So, about Livescope

So many fisherman around here have gone to Livescope. I am thinking of doing it. Waiting for a sale. A buddy caught it on sale last year, including install, and he saved a huge amount. Anyone know if they go on sale a certain time of year?

Anyone use it without a spot-lock troll motor that keep you in place?

What about fishing two people. How can that work?

Lastly, has Livescope improved any in that past, say, two years? Do they (Garmin) still kinda have the only game in town or has anyone else upped their game and offer an effective alternative?

It would certainly be something different, I think it would be enjoyable to learn and do it. I'll be 70 in November, something new could help. It's interesting.

Keep a eye out on russellmarineproducts.com, they will have used units pop up a couple times a week. I bought a used one from them for a second unit and saved a ton. They back them up too.

[QUOTE
It would certainly be something different, I think it would be enjoyable to learn and do it. I'll be 70 in November, something new could help. It's interesting.[/QUOTE]

I added LS to my boat back in the spring. I have a Terrova w/ spot-lock. I have my transducer to a homemade pvc pole mount and it works okay, I'll probably look at other options this winter.
I think all the manufactures has their own version of LS.
Garmin is on their 2nd version of LS. I believe it was updated last year,
There is a learning curve to using it, it's a fun to play with but it can be frustrating at times too.
I consider LS to be my "new toy"
I turn 72 this November.

spot lock really won't hold you still enough to zero in on the monster fish and just chase it down like the pro fellas do ....
that requires some fancy boat work and a peddle on the deck and even paddles and saddles in the rear as well ....
but to be sure if you are just after a bunch of fish and tune it all up , it is a pretty nice tool on the boat ....
it is particularly good at showing how active and or inactive the population is down there ...
a cheap one with a BIG screen will for sure help you better understand the world of the crappie ....
you will be able to see stuff you never dreamed of going on down there for sure ....

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Originally Posted by livemusic

Anyone use it without a spot-lock troll motor that keep you in place?

What about fishing two people. How can that work?

Lastly, has Livescope improved any in that past, say, two years? Do they (Garmin) still kinda have the only game in town

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I don't even have spot lock and no way I would use it with spot lock. The beam is super narrow in forward mode which is the only way I use mine. With spot lock on every time the motor moves so would the transducer changing what you're looking at. You could go with a separate pole but I didn't like that either. I know several guides all have it on the trolling motor shaft, none ever use spot lock so they know way more than me. It's all about boat control.

You can use it for two but not ideal. To see both jigs you are fishing very close together and sometimes targeting the same fish. We do use it to find fish then the other guy will just fish around that area and can pick up fish. One of my buddies has a portable livescope which he attaches to the side rail of my boat and that works pretty good. sometimes we see each others jigs and I've watched him catch his fish on my scope.

Improved, no not realy, the newer transducer is a little better but not worth the extra money to me. bigger is much better, get the biggest screen you can. No other game unless you want to be like two people I know that went with active target, both are selling them and going Garmin.

Hope this helps and good luck getting to see all the fish you can't catch! :cheers2

I don’t know about installation, but I bought mine on Black Friday sale at bps, I do not have spot lock, I run my transducer on my trolling motor shaft to keep both hands free at all times, and about fishing 2 people up front sometimes is a challenge, if your equipped with 2 front seats it’s better as long as your foot controller on your trolling motor is not in a cut out, don’t know why they done that, I personally hate it. But 2 up front can be done, rather fish alone it a lot easier.+Cross+

I have Active Target. First time out with ducer on TM, after just a few minutes decided I needed a separate pole. When I got home I ordered a Rite Hite Turret, love the setup.

A lot with LS depends on how you fish it. If you know where the brush is, just go there and start looking for fish on the pile. My lake doesn't have many piles, so I just use the down imaging at the helm and cruise the lake looking for likely spots. When I find fish on structure or flats, I drop a buoy and circle back around to investigate with the LS. Looking under docks is a great way to use LS too. Chasing chickens in open water can be tough to keep fish in the beam- Good luck. I would not like my transducer on the TM, especially with spot lock engaged. Mine is on a separate pole, and it works sometimes with spot lock on. Much pole maneuvering is necessary. Boat control is, as others have said, KEY. Controlling the TM with the foot pedal works best for me sans spot lock. Nothing beats time on the water with the unit. LS is a wonderful tool, but only one in the tool bag. I still troll cranks and longline too. Hope this helps. :twocents

No expert with live sonar, but after installing a Lowrance Active Target 2 and a Ghost trolling motor this spring I can't imagine using live sonar without spot lock. I fish out an aluminum boat and have experienced the frustration trying to stay on a spot in a 10-15 mph wind and fish. Holding the boat wasn't an issue, but getting blown off your spot when you put fish in the live well or have to retie gets old in a hurry. Now I can pull up on a spot, put the trolling motor in anchor mode and fish.

