So I plan on using our boat almost exclusively for crappie with an occasional sand bass outing. I have a Garmin 73SV on our console and I'm selling our HDI5 on the bow in favor of a larger screen unit. My question is: should my bow unit have side view or is down scan and traditional sonar really all I need? I will mainly be fishing timber or brush piles. Since I already have side scan on the console, just wondering if it makes sense to have it up front as well. Thanks guys!

Down scan is what I use on the bow. Side scan works better when going 3-5 mph.

Side image works on the bow. Keep in mind that when ever the trolling motor head turns/moves the side image will become skewed and and start over. By then you have turned/moved the trolling motor head again. If you keep the motor straight or even with a slight slow turn it works very well.

99.9% of fisherman that have side image at the bow are 99% on down image.

Side image for certain on the console.

I like a side image on the bow with the transducer on the transom......

Thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback. I suspected I would primarily use down scan but figured I would ask the group if anyone really uses sidescan on the bow. I guess you could link the units to the transom transducer if you wanted to use side scan but I'll be using a trolling motor mount on it.

I used to have side image on the bow and miss it. It works very similar to 360. That is if you learn its capabilities. I call it a poor man's 360. Get the motor going forward Take your foot off the button and turn he head sideways or at an angle and you can see what is in front or behind you. Easy brushpile locator when you are close. This worked with cable Drive. Not sure of exactly how it would work with electronic steer like my new MG Xi5 so I use DI on it.

Shut up and Fish has got it right. Personally I thinks it's more effective at the console.

Bobcat1 this is exactly how I use mine up front. If you pay enough attention to how your streaks are and the bright streaks in the middle being the fish you want, then your description is prefect. Poor man's 360! At least I'm not the only one using mine this way! I also have sonar split on screen to help decipher the image and learn what I am seeing on the side scan.

Twos - I had one on my bow/tm and used it occasionally with moderate success. I used the DS more often and got tired of switching between the two so when a friend needed a LSS-2 transducer I was more than happy to help him out and I went to a DS only transducer. I don't think I've missed it once since I made the switch. I do have the sidescan on the console.

Heck. I don't even have down scan up front! Left in the dust again!!!

I just made a portable transducer mount for my Helix 10 SI for the bow. Only used it once, but it really helped me finding piles, fish on timber, etc. I can't say how much a pain it is taking up the transducer and putting it down when moving. My Helix are linked so I could switch to the transom transducer if I wanted. I had the Helix 10 transducer on the TM too, before I built the portable transducer mount.

Bottom line is I like it on the bow since I took it off the TM.

I bet the boys in D1 won't be buying you Down Scan for Christmas this year.

Just a hunch!!!

Actually my side image transducer is on the transom and my 2D ducer is on the trolling motor connected with a y cable. My old unit automatically switches between them....

I use my side scan on my console to locate structure, drop a buoy then use my DI on the TM to zero in.I have Sidescan upfront also but don`t use it that much since I went out with Forkfish.

We built a TM bracket to hold the lss ducer. I've ran di and si on tm for years. Absolutely priceless.