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My Fish Finder Main => General Fishing Discussion => Topic started by: taxid on Jan 02, 2022, 07:29 PM

Title: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 02, 2022, 07:29 PM
Anybody ever use a program on their fish finder to create their own lake contour map? I guess Humminbird has something called the Autochart Live Hummingbird and Garmin has something too. Just started researching this. I have a Humminnbird Helix 7 GPS and trying to determine if it will do that job with the appropriate SD card.

I know of a small tannin stained large natural pond that I will be visiting on vacation that apparently has no contour map or surveys of as I've asked the state fish and wildlife biologists and done a lot of searching.  It's quite isolated with no development although it is open to the public, and only accessible by kayak, but even that is difficult. Shore fishing would be impossible although it was at one time years ago.  People seem to ignore it, and two locals I know claim it may have become too acidic to support fish (It's also very dark from tannins), but it used to support brook and brown trout along with some very large largemouth bass due to thousands of frogs and stunted panfish when I lived nearby from 1968 to 1971. I haven't seen any frogs since I first visited back in 1990.  And the lily pads have disappeared.


According to some literature I found, it had a maximum depth of 30 feet at 13 acres, and it only had a Ph of 4.5 in the early 60's, but was treated with ag lime which brought the Ph up to 6.9 in 1962. I'm thinking the Ph may have dropped again to to the humic nature of the bottom and acid rain over the decades.

I'm also going to test Ph, clarity, oxygen and temp profiles along with alkalinity, hardness, an phosphorus. I have all the equipment as I've used it in my fish farming.

So anyway with my education in fisheries science I want to do an unofficial survey of the pond, which will include fishing to determine if there are any fish in the pond although if the Ph has reverted back to 4.5 it would probably be a waste of time. 

Here's picture of the lake. If it had to be limed again it could be a hell of a little bass lake if the frogs would come back. As a kid I had bass wrap me around lily pads that had to be in at least 7 lb. plus range. I didn't have the tackle requirted to land them and had several snap me off. I saw one bass take off from the bank that had a back that had to be pushing 6 inches thick.

(https://i.imgur.com/e73HJ6Gm.jpg)


Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: fish/hunt4ever on Jan 03, 2022, 05:12 PM
I have been using my auto chart live on my helix 7 and love making my own maps. Just have to check on your unit if it has the auto chart feature should be easy to find in the menu if it has it.
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 03, 2022, 05:27 PM
I have been using my auto chart live on my helix 7 and love making my own maps. Just have to check on your unit if it has the auto chart feature should be easy to find in the menu if it has it.


Thanks!

Unfortunately I can't power it up due to my wiring in the boat outside with a very stiff boat cover in the cold. Will have to do some searching on line. Or contact Hummingbird. I'm little concerned as it's a Helix 7 GPS DI, but I think I saw in a video it might have to be a Helix 7 GPS DI G2N. I assume mine is not a G2 as there is no G2 designation. But I shall see.

Which unit do you have if you don't mind me asking?
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: fish/hunt4ever on Jan 03, 2022, 08:34 PM
I guess I might have got the one with all the bells and whistles when I was buying I know it was not cheap but did not want to miss something.
(https://i.postimg.cc/bG43w9Gq/20220103-193217.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bG43w9Gq)
Plus got the zero card to get more data now to see how it works on cmaps for download might try this tomorrow at work
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 03, 2022, 10:47 PM
So you don't know what model you have?


I did email Minnkota but after doing some research I'm pretty sure my model is too old to be capable. I'm going to go to my favorite local supplier and see what they have and ask a lot of questions. If I buy something like that I prefer to give him the business even if I have to pay a little more.

I wonder what I could get out of my used Helix 7 if I tried to sell it?
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: gotagetm on Jan 04, 2022, 07:33 AM
I can tell you this on a used helix 7 having  one repaired , sent to Alabama a complete rebuild if needed 229$ , you can look up your model for a full repair price on hummingbird website and I'd guess if all in working order you could get at least that for it
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 04, 2022, 08:38 AM
I can tell you this on a used helix 7 having  one repaired , sent to Alabama a complete rebuild if needed 229$ , you can look up your model for a full repair price on hummingbird website and I'd guess if all in working order you could get at least that for it

Thanks for your response!
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 04, 2022, 08:47 AM


Just talked to may local dealer and he pointed out there is plastic tab that comes off on the side for an SD card insertion! Sure enough he's right! I'm in business with an SD card!


