03-14-2014, 08:51 PM
[#FF0000]As for the question about using sonar in such shallow water, ive often wondered the same. Aside from knowing depth, I thought it was worthless, but now I see your point and will give it a go again.
[#0000FF]There are many trips on Utah Lake when about the only function of value from my sonar is depth reading. When we are slow dragging minnows or other catfish baits it is common to find active fish in very specific depths. If they are biting best in 4.5 feet of water we might as well not be using bait if we are in more or less than a foot either side of that. But it can and does change through the day, as the sun gets higher or the wind picks up or whatever. The hard part is guessing which way the fish will move. Sometimes they move out much deeper. Other times they cruise in to warm shallow water only a foot or two deep. When we stop getting bites at the previous productive depths we start making big S turns to go shallower or deeper until we find them again. That's an advantage to having a couple of other knowledgeable folks in the floatilla...with walkie talkies...so we can use alternate prospecting methods and share the knowledge.
I enjoyed the TM story. Had a buddy that had something similar happen...only with a big snapper turtle. Just about did a Polaris missile launch out of his tube.
Some sonars do not even give good readings in water less than about 5 or 6 feet deep.
[/#0000FF][/#FF0000]
[signature]
[#0000FF]There are many trips on Utah Lake when about the only function of value from my sonar is depth reading. When we are slow dragging minnows or other catfish baits it is common to find active fish in very specific depths. If they are biting best in 4.5 feet of water we might as well not be using bait if we are in more or less than a foot either side of that. But it can and does change through the day, as the sun gets higher or the wind picks up or whatever. The hard part is guessing which way the fish will move. Sometimes they move out much deeper. Other times they cruise in to warm shallow water only a foot or two deep. When we stop getting bites at the previous productive depths we start making big S turns to go shallower or deeper until we find them again. That's an advantage to having a couple of other knowledgeable folks in the floatilla...with walkie talkies...so we can use alternate prospecting methods and share the knowledge.
I enjoyed the TM story. Had a buddy that had something similar happen...only with a big snapper turtle. Just about did a Polaris missile launch out of his tube.
Some sonars do not even give good readings in water less than about 5 or 6 feet deep.
[/#0000FF][/#FF0000]
[signature]