Trolling graph?

[Jethro]

Need to get a new graph for my trolling boat, wondering what people think about down imaging and side imaging for coldwater species trolling? I don't find down imaging that important, but possibly side imaging? The only thing I am wondering, I assume the side imaging gets less accurate the closer to the surface it gets, and those are the fish I think I'd be interested in seeing?

This may or may not happen this year, I'm putting a new trolling motor on my boat so it might be on next years budget. But I need something to talk about other than the pandemic.

[800stealth]

I'm not trolling but for me the side imaging and down imaging are all about structure location and not much about marking fish... Once I've located an area that looks good I switch to a typical sonar mode mainly because the imaging doesn't work well below 1 mph or at least not on my older Humminbird. Newer units may have stepped up their standing still game. Not much help with your trolling question but better than talking about the sky falling...

[zwiggles]

I'm not trolling but for me the side imaging and down imaging are all about structure location and not much about marking fish... Once I've located an area that looks good I switch to a typical sonar mode mainly because the imaging doesn't work well below 1 mph or at least not on my older Humminbird. Newer units may have stepped up their standing still game. Not much help with your trolling question but better than talking about the sky falling...

I use side imaging for trolling at ice out. You can see the structure in shallow, and sometimes fish on said structure. I try to mark areas as I go by, and then run them over on the next pass with the otter boats.

I also like down imaging for checking bottom structure when chasing lakers. That being said I’m not sure they are critical, I found a use for them trolling, but honestly I’m more concentrated on water temp early in the year.

[Jethro]

I'm not trolling but for me the side imaging and down imaging are all about structure location and not much about marking fish...

That was my thought as well. I'm primarily fishing for trout and salmon that are roaming and not looking for structure at all.

I also like down imaging for checking bottom structure when chasing lakers.

That what I was thinking, that the down imaging might only become useful for trying to jig up lake trout later in the season. I just upgraded to an i-pilot equipped motor so I can spot lock and I would like to jig for lakers, but they will probably be deep when doing so. Not so sure I need any imaging for trolling, which means I can concentrate on just getting a larger screen.

[zwiggles]

I rarely use the down imaging anymore, but I have a few spots I marked with it. I go back to these spots to jig or bounce bottom with the riggers.

The unit I have was a very good deal from AJs. AJs kind of got screwed over by his vendor, but he did right by me and I will always go there for gear now because of it. If I was doing it again I’d go for the bigger screen, and a unit that can upgrade to panoptix/live scope like you are talking about.

[burgerunh]

I never had side imaging but Down Imaging never was of any use to me when trolling.  I would recommend a minimum of a 7" screen size if you plan to run a navionics map side by side with a sonar view.

[Jethro]

I never had side imaging but Down Imaging never was of any use to me when trolling.  I would recommend a minimum of a 7" screen size if you plan to run a navionics map side by side with a sonar view.

I'm looking at a 9" screen minimum. Maybe bigger if I can convince myself I don't need imaging, and I think I can. The Panoptix is just the absolute king of all imaging, but I'm married to Humminbird if I want to use my i-pilot link. So I'll just get the biggest simple unit I can and start saving for a Panoptix. I actually wish Humminbird just made a unit dedicated to map use and only had GPS, no sonar. If it was cheap enough I'd have that and then go Garmin for the clicker.

[skinnywater]

I'm looking at a 9" screen minimum. Maybe bigger if I can convince myself I don't need imaging, and I think I can. The Panoptix is just the absolute king of all imaging, but I'm married to Humminbird if I want to use my i-pilot link. So I'll just get the biggest simple unit I can and start saving for a Panoptix. I actually wish Humminbird just made a unit dedicated to map use and only had GPS, no sonar. If it was cheap enough I'd have that and then go Garmin for the clicker.

Can you run the map on your old unit and get an new unit dedicated as a fishfinder?  That is what I did with a Navionics chip.  2 dedicated screens is the way to go if you can.

[Mac Attack]

Can you run the map on your old unit and get an new unit dedicated as a fishfinder?  That is what I did with a Navionics chip.  2 dedicated screens is the way to go if you can.

that's what I do.
Two HDS8's ethernetted together.
One transducer and one Navionics chip and the info is all shared between the two via the ethernet cable.
One I use for mapping and the other for the graph.
It also gives me redundancy if one unit takes a dump.

[seamonkey84]

Panoptix PS22 or Livescope  let’s you see what’s going on where ever you point it, you can see ahead, below, and off to the side of the boat in real time. Really useful when there isn’t even a map of the lake your trolling, you can see the bottom ahead of you.

[Jethro]

Can you run the map on your old unit and get an new unit dedicated as a fishfinder?  That is what I did with a Navionics chip.  2 dedicated screens is the way to go if you can.

I needed to buy a head unit that could take advantage of the i-pilot link I got in the Ulterra. My Helix 5 isn't network able. I will probably keep the Helix 5 DI on board somewhere, maybe on the bow. I decided on what I said earlier, i bought a simple Helix 9 G3N with Chirp and GPS only. No imaging. I figure I'll move up to Panoptix or whatever the new hotness is when I am ready to spend again. For now it's time to put the checkbook away. Ouch, this whole thing all said and done with batteries and chargers and the motor and graph with a new Lakemaster chip set me back almost 5k. Oh well, it's only money