Fishing with Technology

Fisherman and fisherwomen love to tell stories of their biggest catch or the time they caught so many fish that they had to keep throwing them back in order to keep the bigger one they just caught. You too can have the same experience if you use today's technology to exploit your chances of catching fish. You can be out there yelling "fish on" at the top of your lungs. Sure you can hire a guide and he or she will give you the fishing experience you have paid for, but you probably want to do it on your own. The technology I am talking about is called by many names: depth sounder, fish locator, fish finder, sonar and many other names. The technology is further enhanced by adding Global Positioning System receivers (GPS) into the fish finding units. This technology is mostly used in a boat that one owns. There are portable fish finder units; however, they do not normally have an integral GPS receiver.

So, say you are a fisherman or fisherlady who wants information and options to consider on a GPS Fishfinder for your boat but don't have a clue where to start. For guidance in making a wise choice for maximizing your fishing experience and staying within your budget there a several considerations that you need to think about.

Considerations to explore are: what in the heck is a Fishfinder and why do I need a Fishfinder with a combined GPS system . A Fishfinder, also known as a depth sounder, is a device that sends sound waves into the water through a transducer (sound transmitter and receiver) and the echo that returns from the bottom and/or fish is then picked up by the transducer and displayed on a small LCD Screen. The addition of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in the display gives a viewable location (a map) to the area where you are fishing. The location data (map) can be stored for future reference, so that if you find a hot fishing spot, you can easily return to it again and again using the stored map.

Now determine where you are most likely to use your GPS Fishfinder. The answer to this question defines the type of sonar beam (sound wave) you should have on your unit. Sonar beams are either narrow sharply focused or wide area focused. If you do most of your fishing in shallow water (0-100ft) then a wide beam unit would give you better results than a narrow single beam. Some GPS Fishfinders have dual wide and narrow capabilities and there are units that have up to four different beams so that you get the maximum area coverage to the forward, rear and side of your boat. The quad (four beam)units are more expensive, however, they give the boater underwater knowledge of what is in front of the boat while the boat is in operation thereby increasing boating safety. The number of beams increases the cost of the units. When fishing in deep water (greater than 1500 ft.) you may want to have a unit that will transmit the sound wave beam deep, this enhanced capability again, will add significant cost to the unit.

The next question is what display size to buy. Just like the television in your house the choice of screen size is a personal preference. The typical screen sizes are 3 in., 5 in., and 7 in. diagonal measurement. Obviously, a larger screen will give you more detail, but again it is a matter of price. The larger screens add cost to the units.

Another consideration is whether or not the transducer (a sound transmitter and receiver) comes packaged with the GPS Fishfinder or do you have to add one for an additional charge. Also, do you need one that is specific to your boat? Most GPS Fishfinders are packaged with a transom mount (the transom is where the motors are mounted). Transducers that are mounted in other locations on the boat are available for, again, more money.

Finally, some remaining things to consider are personal preferences such as how bright the screen needs to be and how many buttons or steps that need to be followed to do specific operations. Whether the unit can accommodate other maps stored on SD (secure digital) memory cards with specific lake, coastal, river or geographical related information.

Now that you have a GPS Fishfinder you need to read the manual to get the greatest benefit from its use. Have fun fishing and catch a really big one.