Downscans and Snapshots

[JohnMickish]

A few months ago I said we would have a place to put up and talk about our snapshots. Well here it is.

I'd like to post this one first, nothing special about the locations but something cool about the snapshot itself.

[delmuts]

John. A little explanation would also be helpful to "us" that have a hard time understanding what we are seeing? I understand the boat tracking, and way points. The screen on the left. Weeds or?? Thanks!

[JohnMickish]

60.8 MPH! I was just goofing around. Let's post our screen shots and discuss what we are seeing. I think everyone can learn from it.

[solbes]

Geez, my boat goes 20 mph slower and its plenty fast for me. Bet 60 is exciting on the water.

Took this one last spring on my LSS-2 Side Scan. After looking at it with a few different passes and the underwater camera), concluded it was a dock that was pushed out (or ice carried out). Sitting in 19 FOW, it makes for a great crappie location.

Found some other interesting stuff on the lake bottom too.

[JohnMickish]

Is that bait fish schooling above it or panfish?

[solbes]

Caught a few crappies out of there. Looks like maybe a larger predator near the bottom too, but hard for me to tell.

[JohnMickish]

Would you stop and fish this?

[JohnMickish]

Would you stop and fish it without the downscan?

[Fish Head]

Yes and no

[slick2526]

what did you have your chart speed set at? curious since you where barely moving at all. DI definitely does that picture justice compared to the 2D sonar

[JohnMickish]

I try to match my DI and SI chart speed to what my speed is, ie; 1MPH= 1 on the chart speed.

This was actually two fish, a 24" and a 26" walleye on the Mille Lacs mud. We worked them for awhile before we could get them to commit.

Since we where on the mud, I would have fished the 2D image since there aren't things like that on the mud, but had we been in the gravel or weeds I may have not taken it so seriously.

[slick2526]

Good points made. I have a pretty interesting one from this past summer that i think about five bass were stacked right on top of each other. I was skeptical at first about my abilities reading my di mode an if i had everything set correctly. This year i will be taking a lot more snap shots

[JohnMickish]

I've only got about 15 or so. I wish I would have taken allot more too. I definitely think it's something we can all learn from.

[gwiff100]

this was such a great idea. I am a fairly new boat owner going on its second open water season (let me tell you the 1st year had its battles, from sonar issues to blowing out one of the bearings on the trailer)

this year I hope to be more prepared, I also purchased a new Elite 5dsi and hope to use you guys as a resource to make sure I am reading the thing correctly. I have used it this winter for gps and getting use to the unit, but needless to say I am anxiously waiting for some open water trips.

[JohnMickish]

Would you fish this one?

[JohnMickish]

On the traditional sonar I may have stopped to put more effort into this drop off. There is some stuff there on the edge and it may be fish tight to the bottom, but the DI clearly shows that it's just some short grass/weeds there. Fishing time saved, time to go look for better structure.

[RuKiddingMe]

Thanks John - keep'em coming these are really helping me better understand what I am seeing with my DSI. Last year in a time of need I picked up the Lowrance Elite 5 DSI, my GPS unit went toes up, I didn't think that not having traditional 2D sonar would be a problem but I have been struggling trying to interpret the less obvious images on the DSI. I still have a 2D in the boat but it's not on the bow where I spend the majority of my fishing time. So I'm learning still and these posts are helping.

[Fish Head]

I really like this thread. Great idea John. Keep them coming.

[slick2526]

I have a question for you John. How do I know if my snapshots and way points are saving to my memory card? I am assuming I should be able to figure it out in my settings somewhere but I haven't been able too.

I haven't took enough snapshots to know if its saving to my memory card because I have only ever looked at them in my boat and on my graph

[JohnMickish]

I think they are saved to the unit until you move them to the card. When you save them to the card it should be the same process as saving your waypoints.

[slick2526]

Thanks John. I am going to have to research that a little more and I also see a new update is out for my unit.

Cant wait to get out this weekend and hopefully I find something worth taking a couple snaps of!

[JohnMickish]

Great! Make sure you share I'm running out. I am headed up to red for opener and not sure I will get many snapshots either.

[kerryd15]

can I take snapshots on humviewer? what do you know about autocharts? I fish a lot of small lakes without maps or 5 ft DNR maps. I like the thought of making my own. the way I understand it, I can record and save my trolling around the lake and use autochart to make my own lake chip of the areas that I want. I believe the autochart pro will make the I pilot and depth highlight work.

[JohnMickish]

You are correct in what the autochart will do. In the advanced version you can even make a 3D map of the bottom hardness. That tool alone would make it easy to see transition area and help eliminate lots of water.

You set the snapshot feature up in the menu menu bar. It's in the last segment to the right.

[KING]

if anyone has some snapshots of the bottom hardness transition areas i'd sure love to see them and what exactly they look like, rock to sand to mud etc...and how much of a change you are looking for.