I made a pole mount for my AT 2 transducer so the TM can do whatever it needs and doesn't affect what I'm looking at. IMO, in forward mode live sonar is not a good fit for two people, vertical fishing wouldn't be as bad as casting. Switching to down view may be a better choice.

If I had to choose between live sonar and a trolling motor with spot lock, I'd buy the trolling motor first.

A potential problem I see is... I have an aluminum 17ft xPress boat with 115hp Yamaha. That seems like a pretty heavy motor for that boat; it is a 4-stroke. And I love it, except that the boat sits what seems to me exceptionally bow high. I notice trouble with any wind and the boat doing the weathervane thing. I don't know a solution except sell it and buy a bigger (19ft - 21ft) fiberglass boat. I don't like fishing in wind but it's hard to dial up placid waters.

I fish more for bass but would like to do more crappie fishing. So, the boat... hmmm... if I'm moving, trolling around, the weathervane thing isn't a big a problem. Trying to stay in one spot, yep.

I have a nice troll motor, Minn-kota Fortrex but it has no spot-lock.

Comments appreciated on this 'problem.'

We chase open water fish most of the time . Run livescope on a 1242xsv with transducer mounted on a foot controlled trolling motor . Best if two fish to take turns pitching to the fish .

99% of my crappie fishing is over brushpiles . So I love spotlock and separate pole for my livescope. When I have someone fishing with me,
they either pitch the same direction as I do , or I move the cone to let them get their depth , then I move it back to where I can see my jig.
we usually try pitching and dead sticking , then let the fish tell us what they want.

Mo

99% of my crappie fishing is over brushpiles . So I love spotlock and separate pole for my livescope. When I have someone fishing with me,
they either pitch the same direction as I do , or I move the cone to let them get their depth , then I move it back to where I can see my jig.
we usually try pitching and dead sticking , then let the fish tell us what they want.

Mo

To use effectively, you’ll want to anchor down or tie up to a dock if you don’t have spot lock (I don’t). The new gen LS that came out last year is better than the one before it that I currently own. My buddy has new one and it has less noise and is very clear with small jigs.

LS is awesome, but there is a learning curve. Two people is not a problem if you’re jigging pretty close to one another or have different length rods in same place. We typically sit on the front deck and share the screen



Recommend waiting until around Black Friday if you can. Usually good deals around then

So, do people just not use Livescope in the wind if they don't have spotlock or just are really good and patient with a troll motor?

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Originally Posted by livemusic

So, do people just not use Livescope in the wind if they don't have spotlock or just are really good and patient with a troll motor?

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Boat control is a major factor when using LS, for sure.

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Originally Posted by livemusic

So, do people just not use Livescope in the wind if they don't have spotlock or just are really good and patient with a troll motor?

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I don’t have spot lock, used to have it but performance under bridges left much to be desired. Open water it was great, but I typically fished bridges. Anyways, now I just use an anchor or tie off to something and pull against it with motor/tm. That will hold you rock solid. To get your length right, just let out whatever you need and tie off on the boat when you’ve achieved desired position


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Spot lock is amazing tool! But it and the live scope transducer on the trolling motor is pretty much useless when spot locked in much wind or current ! I fish out of a 20’ glass boat and still have issues with wind and current. So for now I am using the fishing specialities live scope pole very easy to install and very very easy to put your pole in or take out in seconds . but as soon as they start shipping the steady scope I have on one order so that I can put it back on the trolling motor :twocents

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Originally Posted by livemusic

So, do people just not use Livescope in the wind if they don't have spotlock or just are really good and patient with a troll motor?

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Nope we do, just head into the wind and go for it. More work controlling the boat but been running a cable steer tm for 30 years.

[QUOTE=Slab Apprentice;

LS is awesome, but there is a learning curve. Two people is not a problem if you’re jigging pretty close to one another or have different length rods in same place. We typically sit on the front deck and share the screen [/QUOTE] Yep i have mine pole mounted with a pipe elbow on top pointing the direction it's looking. I also bought a wise brand portable bench seat stand & my buddy & me both set up front & share the screen on my uhd 93 sv. It's really pretty easy to do two up front with the seat.