James RickardFishing in the 21st Century
July 26th 2007 20:16
In order to catch fish you have to know where they are. Nothing is more frustrating to an angler than to cast out time and time again and keep bringing back nothing on the hook. It used to be that a person would go to their favorite spot, pitch their line and hope for a bite. Things are a little different these days. As technology finds its way into fishing, the old adage, "They ain't bitin'," may become a thing of the past. Maybe it doesn't seem fair to purists but, more and more fish are being found by electronics.
Questions such as, "Is this fair?" and the like can be fodder for discussion. We can spend the entire length of this post and several to come afterwards and never come to an answer. However, the cost of fish finding units is coming down to the point that almost anyone can afford to go electronic!
Although there are different companies making fish finders, they all work basically the same. Much like submarine hunting but, without the pings, an electronic pulse is converted into sound and transmitted through the water. The time it takes to return to the unit is measured and a quick electronic computation tells you how deep the water is and how deep the fish, or whatever the pulse hit, may be. There in lies the rub. If there's branches and other debris floating by, it's going to register on the fish finder. To get around these problems, you need to see underwater and that's whereAqua-Vu comes in.
Aqua-Vu has been around only a decade but, they've made a name for themselves by making an underwater viewing system for the common man. Gone are the days when you had to be an oceanographer or squeeze into the confines of a submersible just to get a look at the bottom. Although many fish finders are being used today, one of the biggest problems to arise is a misinterpretation of the information provided. As mentioned, the "print" of a fish and tree limb mirror one another and the fish finder cannot differentiate between a carp or trout. Use of the Aqua-Vu remedies this problem.
With units small enough to fit on your wrist or various models for your boat, when it comes time to buy a fish finder, it can be a little bewildering. As with most things, if you go for the cheapest you can find, you may end up being sorry. On the other hand, if you sell the farm to pay for your purchase, you may get something you'll never fully use. There a five very important factors to consider when picking out a fish finder.
Transducer--this is the gizmo that sends the signal through the water. You'll find two types of transducers--single frequency and dual frequency. Single frequency is usually used for lakes and shallow coastal fishing but the dual frequency is for deeper work such as the sea.
Resolution--what we're talking about here is basically how sharp the image is. The higher the resolution, the better the image.
Display size--unfortunately, the larger the screen, the more it costs but a larger screen is easier to watch.
Power--these things usually run off of the boat battery but, some have their own power source. In lakes or shallow waters, greater power leads to better images.
Depth--the sonar's ability to reach depths is related to the power and quality of the transducer. Don't forget that the depths shown in specifications are for clear water, saltwater or murky water limits the depths the sonar can penetrate.
If you're in the market for something that will help you find fish, you can check out these guys. CLICK They have a variety of products from several different manufacturers.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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