HB 360

For you guys that have/had it. Was it a game changer for you? If so, why? How? Thanks

I had it and sold it, now I'm thinking about getting it again. Kind of split on it because it does have its time, but it is not an every day tool. I really miss it for deep water, but it wasn't all that great for under 8' depth. We were able to chase a school of bass around on ray Bob one tournament and catch a few out of it, but I also got the feeling the 360 might have been what was spooking them and causing them to move.

The other reason I sold it was because I bought an ultrex and went with an aftermarket adapter and it was just too much bulk for the bow line of sight.

It's the best shallow water tool you can have. You can see what is "over there" without scaring the fish getting too close.

This screen shot has a school of shad split up at around 10:00 on the 20' range ring. There are three large bass chasing them. One of the bass weighed 10# 13 0z.



When used properly, it will display waypoints within the range you have set so you know where stuff is as you get to it like this brush pile with bass and crappie on it:



Spawning shellcrackers:



Bluegills with some bass nearby:

Wayne can you share any information you have as far as adjusting the senstaivity/contrast on the 360

Understood Wayne, and I agree that it can help in those instances. The issue I always had when shallow was that there was so much cover that it was hard to pick out fish due to image quality. I can see them fish in your images and i have seen them before in certain locations as mentioned above at Ray Roberts, but it really just depends on your lake and cover. I will say that there were times that it showed cover that I might not have seen without it as well that may have been in a different casting direction then I was focused on. Wayne's images are a perfect example of what your expectation should be, and with Frank being in my neighborhood (Hideaway/Lindale) I assume we fish a lot of the same lakes (although I am not popular in my decision to avoid Fork at all costs) and probably similar cover.

Again, Frank, I was ok with selling until I sold it, now there are times I realize I miss it.

I don’t really use it to look for fish. If I am And am in 8 feet of water then I set It to 24’ max you can’t expect it to see they things.

I use It mostly to see structure.

The first, third, and fourth screen shots were at a flooded timber lake similar to Lake Fork.

This is part of a tree at that lake in two different locations in relation to the 360:





I use 360 to "sight fish" not only during the spawn, but all the time regardless of which body of water I am on, clean bottom or timber.
The first screen shot in my other post occurred when the water was very muddy with about 1" visibility.
Many times I have caught spawning bass next to standing timber/stumps.

I adjust the Sensitivity so the bottom is dark enough that the light fish returns are not washed out with a bright background--I don't pay attention to the number, just go by the way the image looks and adjust as often as needed. Same as I do with Side Imaging, 360 is Side Imaging that rotates.
I don't adjust the contrast.
With number series units and Helix units, I use Fine/Fast as the rotation speed.
I have used the 360 with ONIX and SOLIX units also, but don't remember which rotation speed since they are numbers, just a couple of the slowest ones.

This is at the timber lake using the ONIX. There are two bass at the lower left and a road bed on the right. There is a large diameter stump and smaller diameter stump where the 20 range line number is on the edge of the road.---note the long shadows. There are two more stumps across the road from it.

Would not want to be without it. I fish Athens a lot and it really helps fishing the grass edges and isolated grass. It's also hard to miss any submerged hard targets as well when using 360.
I have my way points show up on the 360 and it seems like the brush piles etc. are often a little off from the way point so it makes me more efficient with my casting. I do see fish, schools of fish and bait which lets me no I'm in the right spot but I don't look for fish with it much. I'd rather look for fish at the console with SI,DI,sonar.

I would not want to be without it. I fish Athens a lot and it really helps fishing the grass edges and isolated grass. It's also hard to miss any submerged hard targets when using 360.
I have my way points show up on the 360 and it seems like the brush piles etc. are often a little off from the way point so it makes me more efficient with my casting. I do see fish, schools of fish and bait which lets me no I'm in the right spot but I don't look for fish with it much. I'd rather look for fish at the console with SI,DI,sonar.

I absolutely love having the 360. Like RTM said, it's most valuable in casting efficiency. Once you get the transducer aligned so that the image on the screen is perfectly aligned with the nose of the boat, you can hit your submerged targets on every cast. It translates to more time in the strike zone and more bites.

I have been able to follow and cast ahead of moving schools of shad and predators in open water during the summer and fall. The refresh rate is a bit slow for this application but it can be done. It excels at revealing isolated rocks, wood or depth changes that you'd usually have to idle by with side imaging to locate.

I have used the 360 for several years now. Started with the Onix on a Fortex TM and now the same Onix on a Ultrex. The 360 is my primary visual instrument for fishing. I'll use the other modes for certain conditions, but while I am fishing I use the 360 most of the time. Right now if I were in the market for a 360, however, I might wait as the 360 should be due for an upgrade. I have not heard any rumors of this nature. It is just the 360 have been out there for some time, and the only thing that has been upgraded is the new mount for the Ultrex. The transducer head is the same. There is also the possibility that there may never be upgrade to the 360. I t has changed the way I fish drastically for the better.