be true. Also I am shocked at how many buy these units and have no clue how to use them and find that many become intimidated by the units after purchase and thus it just looks good on the boat but never gets used. As Shiloh said so many people just beat the banks for bluegill and never think of going deep for them. One more reason is game laws. Most of us follow the law of the land....and most if not all states....adjust those as needed.

Regards

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Originally Posted by ShilohRed

These units will help you find fish. But you still have to catch them. Looking forward to seeing how much better the New Helix 10SI does over the old 987-CSI. Should limit out in a few weeks on Pickwick lake. Everyone is beating the banks for Big Bream. I move out 10 to 15ft deep and find the deeper beds. And Those big fillet size ones start rolling in.
Pete

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Ain't that the truth! I fish Pickwick also...mostly below the dam. Most of the beds I fish no one has a clue they are there.....no secrets just many folks wouldn't expect to find Gill beds in those areas.

Regards

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Ain't that the truth! I fish Pickwick also...mostly below the dam. Most of the beds I fish no one has a clue they are there.....no secrets just many folks wouldn't expect to find Gill beds in those areas.

Regards

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I agree with you there. Its nice to see a boat sitting on top of the fish. Not catching anything or all of the small males. And so many people will not think, Every fish is going to spawn river or not. But they skip the waters below the dam for the easy lake fish.
Been fishing below the dam close to 50 years now. And still learning each day.
Pete

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Originally Posted by rnvinc

Just remember that the greater the SI Range setting = the smaller everything looks in the SI image ...

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps397a7d04.png

Rickie

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im sorry, this question is off topic. Rickie, I have the 1199 unit and I noticed in your tool bar that you have the COG readout instead of the temperature. I have the same in mine, but would rather have the temp reading. How can you change it over to temp? I've tried going through all the menu options, but can't seem to figure how to change it. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by StratosFS5

im sorry, this question is off topic. Rickie, I have the 1199 unit and I noticed in your tool bar that you have the COG readout instead of the temperature. I have the same in mine, but would rather have the temp reading. How can you change it over to temp? I've tried going through all the menu options, but can't seem to figure how to change it. Thanks!

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The toolbar seen in my pic is the cursor "Menu" bar that only shows when the cursor has been activated ...
(See discussion of the "Active cursor databar" in Sonar Quiz #9 here ...
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...onar-quiz-9-a/

Is your question referring to COG in the 1199 data boxes at the bottom of the SI image ...??
(I have all the data boxes at the bottom of my 1197 image turned off in that same image) ...

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps397a7d04.png

Rickie

Yes, my question is referring to the COG in the data boxes of the SI image. I'm just wanting to display the temp reading in the data boxes, and figure out how to do that? Thanks for replying!

edit: Ok, I checked out the the sonar quiz you suggested and now it makes sense as to the "t" in the box. I thought that meant temperature. All I want to do is have the temperature displayed in the data boxes?

I'm thinking that the overall size of the bluegill / Red Ear population will be impacted as more people buy these high price point units.
Once beds are accurately located, it would be no chore to catch most of the larger ones with most ANY bait or lure .
I hope the use of these units for raping beds doesn't get common.

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Originally Posted by Olegiller1

I'm thinking that the overall size of the bluegill / Red Ear population will be impacted as more people buy these high price point units.
Once beds are accurately located, it would be no chore to catch most of the larger ones with most ANY bait or lure .
I hope the use of these units for raping beds doesn't get common.

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These units have been out a number of years now ....I cannot tell that it has impacted the population.

My Raymarine a98 shows beds really well.

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...pseb2sxghe.png

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...pssobfk6g1.png

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...pssk35i9dr.png

And Garmin 7610
http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...pst0sydt8p.png

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...psqv0zepyu.png

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...pseplko8wk.png

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/q...psamjkzpej.png

From my 998.....http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...psa60658fe.pnghttp://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps92ad5082.pnghttp://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps1q7ipv2e.png

Attachment 234094Attachment 234095

Does the crappie beds look like the bream beds on side imaging? Why does nobody seem to mention seeing crappie beds or even bass beds just bream beds?

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Originally Posted by scrat

Does the crappie beds look like the bream beds on side imaging? Why does nobody seem to mention seeing crappie beds or even bass beds just bream beds?

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I don't think crappie beds are as numerous in wads in one area ...

Rickie

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Originally Posted by "G"

These units have been out a number of years now ....I cannot tell that it has impacted the population.

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I can't fathom that most high end units are bought for bream fishing!

IBMACK,THESE UNITS FOR THE MOST PART ARE NOT BOUGHT FOR LOOKING FOR BREAM BEDS,BUT WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR UNITS AND USE THEM FOR ANYTHING WE CAN THINK OF THAT THEY MIGHT DO

If you are a bass fisherman, finding bream beds is like hitting the jackpot! For other predatory fish also!

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Originally Posted by huntnfishnguy2014

Wish I could my structure scan to get some clear images in that shallow of water. I will hand it to hummingbird they really do put out some great looking images.

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my hds 7 gets great clear images of bream beds. i will post some screenshots from last year when i get a chance

Will the lowrance hook 7 give these pictures too? I am looking at a new boat and this is what the dealer is suggesting.

QUAILTAIL,ANY GOOD SI WILL SHOW BREAM BEDS,SO ANSWER IS YES

HOW CAN YO TELL BREAMS ARE ON A BED WITH THE HUMMINBIRD SI.DO SOMEONE HAVE A PICTURE

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Originally Posted by Jeffery Johnson

HOW CAN YO TELL BREAMS ARE ON A BED WITH THE HUMMINBIRD SI.DO SOMEONE HAVE A PICTURE

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http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps1q7ipv2e.png

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Originally Posted by Jeffery Johnson

HOW CAN YO TELL BREAMS ARE ON A BED WITH THE HUMMINBIRD SI.DO SOMEONE HAVE A PICTURE

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http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psumfcn7iq.png

Rickie