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Old 02-19-11, 10:24 PM   #1
IAFrogger
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Default Side Imaging Fishfinder question ????

I am totally ignorant to the abilities of a fishfinder. Never seriously considered one primarily due to the fact that I spend 95% of my time fishing shallow water less than 10 ft deep.

But now I am wondering if the side imaging systems offer me anything of great value to consider.

When fishing lily pads, other aquatic vegetation, and slop can these units easily detect those patches containing fish beneath them?

Can one easily scan thru large expanses of standing timber in shallow water to pick out the spots containing the best fish?

Can fish be detected beneath floating logs with this technology?

Does it take much skill to use these units and understand what you are seeing?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer some first hand experience and advice regarding these units.
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Old 02-19-11, 10:29 PM   #2
bamabassman
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i am NOT an expert by ANY means. but if you will look athe threads on some the fishi finders here. and ask TODD DRISCOLL from lowrance i am sure you can find what you need. eh has a thread posted on what you are wanting to know.
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Old 02-20-11, 09:18 AM   #3
lilmule
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The newer sidefinders go down then out,showing im guessing maybe 20 ft either side of boat.An old true sidefinder like a Bottomline scout off ebay will shoot out,but show no bottom detail at all but that is what you want to find fish under anything,often a stump will be marked and it will beep but most of the time their is a fish sitting there.
Many a time ive pitched to a beep and got nailed,I use it in combination with a down seeing unit so can read bottom if any depth available but also fish a lot of pads,and years prior parked barges on the ohio river,the bottomline scout will pick up fish under or on the other side of a barge.Its generally set at 5 deg on troller mount I set mine even less as fish real shallow,can pick up a school of stripers or a single fish 200 ft away.
That is what you want for actual sidefinding out from you cost is minimal about 60-100 bucks.Bought out and discontinued as to much competition,but still available on ebay.
It depends upon the unit and freq as to weather or not it sees thru grass,often showing a wall when solid,an older lowrance graph I once had didnt see it all could park on it and see logs etc.,most modern units wont see thru solid grass but the old bottom line can see under pads as not solid.Smaller patches say 50 ft across better than 200 or more,open water 200 and beyond say under a long dock or barge.No modern 500 dollar unit will do that like the old bottomline sf.
Those newer more costly sf got additional range out to the side when they engulfed (bottomline)by a larger mfg and do see father now than 20 ft sideways,yet dont work well in 4 ft of water for looking under.

Last edited by lilmule; 02-20-11 at 09:49 AM.
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Old 02-20-11, 11:09 AM   #4
mike234
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Lilmule will the Side Finder work in a deep lake such as Norris. Thanks
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Old 02-20-11, 01:32 PM   #5
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Yes shallow or deep either kind the true side finder like the ol bottom line or the newer wide side versions,difference is something like a scout wont show how deep you are or give bottom contour.Even the old bottom line versions higher than a scout will though show both bottom or side like a tournament leader or 1200 and above.
And are backwards compatible with a troller transducer like the scout uses as same freq,altough sometimes a different plug in or adapter needed.
But answer is yes both types of sidefinder.
Mine will pick up stripers schooling say 8-10 ft down 160 ft away,it is however a scout and does not show bottom,but does not interfere with a second ff just for showing the bottom,the second one is useless when shallow fishing pads.I know I can get out and wade to shore,so generally turn the depth one off.
A sidefinder is no different in its beam,its like a flashlight the father away the wider it is,or deeper as well.
I run the old scout as want to know if fish are near the top,like as in schooling fish or when shallow it picks up fish and or structure,screen other than when fish are on it stays blank,and it beeps when they are.And i dont believe a 500 dollar new unit will do the same and tell me if they are schooling at a cast length away,but kind of ol fashioned it works for me so why change.
Would a new wide version showing bottom contour pick up a school say 15 ft deep 60 ft away sure,but it wont pick up any closer to the top,unless near the boat, in my opinion,and be useless in 4 ft of water looking for distance,yet nice to view when over structure.
The wide version is superb in a split screen for giving detail about humps,drops etc,so each has its merits and both types work in deep water.Only 1 however works shallow and thats an old bottomline that shoots with the tranducer mounted sideways.

