Fish finder or ......?

[CNs]

Steve G.

I have a lowrance x48 that was meant to be mounted on a boat. At the time I did not own a boat. What I did was to get a 12v 7amp gel cell battery (w/charger)
a tackle box
http://www.planomolding.com/1412-00.html

a transducer holder

http://www.titelok.com/transducer%20holders.htm

and I had a portable unit.

I did this because the x-48 on sale had more features than the portable models (at the time) and it was a lot cheaper than buying a portable unit.


I only need to recharge the battery after a few days of fishing. If the battery runs down I can attach it to the boat battery.

Don't let the lack of a "boat" stop you. This setup can be used anywhere. All they have done with a portable unit was to put it into a fancy case and add a smaller battery.

Steve G. PM me if you want some photsos of my set up.


Norm

[Steve G]

Thanks Chepbstrd, you really can live up to your name.

I really like the transducer holder idea.

And will also shop around for a boat unit with the bells and whistles on SALE, and do the conversion...

[Markus]

I usually just use mine as a depth finder and as an indicator as to level the fish are holding.

....and even though there are countless fish species in lake erie, all marked fish are the spicies I'm fishing for.

[wolfe]

I recall a similar thread to this one came up a couple of months ago and basically the same opinions were voiced. Briefly, I agree that the "Fish Finder" hoopla is just that. BUT, nobody could tell me that for the first several outings. I had to have that #$%&@! turned on, beeping away, tantalizing me with images of whopper fishies swimming merrily about the boat. Turns out the wake from your trolling engine could even produce a plethora of beeps and fishy icons. I soon learned to rely on the "sonar" for clues to depth and structure. It's probably fairly accurate at indicating larger schools of fish, so maybe some of you wally guys rely on it a bit more than I do -- from a "fish finding" point, I mean.

My "depth finder" as I call it, is a valuable tool and when I'm without it, I feel clueless.

Hey, did anyone ever see (or own) that fish "cam" advertised now? Somehow, I don't think I'd get one of those, even if it becomes affordable.


W.

[fishforfun]

I use to have a Lowrance portable flasher unit that I really loved, unfortunately it and 90% of my tackle were stolen off the boat a year ago. The kids bought me this little Piranha unit, but I still wanted portability. I downrig off my 30' sailboat and also have a 12' aluminium and the inflatable that is towed behind the boat.

The box use to contain a reel to reel movie projector. Now it houses a full size marine battery the charger and the fish finder. Everthing stows inside the box for transport and then sets up as shown. The tube on the side is where the transducer and trolling motor cables enter. The transducer mount is a suction cup style which works on all 3 boats, the sailboat has nowhere for a bar mount to clamp to. But looking at the mount chepbstrd uses I might have to make something, I have the advantage of owning a machine shop. And the box I bought 2 at Sally Ann for $3. Like others my depth sounder is used principally for just that depth.

[wolfe]

fishforfun,

Back when my Dad was still with us, we had a nickname for him (among many!): "Invention Man". You definitely deserve that moniker, as well!

Clever!!

W.

[CNs]

I use to have a Lowrance portable flasher unit that I really loved, unfortunately it and 90% of my tackle were stolen off the boat a year ago. The kids bought me this little Piranha unit, but I still wanted portability. I downrig off my 30' sailboat and also have a 12' aluminium and the inflatable that is towed behind the boat.

........... But looking at the mount chepbstrd uses I might have to make something, I have the advantage of owning a machine shop. And the box I bought 2 at Sally Ann for $3. Like others my depth sounder is used principally for just that depth.

GEEZ and they call me cheap

Ah necessity.....

[Tomcat]

Just thought I’d chime in with my portable sonar setup. I built a carrying case with ¾” pine with carrying handle (outside dimensions with hinged lid 9.5” wide, 11” high and 15 “ long). The case is partitioned to hold the battery on one side while the other side stores the sonar unit (foam padded) when not in use. I attached a Johnny Ray swivel mount to the outside of the lid to locate the sonar unit while in use. Rubber feet keep the box out of any water. The sonar unit is an X-85 Lowrance and I power it with an Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM) 35 amp-hour battery (ample power for a week’s fishing trip using it 8 to 10 hours a day). Like Chepbstrd, I use a Titelok transducer holder (5D698).

[CNs]

here's some photos

[SALMON]

How I use my fish finder depends on what type of fishing I am doing. On the Great Lakes and Lake Ontario where in most cases little or no structure exists I focus on locating bait schools and hooks. Hooks using manual setting. I never use auto unless I am under power and am only concerned with the bottom depth. Channel catfishing I use it to locate pockets , structure and irregular bottom patterns that may hold them . Open water walleye or lake trout suspended..looking for hooks. So really it depends on where and what I am looking for and use it accordingly.