Mapping shallow lakes

[Zum]

To many fish finders for me to study.
Im looking for a finder, mostly for its mapping function in shallow waters.
Here where Im at, theres no accurate base maps, unless you go to the ocean.
Are some of these older garmin automap or helix 7s better then another.
Im leaning Garmin but will lesson to what people have to say.

 

[Still Afloat]

I’ve used the Helix 7 mapping features with Autochart and Open Lakes SD memory cards. It requires special software and memory cards with propriety code. It‘s expensive, tedious and time consuming. I would think that charting a shallow lake would be even worse because spacing of the sounding passes would not be very wide.

The thing with Humminbird is that they are relentless at squeezing every last dollar from their customers (nickel and dime approach.) A guy would think that after buying their software you could at least use your own SD cards. Heck no, you can only use the Open Lakes SD card at several times the cost.

So if money is not a concern and you have a lot of free time the Humminbird approach might work for you.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

I’ve used the Helix 7 mapping features with Autochart and Open Lakes SD memory cards. It requires special software and memory cards with propriety code. It‘s expensive, tedious and time consuming. I would think that charting a shallow lake would be even worse because spacing of the sounding passes would not be very wide.

The thing with Humminbird is that they are relentless at squeezing every last dollar from their customers (nickel and dime approach.) A guy would think that after buying their software you could at least use your own SD cards. Heck no, you can only use the Open Lakes SD card at several times the cost.

So if money is not a concern and you have a lot of free time the Humminbird approach might work for you.

I looked into the HB mapping some time ago. I came to same conclusion, too much time and money involved.

Navionics has/had a share option, to update lake maps. You were able to turn it on/off within their phone app. Some I looked at, for water I was very familiar with, appeared reasonable. Others seemed way off.

 

[flatheadsteve]

The garmins work great you can create your own map from recordings and you can also share that so others can see it. Several places I fish the only data available is from users uploading their recordings. Not sure if still available but garmin had a pretty big sale on the uhd series recently.

 

[Zum]

Thanks for the replies.
I asked around and a local bass club, most say the garmin is the most user friendly and will use a normal sd card.
Leaning that way

 

[sonny1]

Hell I have spent 20 years fishing one of the biggest shore line lakes in the USA and have mapped it out by using fishing line and common sense. Pretty much know where the old creek beds are and where the shallow water leads up to drop offs. Soon will have a shallow running boat in the water and will study even further on rock drop offs and such. Such a waste of time had no idea they had an app for that.

 

[flatheadsteve]

Hell I have spent 20 years fishing one of the biggest shore line lakes in the USA and have mapped it out by using fishing line and common sense. Pretty much know where the old creek beds are and where the shallow water leads up to drop offs. Soon will have a shallow running boat in the water and will study even further on rock drop offs and such. Such a waste of time had no idea they had an app for that.

I sit on my phone often scouting for new spots from my couch lol. Really comes in handy when trying out new waters I can mark spots I want to try beforehand and save a lot of time and fuel once on the water.

 

[sonny1]

I will tell you what? Lets match fish caught compared to your method vice mine. OLD SCHOOL. I Have spent a lot of hours studying Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma and I do not mean by my phone. Hell I don't even have a cell phone.

 

[flatheadsteve]

I will tell you what? Lets match fish caught compared to your method vice mine. OLD SCHOOL. I Have spent a lot of hours studying Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma and I do not mean by my phone. Hell I don't even have a cell phone.

No offense but it took you a lot of time dragging a weighted line to learn where all those drop offs and ledges were. It would take me a couple mins with an app to do the same. I could pick out several likely spots that hold fish before even getting on the water. Technology has its advantages sometimes. Having said all that you still have to know how to catch em.

 

[LDUBS]

I occasionally go to a small reservoir that isn't covered by my Navionics lake maps. It is really weird not seeing the depth contours.

 

[Skunked again]

Another vote for garmin. I had two QuickDraw capable units on a previous boat. It worked great. I did it on days when the fish weren’t biting, raining, hot, you get the point.

Watch some videos on it first. A wealth of information on there. Read the instructions.

I went to stores and put hands on each “QuickDraw” or self mapping capable units. For me, garmin had the most user friendly interface, and was the best bang for the buck. I HIGHLY recommend putting hands on the units you’re considering. Same as iPhone vs android.

 

[Still Afloat]

One positive thing about lake mapping, it’s a good way to burn up aging gas. The Crestliner has a big tank and my father in law is 95 and doesn’t want to go fast so the gas can get older than I prefer. I managed to burn 12 gallons one afternoon mapping about 300 acres of a lake.

 

[Crazyboat]

I'm assuming you want to map several lakes. By me locals will drop old Christmas trees where low spots are located to mark them. Also it creates a habitat for fish.

 

[sonny1]

We use Christmas trees to attract Crappie. Tie about ten of them together and place in lake around January. Then in early April we eat good.

 

[Zum]

Hardly any lakes were I live are on any apps, charts etc.
I find myself trolling lately, after trout mostly...may as well map some bottom.
Im also hopeing that its somewhat accurate so I can run WOT without hitting rocks. I know it wont e perfect but should give me an idea when to take it easy.

 

[thill]

Garmin quick draw is excellent. At idle, 2-4 mph, the resolution is outstanding. Doing it that way shows stuff that's not on the charts.

 

[monzster]

I originally had a Garmin Striker 4 on my jon boat which i take on small reservoirs and have been very happy with it. I got a plastic pontoon boat and put the 4 and that for river fishing and recently bough a Garmin Striker Vivid 5CV after doing some research and being happy with the 4s simplicity of use, just for the Quickdraw Mapping. I have not actually used it yet because I have had some serious back issues but in looking at alot of youtube videos I think it will be just what I need. I paid like $300.00 for it.

 

[flatheadsteve]

Several have mentioned the bodies of water they fish not being mapped. Garmin has what's called active captian on certian models. It goes beyond navionics maps. Basically it is user uploaded data that gets shared. So even on those obscure out of the way lakes and stretches of river if anybody has ever been on a it with a garmin that has the capability the other garmin users can see it. Navionics doesn't cover most the places I fish but the Garmin Active Captian community is big enough that there are detailed maps available.

 

[sonny1]

I am a dinosaur I guess. We watch the shore line and the drift of the lake while they let water out. We pretty much know the lay of the land underwater where we fish. Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma is a big lake. Have not fished in all areas yet. Figure now that I am retired and will have a boat next year the fun will begin. Have no interest in the electronics of fishing. Sometimes tossing a cig butt in the water will tell you a lot on where the fish are. I will leave it at that.

 

[thill]

I upload my scans to Active Captain. No idea how many people use it, but why not?