Advice for an oldie but a newbe......

[Shakemsam]

After trolling occasionally for the past 3 years, I am starting to get serious about it and need some help.

I have some equipment (manual riggers, rods, tackle, boards, dipsys, etc) but I am lacking in

a newer fish finder (currently Bird 100) and speed/temp (none). Def going used as Im on a budget.

based on what I'm seeing, most guys are going with color sonars. Is it that big of an advantage

over b/w. I see a lot of decent (Bird, Lowrance, Garmin) b/w new and used at good (for me) prices.

My understanding is that the color helps a lot with glare and with my hard top, thats not an issue.

As far as Speed and Temp goes, how important is it? I get my speed from my GPS

and never really worried about Temp. Should I make temp a priority?

Just a bit of background for any who are interested. I started fishing for Salmon as a kid here in Rochester.

I fished the very first ESLO with my Dad and Uncle in his 21' Thompson, I think in 1976. Still have the Patch! I also knew Dick Schleyer (SP) personally, and in my opinion he was and still is responsible for the fishing we have today.

Back then nobody knew what to do and we went off my fathers experience in Michigan. We spent most of our time anchored in front of Russell's casting cleos and rapalas. The next year we graduated and used riggers made from tricycle front wheels and caught our first salmon. Not long after, we were hitting them pretty hard. Every year my Uncle had a new gadget on the boat. If it made noise or lit up, he had to have it, At the time, my dad had an MFG that we used for Bass up at the Islands, and all the cast down equipment went on there. Eventually the MFG became mine, and I set her up with Penn Electrics and a JayJeff Paper Graph which I still have. It works just as good as the day I bought it...LIKE CRAP! I also still use my Berkley Shadow Rigger Rods which I bought believe it or not at Penny's at our local Mall. Sold the MFG when I got hitched and 3 boats later, I have an 88 24' Crestliner Sabre HT that I bought for the freeboard because my kids were young at the time. I was considering selling the boat because of the gas prices, but I know I will miss the size, and cannot imagine ever being able to afford to replace it. So....I guess I will go fishing!

Thanks and I appreciate any thoughts on the equipment.

Shawn

[LongLine]

Shawn - I also started way back when. Back then I had a Marine MKII crt b/w unit, which I think was the best unit ever made. When it died, I went color. I like color better because the various shades of grey were sometimes deceiving. Blue dots in the water are definitely just noise. Speed & temp on the fish finder are deceiving also. Paddlewheel speed due to drag of the boat and temp due to prop wash & the suns reflection. If you can spring i,t look for a rigg'r probe so you can get downspeed & temp.

Good luck out there.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[smf24]

I agree, speed and temp on ball impomortant. I went last year without one and struggled. My fish finder is do for an upgrade but i am spending money on speed temp unit. Knowing the water temp at your lures is a big plus. My opioion anyways.

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[bp4life71]

I always wondered why the big push on the temps?? If my sonar shows a grouping of fish at a particular water depth then that's where I go. I don't care about the temperature. Just my opinion.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[buckboardjr]

I started like you with 2 hand riggers and a compass and have built my boat up with mostly used items yet sometimes you just have to buy new things as deals are sometimes scarce. As far as getting big bang for your buck, a Fishhawk X4 down speed and temp probe was one of my biggest successes though I had to buy it new. The next big bang for the buck was a 7.5 honda 4stroke kicker used with Troll king speed control for $650. Keeping your baits on speed longer through the day with the trollking remote rheostat again adds fish to the boat and pays for it's self in gas savings. I never dreamed that I would be trolling for 11hrs on less than 3 gal. gas. Next in line I rank GPS high on the list. Even if it's my stanby handheld which I've seen for as little as $40. It allows you to mark spots, bait, fish you've caught, contours and return to those spots. I don't know how many times I've caught all my fish in a 3/4 mile size block. Get outside of that block, and nodda. GPS saves gas as well. Last on my list is my sonar. Sure I'd like a top of the line one but as long as mine shows depth, bait pods and an occassional fish I'm good. Unless you know your gonna use it to hunt fish down on plane, and are willing to tear your program down, power up, run, reset up, then I can see spending more. Most days people run, set up, then troll and hunt for bites on the troll. All day long on the radio you here people marking fish but can't get any takers. As always this is just my opinion. Everyone has one.

[Shakemsam]

Thanks all for the great info. I will start looking for a speed/temp. Got a line on an older sonar. Garmin 400c

for $100. Hope it works out.

Shawn

[Big Dave]

I always wondered why the big push on the temps?? If my sonar shows a grouping of fish at a particular water depth then that's where I go. I don't care about the temperature. Just my opinion.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

It might show fish,, but what kind of fish? Each type of fish has a temp.. zone they stay in. I know off of 9mi the currents will mix up the temp. You will be marking fish down deep , only to find out there bass . The temp of the thermocline has been pushed deep with the west winds and currents. The speed and temp. is just one tool to make your life easier finding the trout and salmon.