for the guys that have the side imaging on their boats, what has it done for you? do you feel like its made you a better deep water fisherman? locate more fish? i know its obviously helped find more structure or nobody would have them. just wondering cause i just got a side scan unit this spring and have seen alot of cool stuff on it already just playing around but havnt been able to get out deep and fish yet cause of the shallow bite but it wont be long.

It found an open water rock point that i caught my personal best on.

It's drastically helped me find deeper structure easier and quicker, but I still struggle a bit with marking, boat positioning, things like that.

I hit a stump on Conroe watching it and not paying attention to where I was going.

Other than finding cool stuff to look at, not sure I am catching any more or any less. Sure is fun to play with though.

There are no "secret" spots anymore. With side imaging enough time on the water, you can dissect a lakes bottom pretty easily finding those hidden rock piles or brush.

No secret spots.....yep....not any more....

I can't say I'm catching more fish with it (don�t tell that to my wife), I can eliminate unproductive water quicker. It helps me most on bridge pillars, road beds, and docks, dialing in on the ones with structure or holding bait makes the process much faster.

SI has helped me tremendously.

You can not just find a spot and start fishing and catch fish. I have learned you have to really study the SI to see what is there, and learn different methods - shakey heads, drop shots, c-rigs, spoons, deep cranks etc.

Learn what all the images mean and look for all the right ingredients on a spot before you start fishing - I look for 3 things most of the time - 1. Fish -do i find fish on the screen, 2. Bait fish - Most of the time I can find bait on my SI or my 2d, and 3. is there structure like a rock pile, drop off, creek bend etc.

You find those 3 things on your SI in the same area you will catch fish a majority of the time.

I love the SI - if I can give you any advise now that you have the SI take the manual with you one day and leave the rods at home. Use the hole day learning what each setting means on the different screens and how they can best be utilized in shallow, deep water, interpreting images and structure, etc. You will be amazed at what you will learn. I know I was. I just wish I would have done that much sooner. I owned SI for almost 2 years before I spent the day studying the manual and using the unit, and it opened up a whole new world to me.

It's made me want one more then ever

Without a doubt one of the best technological advances to come along in the fishing industry. I believe it has helped myself to become a better angler and has broadened the variety of techniques that I now use to catch fish I locate on my Structure Scan. It has been a great tool. SI or Structure Scan is an investment you won't regret.

Increased the hours under 1k rpm more than 10x since I got one...

I love mine. It's great for deep offshore stuff, but where it has helped me more is tracking creek channels and finding the channel bends of the creeks. I totally agree with the gentleman who said to get the manual out and invest some time learn to use it. To me it's like the difference between an old school X-Ray and a MRI.

helps me find offshore structure in a fraction of the time.

+1

I run into more stuff now.

I'm still trying to figure it out. Agree to read manual and also look at SI forums. I suggest that you go to an area of a lake you have frequently fished, set the SI to record and idle through the area. When you get home, play back the recording several times, changing settings to get the best results. You'll be amazed what you can find that you miss while on the water.

Nothing! I don't have one BUT I do want one!