I can see the value of fish finders for those who use them, and I believe there are times I would catch more fish if I had one, but I get satisfaction out of learning a body of water using only the senses god gave me. For me they are a distraction that reduces my focus on the fishing. I'd say to each his own, we all make choices on the tools we use to be successful. They are just another tool.
By the way, my dad uses a pretty neat little device. It is a depth finder that I believe was designed for ice fishing. It is about the size of a flashlight. You point it at the bottom and push the button and it gives you the depth reading. Maybe something for your Christmas list.......... Ross > > > > > > > Dang, you guys are a tough audience to play to. By "unfair advantage", I do > not mean to imply that having a fishfinder puts fish on the line. What I > really meant is that it replaces some of the old fashioned trial and error > routines we use to learn waters, such as where the dropoffs are, which can > be enjoyment in and of itself. In this day and age when time is such a > precious commodity, it may be a necessity when fishing new waters (or at > least, a decided advantage) to having a depth finder/fish finder. It does > not, and never will, replace the skills needed to have said fish which show > up on the finder actually take the fly. To those who regularly fish with > fishfinders, more power to you. Fishing to me, at this time in my life, > consists a great deal in just getting away from the pressures of family and > work, and enjoying the enviornment where I am fishing. Catching is > secondary, and the more challenging the better. I actually have a depth > finder, old flasher type, built from a kit years ago which was used to find > depths, underwater stuctures, etc., in my salmon fishing days on Puget > Sound. But there are still arguements for developing the the skills to read > a lake, albeit harder than reading a river or stream. But there are subtle > things you can look for, and I enjoy looking for them. > > On a side note, I have quite often caught trout in areas where a buddies > fish finder said there were no fish, yet he was doing nothing in an area > supposedly showing all kinds of fish. Perhaps that is adjusting the fish > finder properly, and learning to read it correctly. Now what I really want > is a GPS unit, so when I run into a hot spot, I will have the ability to > return to the exact same spot on another trip. Yes I have tried the trick of > marking an "X" on the side of my boat when I find a hot spot, but for some > reason it just doesn't seem to work..(kidding of course). Thanks for all the > input. Will probably not buy a fish finder for use in my pontoon boat, as if > there is something my fly can snag onto, I assure you I will be able to find > it, but I may consider one for my pram with a small permanently mounted one. > > Thanks, > > Roger > > > > > >From: "Richard Embry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: Re: Fish Finders > >Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 12:08:20 -0800 > > > >I'm a little late to the party in this thread, but here it goes anyway . . > >. > > > >I agree with Keith with this one. How does it make it unfair? Just > >because > >a person "marks" fish, if they do, on their depth finder, that doesn't mean > >they'll catch the fish. Looking at the issue from a different angle, if > >I'm > >not catching fish, I at least have the excuse "oh, they're not here". If I > >have a fish finder, and I KNOW the fish are there, but I can't get them to > >bite, that's a pretty tough blow to most folk's ego, and one of the best > >excuses around of "The fishies ain't here" is no longer available. > > > >Just because a person may know where the fish are doesn't mean they'll get > >them to bite. I find the fish finders are a great tool for charting depth > >and structure. > > > >Richard > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Keith Bell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 7:55 AM > >Subject: RE: Fish Finders > > > > > > > I'm not sure how a person arrives at the notion that a fishfinder is an > > > unfair advantage. Is the technology of polarized glasses unfair? How > > > about fiberglass or graphite? I've used a fish finder for about 15 > > > years. I just moved up to a Bottomline 4300 that I've converted to a > > > portable. In addition to giving me depth, which is very important, the > > > detail lets me know exactly what bottom conditions are like. I can also > > > see the different size of fish very well. While you can see fish with > > > them it's rare that you feel as though you might have caught a specific > > > fish that you "marked." As far as the finding fish aspect goes the > > > advantage is that you may be able to focus on water where you know that > > > you see fish and eliminate water without. Keep in mind that because of > > > the narrowness of the transducer cone you have to be in water that is > > > deeper than about 15 feet before the odds of seeing a fish a very great. > > > The Bottomlines have a sidefinder that's alleged to help with the depths > > > above 15 feet. Because it only shows "fish" on the screen as symbols > > > instead of actual pixels and because of many false positive readings I > > > haven't developed a lot of confidence in it. > > > > > > However, I wouldn't try to convince anyone to use a fishfinder or any > > > other piece of equipment. If you think its an unfair advantage I'm okay > > > with that; suit yourself. > > > > > > Keith > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of ffishnfly > > > chatterton > > > Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 5:55 AM > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Subject: Fish Finders > > > > > > > > > Here is something I have always wanted to query this group about, and > > > have > > > never got around to asking. For those flyfishing in lakes from float > > > tubes, > > > pontoon boats, prams, etc., do you use a fishfinder/depthfinder? What > > > are > > > the advantages/disadvantages? Personally, I have never felt it necessary > > > to > > > use one because feel it gives an unfair advantage in the search process > > > for > > > fish, but I have seen more and more flyfisherman using them on lakes > > > lately. > > > To me they are just one more thing to snag up my gear on, another > > > costly > > > item, and feel they give one an unfair advantage. But I have been known > > > to > > > be wrong from time to time. Convince me that I need one, or give me some > > > > > > reinforcement that they are not needed. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > Roger > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. > > > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail >
