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Started By
Message
Electronics for bass boat help
Posted on 2/20/24 at 10:27 am
Posted on 2/20/24 at 10:27 am
Hi all,
Don't post much but been reading for a long time and hoping you guys might be able to help. My 15 yr old son and I are looking to get him into high school bass fishing tournaments. We've got a 16 foot Lowes bass boat and I've been looking at electronics like live scope and all but that seems a bit much for his level. Can anyone recommend something entry level but adequate to catch a few fish on a lake we've never fished before? Thanks in advance!
Don't post much but been reading for a long time and hoping you guys might be able to help. My 15 yr old son and I are looking to get him into high school bass fishing tournaments. We've got a 16 foot Lowes bass boat and I've been looking at electronics like live scope and all but that seems a bit much for his level. Can anyone recommend something entry level but adequate to catch a few fish on a lake we've never fished before? Thanks in advance!
10
Posted on 2/20/24 at 10:40 am to Nyala
What's your budget.
Hard to really compete without live sonar these days.
No matter what you go with he really has to get out there and use it to it's full potential. Need to have a good idea of what the fish should be doing at that time of year and then expound on that.
Mapping and Side imagining should be the cheapest option at the base.
Hard to really compete without live sonar these days.
No matter what you go with he really has to get out there and use it to it's full potential. Need to have a good idea of what the fish should be doing at that time of year and then expound on that.
Mapping and Side imagining should be the cheapest option at the base.
Posted on 2/20/24 at 10:42 am to Nyala
quote:
electronics like live scope and all but that seems a bit much for his level.
quote:So, what tech do you think would be most useful for him? I use side scan a lot, but almost never down scan or 2D. Console or bow? Both? Do you want networking capability? You can save money if you don't. For best side and structure scan, I would go Humminbird. If you think you will want to upgrade to FFS, you should pick either Garmin or Lowrance. Mapping? May depend on your area, but Garmin now has Navionics, so Lowrance's advantage there may no longer exist. I have had all three in the last 5/7 years or so. I currently have a mix, so I am not brand loyal at all.
Can anyone recommend something entry level but adequate to catch a few fish on a lake we've never fished before?
Posted on 2/20/24 at 1:24 pm to AlxTgr
I think you went way too fast too soon. I understand your posts but sounds like she is just looking for basic info first.
Posted on 2/20/24 at 1:24 pm to AlxTgr
Thanks for the replies guys. This is all new to me so not a lot of detail I'm afraid. We've been fishing the Spillway and other more swamp/bayou/tidal-river influenced environments but never a large open body of water like Caney Lake, Toledo Bend, etc where most of these tournaments seem to take place.
What would be more useful in those types of environments - side scan or down scan? I'm assuming we'd be more looking for deeper schools of fish hanging on drop offs, or around submerged trees at different depths, so I guess I'd ask would $500 for an entry level piece (if such a thing exists) get us there?
What would be more useful in those types of environments - side scan or down scan? I'm assuming we'd be more looking for deeper schools of fish hanging on drop offs, or around submerged trees at different depths, so I guess I'd ask would $500 for an entry level piece (if such a thing exists) get us there?
Posted on 2/20/24 at 1:26 pm to Nyala
And to clarify, this is more about the experience and him learning how to bass fish in those environments more than actually trying to win anything (yet)...
Posted on 2/20/24 at 2:03 pm to Nyala
We fished the Louisiana High School trail until this year. We fished every tournament in all 3 divisions. Live Scope/Active target is out of your price range. The only place it will really help you would be at Caney and Toledo Bend. You can do fine without it at all the other sites. With that being said I would find a 9" screen and a good mapping card that has countours. I like Lowrance and think it is more user friendly to new anglers. Everyone will have their opinion on that though. Get the above with the 3 in 1 transducer and get them used to that first. A Lowrance FS would be the lowest tier that I would look at due to processor speeds and being able to add for future equipment. I would personally go with the Lowrance HDS Live though.
