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Help with Marking and Finding Structure #11178940 10/22/15 03:53 PM
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Desull Offline OP
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Guys,
I need some help finding the structure that I mark on the Lowrance Elite 5. I have a really good idea of what I am looking for and have found several submerged trees and brushpiles that I pass over and mark as a waypoint on the gps. I mark it, turn around and pass over again and attempt to throw a buoy on it behind the boat. I then get on the trolling motor and Lowrance 5 HDI on the front to see if I can pinpoint the location. Some times I can find the structure, if it is a tree or something fairly obvious. The question is how do you know that you are on top of the deep brush or small stickups?


And Jesus said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men. Mark 1:17 (NASB)
Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11179102 10/22/15 05:10 PM
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Gamblinman Offline
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I used to keep a short rod with just an egg weight tied on and throw it out and drag it till I find it in relationship to my buoy. With the electronics we have today, I can see it on the locator.

Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11179132 10/22/15 05:27 PM
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crappieScout Calvin Offline
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Sounds like you got it and only need a little more practice. Be conscious as to where your transducer is and where you threw your marker. Trees will look like a tree skinny and tall. Brush should look like little mounds. Hope this helps.


fish,
Calvin


Happy and Safe Fishing,
crappieScout Calvin
----------------------
Don't Forget Your Sunblock
Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11179190 10/22/15 06:00 PM
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DFW-fisherman Offline
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I've found that if you are not "zoomed in" to the tightest Chart screen when moving near the target - then the accuracy is not what you need to "find" the target.

Just my 2cents

Good luck!
flag texas

Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: DFW-fisherman] #11179431 10/22/15 08:32 PM
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RODS454 Offline
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Originally Posted By: DFW-fisherman
I've found that if you are not "zoomed in" to the tightest Chart screen when moving near the target - then the accuracy is not what you need to "find" the target.

Just my 2cents

Good luck!
flag texas


This^++++


"I'd rather be fishing!"
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Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: RODS454] #11179549 10/22/15 09:30 PM
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GMorg Offline
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Originally Posted By: RODS454
Originally Posted By: DFW-fisherman
I've found that if you are not "zoomed in" to the tightest Chart screen when moving near the target - then the accuracy is not what you need to "find" the target.

Just my 2cents

Good luck!
flag texas


This^++++



Yes this. And using a weight or jig to feel for it.

I also have an Elite 5 and still learning to get right on a waypoint. If you haven't already, check your "Arrival Radius". I think factory setting is 50 feet. That would start giving me alarms way too soon.

Some suggested motoring past bridge columns at idle speed to see when they showed on the screen. Doing that helped me learn when and where to pitch the buoy. Oh, and I did it with both sonar and down imaging.

I also read a thread here that described a technique using four marker buoys. Approach the waypoint from four different directions 90 degrees apart and pitching a marker as soon as the structure appears on the screen each time. In theory the center of the four markers would be directly over the structure. X marks the spot. I've tried it and it works. But it's a pain picking up four markers. And I always felt I was spooking the fish with four trips over their heads.

With practice I've become faster at it, but I'm still slow. So I'm interested to hear from others.


Fishing is hard. It's harder if you're stupid.
God is good all the time ... and all the time God is good.



Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11179624 10/22/15 10:03 PM
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dragmaster Offline
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also, look where your gps antenna is in relationship to the transducer, this can often be 10 feet apart therefor making your waypoint off the structure you are trying to mark. I locate the structure first and mark it with a buoy then position the boat right next to the buoy as close to the antenna as possible, this way your waypoint will be on the structure.

Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11179884 10/23/15 01:02 AM
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Desull Offline OP
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Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input.


And Jesus said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men. Mark 1:17 (NASB)
Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11182072 10/24/15 02:08 AM
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TexExp Offline
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All great responses and ideas. Especially zooming in as far as you can as you get closer.

I use a 4 step method - But - you have to have a transducer on your trolling motor:

Find it on the console unit - drop a buoy up wind
Find it with your trolling motor bow unit
Find it with your jig
Immediately check where it is in relation to your buoy

A wise old crappie fisherman (Kirk, aka SheCrappieKilla) once told me, "you can't consider yourself a serious crappie fisherman if you don't have DI and a transducer on your TM". I took it to heart! I started with an Elite 5 DSI on the bow and now have a Gen III 7. Both work very well.

Good luck out there!



Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11182493 10/24/15 01:26 PM
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GMorg Offline
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I'm still trying to get better at accurately finding saved waypoints. Your post prompted me to do a little Googling on the subject. I found some additional info that I think will help me. The picture below explains it better than I can with words. Selecting the 200 kHz transducer will reduce the margin of error considerably.




Fishing is hard. It's harder if you're stupid.
God is good all the time ... and all the time God is good.



Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11182759 10/24/15 04:21 PM
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Spiderman Offline
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I use side imaging set to 50' on each side to get in the neighborhood, then switch to down imaging when I am close. Found tops are a little more difficult than tops I've created and put out.

Sometimes I"ll end up with 2 or 3 markers on the water before I know exactly where the fish are on the cover/structure. Once I catch a couple, I'll ease around and pick up all my markers but one. That way if another boat gets very close, I can just drift over my marker, gps the location, pick it up and move on.


The Truth is six of the seven Dwarfs are not Happy!
Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11182824 10/24/15 04:50 PM
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Knot Normal Offline
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thumb


Randy

I'm in good shape for the shape I'm in!


Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11182867 10/24/15 05:14 PM
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Ken Gaby Offline
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Marking spots: When marking a waypoint, be very careful where the point is placed. Looking at a BP or tree, you need to be very precise on the waypoint. Large structure casts larger shadows and it's easy sometimes to place the mark in the middle of the shadow. Look closely at the piece of structure on the screen and locate the center of the white areas, not the shadows.

Finding spots: Good info mentioned above. Especially have the scale at 50 or 20 ft. I go over the spot with SI and look at which side of the boat the strongest return comes from. That's the side the structure is located at. When looking with DI off the TM, remember the DI is shooting down in a cone and won't give a true picture when you're almost motionless. If you're in 20 FOW, the cone is usually 20 wide at the bottom. When the structure first appears on the DI screen in 20 FOW it's 20 ft to one side of the TM. If the boat is moving left, then the structure is 20 ft to the left. Keeping close tabs on your marker buoy as you see the structure on DI will help position the boat on the structure. Small stickups will give a very light scattered return on DI or 2D. A BP will be mostly a solid return if it's thick.

Fishing in the middle of a BP may not be where the fish are located. Many times fish hold just off to one side of a BP, usually down wind. And sometimes 20 ft down wind of the BP. Under water trees, fish usually hold right on them using the limbs or trunk as shade or hiding spot.

Good luck and good fish


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Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Ken Gaby] #11182958 10/24/15 05:57 PM
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dwmoore Offline
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Ken is dead on .I have split screen on when I get close to waypoint.One thing I learned from Slade is when you can see the pic on half your screen you can be as much as 200 ft from the object.Also I have noticed that Kirk marks his spots on the bottom of the structure makes sense if it deteriorates you still have the base marked.Anyway timber is way more fun than ------ brush piles .Ha Darrell


Re: Help with Marking and Finding Structure [Re: Desull] #11183115 10/24/15 07:09 PM
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SK. Offline
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This is where SI on the TM help bunches.....


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