Sonar for Bait?

[bushwacker]

Who is using a Fish finder for catching bait that is separate there console screen and transom mount? I have an elite 7ti on my console that can not be net worked. The transducer is on the stearn so I find it harder sometimes catching bait. Could just be I am not very experienced. I am thinking about getting a cheaper  sonar that is just sonar and Down imagine to put on the trolling motor and mount the screen on the bow of the boat. Is that a good idea or should the screen be on the console and cast off the stern? What is a good size unit for this? Should I be throwing off the back or front of the boat? What set-ups have you found make the bait game easier? Thanks guys

[coheasion]

If bait is in small pods like that I will end up driving in reverse so my transducer shows bait before I throw from the front of the boat.

[johnr]

I've had sonars on the TM of my old boats. The problem was that by the time you marked them, you already passed them. So you either have to angle your transducer to look forward, or do the quick loop and throw in the boat path. If you hunt s.l.o.w.l.y, this is less of an issue. But who has time for that.

Now I have all my transducers on the stern. One is angled to see under the middle of my boat. So it looks forward a bit. When I mark bait on that, I spin the boat and throw. It works well, but only in deeper water. Gotta be deep enough to actually mark bait.

Typically I still end up throwing till I'm dead, them try it a few more times and then go fish. Sometimes just slinging it is the best thing.

[jmr04]

Started out with a HDS 12 on console transducer mounted on the stern. Really struggled with that set up. I like throwing off the bow and felt like I was blind up there. Finally broke down and mounted a HDS 7 on my bow transducer mounted to the TM. It was a game changer for me.

[Shadslinger]

I'll throw off the stern occasionally. Most of the time i spin my sonar around on its gimbal mount so i can watch it from the bow. The moving in reverse trick works well.

[Yam]

I used to move in reverse. Once you get the timing, you can nail them. If you keep your down and side scan on, many times you can see how much you missed them by and how to correct your timing. When to throw, speed of boat and current are your major variables.

Once I put sonar upfront, it was a game changer for me as well. I just use down and side scan to determine size and location and then I move forward into the bait and wait for them to show on my sonar upfront. If I'm in 10 fow or less, I use 83. Otherwise, it's hard to see bait when your cone is only 3 foot wide at the bottom. Above 15 feet, I use 200.

[hotdog]

I do what shadslinger does. Spin my unit on the gimbal mount plus I mounted a second transducer on the trolling motor. When I'm catching bait I just plug in the forward transducer. I like the idea of angling it forward a bit to give me a little heads up. Thanks Johnr.
Good luck.

[Shadslinger]

Yalls "Game Changer" word for bow sonar triggered my brain..haha. My garmin units have what they call quick release cradles. I can pop the units in and out of the cradles without unplugging any cables. All i need to do is buy another transducer for tm, power cable and cradle and i can move one from the console to the bow cradle while catching bait and put it back when done and not have to buy another sonar. Pretty sweet. Definitely will be getting that setup before fall gets here.

[bushwacker]

Aug 8, 2017 11:20:55 GMT -5 Shadslinger said:

I'll throw off the stern occasionally. Most of the time i spin my sonar around on its gimbal mount so i can watch it from the bow. The moving in reverse trick works well.

I took this advise this weekend and it worked pretty well. I linked my iPad to my elite 7ti and mounted it on the windshield facing the bow. Turned the trolling motor around and trolled backwards. Took a couple throws to get the timing but worked good. Pic 2 shows how I mount my iPad. Thanks guys.

[coheasion]

Nice job!

[stripercrazy]

Good idea shadslinger , i hav tha garmin also .

[Shadslinger]

Good job Chris. Glad to see it worked for ya