I think you might have better luck with sidescan. No need to run over the fish you are trying to catch. Very limited experience with downscan and sidescan, but one trip sold me on sidescan. Running by a brushpile and the white dots of fish show up. Make a cast, and bang a fish. Run by the next brushpile, and no white dots. make a cast, and up comes an empty hook. Take a trip to Kerr reservoir, your NC license is good there and there are hundreds of brushpiles. DonG might even share some waypoints!