(https://i.imgur.com/8sIlyAHl.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/NjopnUL.gif)
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: fish/hunt4ever on Jan 04, 2022, 07:46 PM
My model is in the picture instead of trying to type it all out just above the micro SD card. Mine also has the same spot for the card. So yours might have the mapping capabilities or just the ability to have the preloaded cards not sure how all that works out. Glad you are getting closer to knowing.
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: fish/hunt4ever on Jan 05, 2022, 01:00 PM
Figured out cmaps does not do hummingbird download maps from auto chart live but did find out hummingbird has their own web page you can download the data to and have access to it offline pretty cool in my opinion for ice fishing and such.
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 05, 2022, 06:55 PM
My model is in the picture instead of trying to type it all out just above the micro SD card. Mine also has the same spot for the card. So yours might have the mapping capabilities or just the ability to have the preloaded cards not sure how all that works out. Glad you are getting closer to knowing.

Sorry didn't click on your picture to see the model number. Yours is newer than mine.  I have sent an email to Humminbird so will be able to verify if can do maps or just download maps.

Thanks for taking the time to respond!
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 05, 2022, 06:55 PM
get that fancy thing figured out Cecil so you can take me out next time and show me around!

I think you'll be more impressed with the spot lock on the Terrova.
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 07, 2022, 12:33 PM
Well shucks bad news. My Helix 7 will download preloaded map cards but won't do autochart live and create your own maps according two a Hummingbird technician.

I'm considering upgrading to one that will, and have one unit fore and one aft on the boat with fore one using the transducer on the Terrova and the aft one hooked up the already existing transducer. ,or putting one unit on the kayak and one unit on the regular boat. I can also switch the back and forth if need be by using the same transducer.
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 07, 2022, 12:34 PM
lmao good1

What am I missing here?
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 07, 2022, 02:59 PM
I put a down payment down on a Helix 9 that will do the autochart live and Side imaging which I have not had.
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: gotagetm on Jan 07, 2022, 03:18 PM
Nice taxid that's a nice graph, you sell your 7?
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 07, 2022, 05:15 PM
Nice taxid that's a nice graph, you sell your 7?

I thought about it. Are you interested? Make an offer.  ;D
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: gotagetm on Jan 07, 2022, 05:55 PM
Lol you may get a pm !
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: fishinjohn on Jan 10, 2022, 12:15 PM
I put a down payment down on a Helix 9 that will do the autochart live and Side imaging which I have not had.
I have a helix 7 and a 9...
9 is awesome!!!!!!
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 10, 2022, 03:24 PM
I have a helix 7 and a 9...
9 is awesome!!!!!!

Sounds good. Do I have to be computer genius to know what I'm doing?
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: youngster on Jan 19, 2022, 11:20 AM
used my garmin panoptix 73 cv in yak to give me true contour map of bottom worked real good, once its started you watch map and it looks like mowin the yard.  you can see where you,ve been and adjust course accordiling. handy feature for sure good luck stay safe
Title: Re: Anybody do their own contour mapping of a lake?
Post by: taxid on Jan 19, 2022, 07:57 PM
used my garmin panoptix 73 cv in yak to give me true contour map of bottom worked real good, once its started you watch map and it looks like mowin the yard.  you can see where you,ve been and adjust course accordiling. handy feature for sure good luck stay safe

I'm looking forward to mapping in my kayak. I'll have to get a second transducer for the kayak so I can swap the unit back and forth from the big boat to the kayak.Unless I find I can use the Helix 7 transducer for the mapping with the Helix 9 on the kayak.

 One nice thing about my Hobie is it has a special protected transducer port in the hull for a typical transducer that is mounted to the stern of a boat.