Hello Prostaff,
I would like to know if you have experience with any of the side-looking fish finders. And, if you have used them, is this type of fishfinder worth using in conjunction with a conventional fish finder (i.e. downward looking at the bottom below the boat). If side-looking finders are worth considering, what brands and models do you recommend and why? Also, I would appreciate knowing which ones to stay away from.
As always thanks for the help and tight lines.
Jim
Questions about Side-Looking Fish Finders
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johnnie crain outdoors
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Questions about Side-Looking Fish Finders
Jim, I have used the Bottom Line Sidefinder and have to say that it has helped me locate fish and structure. The only problem is trying to figure out how far away the fish is from you. It doesn't give a reading on side distance. I always simply just cast as far in the fish's direction as I could and fish the bait back to the boat expecting a strike at any second. Also, the fish may be as much as 45 degrees to the left or right of the fish shape or arch, so you may have to fan cast the area to catch the fish. All in all, I enjoy the side finder feature. If I found a good buy on one, I'd definately buy it, would I buy one for the side view over other units, probably not. I'd guess a sidefinder unit will put one to three more fish per day in the boat. Like most other things, it's just a tool. I do like them, but can get by fine with any fish finder unit. I do think at times they are a plus, and can never really hurt anything. Good luck, keep in touch, Johnnie
Johnnie Crain
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postcard
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Questions about Side-Looking Fish Finders
Raytheon (BPS) is a quality sidefinder with good resolution down. It also tells you how far each fish is from the tranducer side or down and sets off an alarm when fish are picked up. Raytheon sell the side veiw transducer direct much cheaper than BPS and for the side finder to work, both transducers must be plugged in. The bottom-transducer gives continuous depth readout when in sidefind mode. Ranges go from 10'-120' sideways, with the larger cone the bigger the chosen range.
I have a Humminbird Wide Veiw sidefinder and use it as a portable unit when canoing or icefishing. It does a decent job. I've owned it for 9 years and never had a problem.
Scanning flats and shorelines saves me alot of time, as well as open water adjacent to humps. Schools are easily revealed and solitary fish are picked up -believe me!
I think it's an important tool for the shallow water angler and as a search tool for baitfish. Since I suck at deep water bass'n, I rely on the sidefinder quite a bit for fishing 1-7' depths.
FrankM
I have a Humminbird Wide Veiw sidefinder and use it as a portable unit when canoing or icefishing. It does a decent job. I've owned it for 9 years and never had a problem.
Scanning flats and shorelines saves me alot of time, as well as open water adjacent to humps. Schools are easily revealed and solitary fish are picked up -believe me!
I think it's an important tool for the shallow water angler and as a search tool for baitfish. Since I suck at deep water bass'n, I rely on the sidefinder quite a bit for fishing 1-7' depths.
FrankM
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JoeMo
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 4:00 pm
Questions about Side-Looking Fish Finders
Jim- I trust when you are using the side-finder type depthfinder that you go to manual control, adjust gain etc.
I'm sure you don't look all day at those ridiculous caricatures of fish stacked up all over the screen. (My wife refers to them as "F-14's")
Johnnie and Frank will back me up on that, I'm sure. The cartoons might help sell some units although they won't put many fish in the boat.
Thanks for your comments, all of you. Much obliged. Joe
I'm sure you don't look all day at those ridiculous caricatures of fish stacked up all over the screen. (My wife refers to them as "F-14's")
Johnnie and Frank will back me up on that, I'm sure. The cartoons might help sell some units although they won't put many fish in the boat.
Thanks for your comments, all of you. Much obliged. Joe
Good Fishing,
JoeMo - Bassin' USA Message Board Moderator
JoeMo - Bassin' USA Message Board Moderator
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postcard
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Questions about Side-Looking Fish Finders
Since I've been using a sidefinder, fish symbols don't really matter since my only concerns are:
1.presence of baitfish
2.direction(s)and distances baitfish or groupings of any fish are and
3.depth I'm in, relative to location
The fish alarm alerts me to look at the screen as I'm casting; the trolling motor mounted transducer is always swiveling to detect fish within 5' of the surface within 100'.
Sidefinders are a tool for shallow fish, even those feeding near surface over deep water (i.e.40') For finding fish on deep structure, straight-down sonar is the tool of choice.
I prefer shallow water and a sidefinder allows me to save a tremendous amount of casting to unproductive areas along weed edges or the banks. No fish present, not worth many casts. S-o-o many times I'll tell my partner to cast a certain distance right, left or aft, and sure enough, he'll boat fish.
Some people can only catch fish shallow, having no confidence in deep water techniques or the waters they fish in are 12' or less. For them, sidefinders are the best shallow water fish-detectors ever invented.
FrankM
1.presence of baitfish
2.direction(s)and distances baitfish or groupings of any fish are and
3.depth I'm in, relative to location
The fish alarm alerts me to look at the screen as I'm casting; the trolling motor mounted transducer is always swiveling to detect fish within 5' of the surface within 100'.
Sidefinders are a tool for shallow fish, even those feeding near surface over deep water (i.e.40') For finding fish on deep structure, straight-down sonar is the tool of choice.
I prefer shallow water and a sidefinder allows me to save a tremendous amount of casting to unproductive areas along weed edges or the banks. No fish present, not worth many casts. S-o-o many times I'll tell my partner to cast a certain distance right, left or aft, and sure enough, he'll boat fish.
Some people can only catch fish shallow, having no confidence in deep water techniques or the waters they fish in are 12' or less. For them, sidefinders are the best shallow water fish-detectors ever invented.
FrankM