Last edited by lilmule; 02-20-11 at 02:02 PM.
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Old 02-20-11, 03:39 PM   #6
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lilmule.... sent you a private message...
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Old 02-20-11, 04:18 PM   #7
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Yup replied,if one has but one ff,then a down imaging makes sense.
Models like the 3310 were first generation wide views,therefore wont go as far to the side as a more modern one,yet show bottom contour and fish say 20 ft to the side and maybe 8-10 ft deep.
If one has more than one ff then a true sf makes real sense,I have depth finders at console and up front can use them to split the boat over a hump,and run the sf as well no inteferance.Go shallow to a 4 ft dep bowl of vegetaion and the depth finder is useless,the true sf isnt.
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Old 02-20-11, 07:52 PM   #8
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My HB 1197 will scan hundreds of feet out to both sides. You can tell the difference between rocks, grass, laydowns, etc. You can also see the fish pretty easily.
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Old 02-20-11, 08:27 PM   #9
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Bill Dance was hawking the 'birds yesterday - SO GOOD you could see the SCUBA divers putting those big bass on his line..............................
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Old 02-20-11, 08:32 PM   #10
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Must admit im not up to par with some of the new ones,due to cost,I use birds as well.
But answer one question if in 2-3 ft of water will it go back 60 ft under the pads and pick up bass,know the older versions dont.
For 2 grand or upwards it should catch 5 fish for you,clean them and cookem.
My aforementioned scout off ebay for $12 without a ducer or power cord as had them already does pick them up under the lilly pads,in shallow water.
Have nothing against birds(797,751) have several myself,but wont put more money in a depth finder than what i have in a motor or that plus a hydraulic jackplate(Bobs).
They are neat with neat screens,just to much denaro.

Last edited by lilmule; 02-20-11 at 08:43 PM.
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Old 02-20-11, 08:37 PM   #11
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Default Re: Sidefinder

Thanks lilmule. Mike
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Old 02-20-11, 09:22 PM   #12
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Went to the bird store and checked that unit not only has 20 deg and 60 deg but with sidefinder transducer its got 90 deg,180 around the boat,older units of that nature stopped at 60 deg but price tag was a few thousand less.
It is backwards compatible with my 797 however the 800 mhz part that gives it 90 deg wont work unless one ugrades to at at least a 1700 dollar unit,meaning that upgrade on a lower unit isnt any better still sees 20 and 60 deg.
Most sf do unless big bucks.Bottomline top of the line was about 300,after being bought out now same 20-60 runs up to 1000,90 deg runs 1700 to 3k.My old scout gives 90 deg omnidirectional and cost about 100 brand new when mfg.
Just a difference in the times,what one can pay and what one wants to view,its a great screen on those 3 k jobs viewing as much as 400 ft any direction,but out of the price range for a recreational fisherman.

Last edited by lilmule; 02-21-11 at 12:01 PM.
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Old 02-21-11, 08:49 PM   #13
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i dont usually look at the side scan in less than 8-10 ft. mine doesnt pick up squat in shallow water.
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Old 02-21-11, 08:55 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilmule View Post
but out of the price range for a married fisherman.
There! I fixed it for you.
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Old 02-21-11, 09:56 PM   #15
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Some might think that way, im just glad she put up with me for the last 24 years,even single I wouldnt spend 3 k for a depth finder,I spend a lil over twice that and get a 200 hp with it.7k = 1990 allison-200 hp on steroids=83 with a fishing prop-stuck my foot in it once to often now repowered with trusty 1977 140 hp xflow=59mph,heart attack(dec 27th) also slowed me down.
Besides while not eye candy my scout with about 35 bucks does the same in one direction,being old and slow about all I can handle, is one at a time,in both women or depth finders.
And an expensive unknown is not better than a cheap known,the scout does pick fish up in 2 ft of water out to the side and 60 ft away or so,it has no other function than to find fish shallow off to one side or the other if two transducers used and a sw.
Instead of a transducer mounted on the bottom its on the side of the troller motor,angle anyway one likes fact recommends 5 deg i do 3 deg as fish real shallow,1 1/2 avg in the fall under pads,at best 4 ft in summer.As depth is decreased marked fish are closer to the boat,but in 8 -10 ft of open water over 200 ft away one with its back out of the water lights it up.
No eye candy stays a blank screen unless a fish or plural is out there,ive seen a 5 dot fish two of them on screen same time, as they went by the boat were 50 in muskies,wouldnt have known if not for it,and no didnt hit squat.Doesnt catch them just alerts one to where they are.
Those 3 k units are great to view,but if one reads info they dont work well at speed on plane,thus the 20 deg beam switchfire etc.,for motoring around at less than wot then id say its a great tool if one can afford.
Like my wife im happy with the old scout,and will gladly spend the other 2965 dollars elsewhere.

Last edited by lilmule; 02-21-11 at 10:39 PM.
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