Side/Down Imaging

[Shadslinger]

Having a 15yr old teenage daughter and being a state employee keeps me pretty financially challenged it seems. I'm years behind everyone else but I've finally upgraded to a new sonar with side and down imaging. Got a good deal on a Garmin Echomap through cabelas. They have pretty awesome reviews and the screen shots I've seen are amazing. Not to beat a dead horse but this will all be completely new to me. I've never seen nor fished with side imaging. I have few qtns to kinda get me started on how to use this to my advantage. How has side/down imaging made you a better fisherman? How does this technology pertain to stiper fishing in general? Bait catching?

In my head I see cruising banks watching for fish on side scan before even dropping a line. Riding in and out of creeks looking for bait. Working open water with side scan looking for schools to jig on.
Do I basically have the right concept. How do you use it to your advantage? Let's get this discussion started.

[mwardncsu]

I will say I mainly use it for finding pods of bait or when summer fishing looking for schools. That said several years ago were leaving a creek where we had caught bait and idling out when sidescan showed a half dozen or fish about 100' to the right. We circled back and put out bait and hooked up. I've not tried to use it to search for fish on the banks before. I usually just fish those

[BentRod]

You'll like that - my buddy has one in the 9" version - I was impressed by them.

Sidescan is huge to me - schools of fish and bait that could swim right by you before without you knowing can no longer do that. I use it quite a bit for bait in deep water on my boat. But it'll also mark fish in 2ft of water on the bank - great technology. You'll pick up on it pretty quickly once you figure out what's bait and fish.

[primetime]

I mainly use the downscan to find bait. I learned from the forum that when you see clouds, that is bait. I like using the sonar and downscan side by side. I dont know if your unit will allow you to do that. Using downscan will show you where trees are at. That way, you know not to throw your net. It has saved me from losing a net several times.
The side scan im not that good at so anything I tell you is probably wrong. Good luck and enjoy! With a name like shadslinger you will be able to put the bait on the deck!

[seajay]

Shadslinger , I am behind the times as well . Years ago I purchased the Lowrance LCX 113 hd when they first came out. It was the best you could buy at the time and wasn't cheap either. I am still using it with no problems and haven't seen the point in replacing it since it works . Recently I have been out a few times with a friend of mine ( R22 on the forum )who has side imaging and where I see it being the most useful is in locating bait. i believe that I will be upgrading my unit sometime after the new year. 

[Yam]

I suggest to not get overly hopeful nor have high expectations. It takes time and experience with your unit before you can dial in to what you are seeing and what you can do with your electronics. Bait, of course, is your first value add. The side and down imaging will lessen the guesswork of what your traditional sonar is showing you. More information equals better decisions. However, only a real-time photo eliminates guessing completely.

Eventually, you might find SS and DS useful for identifying areas of opportunity for fishing. I do.. but typically only when I'm trolling. Many times I use sidescan to turn back on fish and to determine that fish are here but they ain't eating right now.

I also use SS and DS for understanding the openness of my various new nets and to determine if bait is seeing my net and running from it.

Have fun with your new toys.

[Shadslinger]

I thought about the 9 but the 7 was on sale for $499. What I'll do for now is run traditional sonar on my elite and the side scan on the garmin. Next year sometime I hope to upgrade the elite to the Garmin striker 7", which is everything the echomap is minus mapping. It does have chirp though. Also in the 4-500 dollar range regularly. Should be a nice affordable setup for my needs.

I'm definitely looking forward to getting used to it and learning how to read it correctly. When you see a bait school say 100' off to the side, how do you get on them? Turn and wait for them to show up under the boat on the sonar? Should be a good time of year to be learning it with the bait and the stripers schooling up soon.

[Yam]

Dec 8, 2016 10:52:09 GMT -5 Shadslinger said:

I thought about the 9 but the 7 was on sale for $499. What I'll do for now is run traditional sonar on my elite and the side scan on the garmin. Next year sometime I hope to upgrade the elite to the Garmin striker 7", which is everything the echomap is minus mapping. It does have chirp though. Also in the 4-500 dollar range regularly. Should be a nice affordable setup for my needs.

I'm definitely looking forward to getting used to it and learning how to read it correctly. When you see a bait school say 100' off to the side, how do you get on them? Turn and wait for them to show up under the boat on the sonar? Should be a good time of year to be learning it with the bait and the stripers schooling up soon.

It really depends on the situation. Often times I will just mark the approximate location to the side visually using a land mark. I will then turn and attempt to get it to show on my front unit where I'm salivating with a net ready to pounce!

[31Airborne]

You are definitely on track in your thinking. Side scan will be a huge enabler to your scouting, hunting. You'll be able to cover more water faster. The resolution and detail you now have in that new Garmin will allow you to identify/mark fish and places they like to hold on without having to fish them or cruise move them. The down scan will give you unprecedented views of structure and cover. You're now in a position to not only find areas with strong potential of holding fish, you're able to find the sweet spots within those areas. Think about it - you won't have to blind or fan cast to get at those high pay-off targets. Your electronix can dial you in.

The newest generation units (like the new HB Helix GEN2) are at a point where you can ID species. The detail and resolution are that good.