FFS will get people caught up in wasting time because they see movement on the screen. I think after they learn the basics of mapping, reading 2D, down scan, and side scan then FFS may become an option in the future.
I have everything on my boat and the only time I really use FFS is on deep reservoirs.
Unless you are only fishing the North division there are only 3 tournaments between Caney and Toledo Bend. There are 6 others where FFS wouldn't benefit you much.
FFS will get people caught up in wasting time because they see movement on the screen. I think after they learn the basics of mapping, reading 2D, down scan, and side scan then FFS may become an option in the future.
I have everything on my boat and the only time I really use FFS is on deep reservoirs.
Unless you are only fishing the North division there are only 3 tournaments between Caney and Toledo Bend. There are 6 others where FFS wouldn't benefit you much.
This post was edited on 2/20/24 at 2:19 pm
Posted on 2/20/24 at 3:24 pm to bayouvette
quote:I thought that was what I was doing
I think you went way too fast too soon. I understand your posts but sounds like she is just looking for basic info first.
Posted on 2/20/24 at 5:26 pm to cbr900racer22
Thanks for all that info, very much appreciate it!
Posted on 2/20/24 at 5:40 pm to Nyala
Welcome. What team are y'all fishing for?
Posted on 2/20/24 at 6:35 pm to Nyala
LINK
Garmin ECHOMAP 93sv UHD with US LakeVu g3 and GT54UHD-TM Transducer (Certified Refurbished) $620
LINK
Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv with Cover and GT52HW-TM Transducer. $525
Ive the Echomap at the bow. It's livescope compatible, and the Striker 7sv at the console.
Garmin ECHOMAP 93sv UHD with US LakeVu g3 and GT54UHD-TM Transducer (Certified Refurbished) $620
LINK
Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv with Cover and GT52HW-TM Transducer. $525
Ive the Echomap at the bow. It's livescope compatible, and the Striker 7sv at the console.
This post was edited on 2/21/24 at 8:41 am
Posted on 2/20/24 at 8:14 pm to Nyala
7 or 9” Garmin, will be capable of side and down imaging with touch screen. much more user friendly than the competitive units. I’d have someone who knows what they’re doing install it and show you how to use basic functions.
Posted on 2/20/24 at 9:42 pm to Nyala
I’d recommend a Garmin 93sv. You can find them on sale for $600 or so and it will do everything you need plus you can add a Livescope to it later in down the road if wanted.
Posted on 2/20/24 at 11:22 pm to Nyala
This one is $500 off right now and Basspro and all he needs to start breaking down lakes and finding structure. This unit has mapping/gps (a mapping card for your state is a must to break down lakes effectively), down imaging, 2d, and side imaging. The side imaging is the most important function of a unit as even people with Livescope side scan areas to locate piles and schools of fish. I grabbed this unit a few years back for my console and have no need to upgrade at all.
BassPro
BassPro
Posted on 2/21/24 at 5:26 am to Bass_Fanatic
quote:
I’d recommend a Garmin 93sv.
This definitely... I have fished for 25 years, blah blah blah but it's not about me. I would start a kid fishing without having to rely solely on technology. Teach the fundamentals and then go from there. There is a whole lot of knowledge that has nothing to do with any electronics. Electronics can fail you, but your knowledge can't when applied correctly. Get him "Spoon plugging" by Buck Perry and make him read it cover to cover.
This post was edited on 2/21/24 at 5:28 am
Posted on 2/21/24 at 8:32 am to Nyala
quote:
Nyala
I have a Hummingbird HILIX 9 sitting in my garage. If your son is really interested in fishing, i'll send it to you.
You will need to buy the parts and accessories for it, this is just the display (most expensive part).
Posted on 2/21/24 at 8:34 am to Beessnax
Valid point and definitely a concern of mine.
Posted on 2/21/24 at 9:07 am to Nyala
I know there are guides that will take him and properly show him how to set it up and use it correctly. I have friend that hired a guide at Grenada just for this, took his garmin screen and plugged it in the guides boat. He set it up and showed him what he was doing wrong. My friend said it saved years and was worth it.
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