snake95

Can we start a fishfinder interpretation thread? Would be great to get input on: - What am I seeing? - What would you throw at it? Got out today with a new Garmin Striker Plus 7sv. Two main questions: 1. I think I am seeing fish hanging tight to the bottom (belly on bottom). Not too deep - 6 ft down or so. My first shot at these guys would be: drop shot, or bottom dragging jig (was thinking swing head with craw). 2. I get a lot of "chaff" in parts of the lake. I don't think these are tons of small fish, but more likely suspended debris like leaves. These are in a shallow GA pond with a small dam just upstream. Thanks, guys!

I agree. Sorry, did not mean it the way it may have come out. Probably non-standard usage of English on my part. Fixed it. Back to the topic at hand...

Interesting. Agreed about VMC. Will admit I didn't know that there was a significant contribution to bass techniques from Korea. Not surprised that is the case, just didn't realize that. I have read about bass fishing there, but still interesting to learn that.

I agree, the Jika Rig was out long ago (developed in Japan and implemented in North America several years ago). Seems like VMC is to thank for the more recent Tokyo Rig hype. I wish they picked a different name - we know largemouth are Big in Japan but it's hard to associate bass fishing with the city of Tokyo.

Not sure if you will be able to find them in Saskatchewan, but I have great luck in northern Ontario in the spring on plastic toads with buzzing feet, like the Zoom Horny Toad, a popular bass lure. Pike often miss on the first strike but they aren't too shy to take another swing the second or third or fourth cast. The small ones can put on acrobatics that rival a smallie when they are trying to hit a toad.

That was a good score. They have shown as out of stock at BPS and Cabelas for days now. On the bright side, I'd wager that they will also drop in price elsewhere over the Xmas period as the clearance becomes more widespread.

This is my favorite type, but Marie Sharps. Marie Sharp's various incarnations excel at both heat and flavor. I think the version I referenced above is the original. I did not know about Melinda's but I just learned through a quick search about controversy about how Melinda's developed from Marie Sharp's original. If you like vegetable-rich hot sauce give Marie Sharp's current version a try, you won't be disappointed.

Marie Sharps. Every version is excellent.

Type: impatient shallow water angler. Primarily because I've been a bank and Georgia jonboat fisherman. 60% of the time: spinning gear with soft plastics: senkos, flukes, and ned rigs; occasional dropshot. 40% of the time: baitcasters with T-rigs or moving baits of every description, so long as we are talking shallow water. I collect jigs and frogs but don't fish them much yet. Just getting into kayak fishing and that is changing my perspective on the world.

On a rocking canoe - the touchscreen could be a pain in the butt...try to pick one thing, canoe rocks just as you're about to 'hit' it - you do something else. For that I think I prefer the 'old fashioned method' I guess it depends how rough the waters you fish are. I've only compared them in a store display and based on that very non-representative experience, I would go with the touchscreen personally. @Fishingmickey actually has one and could share his experience (not sure if it's in a kayak or canoe?)

No, definitely not a touchscreen. That's very interesting. They always come out with something good to make us want to upgrade. Even if it is 4 weeks after a purchase of the last model.

I tried out the Striker Plus 7sv this afternoon. After one outing, a few comments and thoughts to consider. Yes it is incredibly easy to use, and effective. You turn it on and go. SI absolutely works at kayak paddling speeds. The push button approach is intuitive but clunky by modern standards. I would prefer touchscreen.

Thank you @J Francho your comments and example got me up and running. Here is the resolution to my thread: mounting an SI transducer with the Yak Attack switchblade, specifically the large transducer for the Garmin Striker Plus 7sv. 1. Shortened cantilevered bar at the top so that the unit hangs as close as possible to the side of the hull. 2. Removed the middle bar completely and then trimmed the lowest bar, so that the vertical arm consists only of the blade part of the switchblade, with a very short bar segment. **Note the transducer now hangs about 2 inches below bottom of hull (shorter than pics above). 3. Reversed the transducer orientation so that the tapered, rounded end is forward (makes intuitive sense) I tried it out in a pond and found: Overall: the unit works great! The 2 inch depth is shallow enough that a lot of disturbance to the unit is avoided. There is a distinct yellow bar at the top of my CHIRP to a depth of about 6-9 inches, and in the middle of the SI views. I assume this is because the unit is mounted so shallow and there is turbulence. ****maybe mounting deeper would avoid this???*** ***Side imaging absolutely works fine on the Garmin Striker at paddling speeds, without having to adjust the scroll. I don't know why I had problems on my first outing. *** This is a question that comes up on the board occasionally. Nothing like trying it out for yourself. Additionally: Having the unit in the middle of the boat is great in my opinion: easy to reach and view. Overall, the switchblade and the Striker seem to be a great simple combo. I might consider another arm, it is rigid enough with the mods described, but I am not blown away. It will work for me, but other options might be better. The Striker is also fine, more of a review to come...

I agree with MN. I compared specs and couldn't see a difference, aside from the color. The colors look cool! If anyone can tell us all what the practical advantage of the various colors are (aside from generating sales for Garmin) let us know!

Ya - the Striker Plus units might be heavily discounted as the new Striker Vivid units are due out in a week or two. I may wait and get one of those instead of a Plus. Ah... I just paid $500 for one about a month ago. I have a knack for this! Yes I am sure the reason they are on clearance is the new Vivid models coming out. They appear to have identical specs except the "vivid" coloration - someone tell me I am wrong.

This^^ I just got one and yes it comes with SV transducer included. Note the newer version is the Striker Plus 7SV. ***Correction*** Even the Striker Plus 7sv is being replaced, with the Striker Vivid 7sv per Garmin's website.

Good point, this is just an RS117, a basic model - no pod. I think the pods would be handy. Regardless there is still a transducer scupper. FWIW if anyone reads this and is wondering about screen positioning, based on my very limited experience so far, the RS117 track in the center of the kayak is a logical and accessible place to put the fishfinder mount.

That's a good question. Bear with me here, I am totally new to both kayak fishing and fish finders! I think you mean mounting on a bracket through a scupper hole, or inside the hull. First, side imaging. I bought a unit with SI. My understanding from reading posts by @J Francho and others is that side imaging won't work mounted directly to the hull. Secondly, I expect to be a little rough with this kayak and a transducer on the bottom might get bumped. Finally, just seemed like a really simple way to keep the unit portable, in case I want to use it on multiple kayaks etc. I am going to try this out, open to further suggestions.

Thanks for the advice, I shaved it down to 2 inches below the bottom of the hull and will test out and report back in after I get to test it out again. I also learned on my maiden voyage that I will take it to some shallow spots, so I was motivated to shorten it up. Maybe someone else starting out with a switchblade and SI transducer will stumble across this thread.

OK thanks @CountryboyinDC Making what I have work is preferable, but I will keep the Ram Mount in mind. I have a Ram mount for my phone which is excellent. I would say Yak Attack is partway there with this arm, but I am new to this and my only basis for picking it up was that it was an arm from a kayak accessory brand. The mount to the tracks would be more rigid if it is possible to add a second bolt. The mount can be bolted to a cellblock or directly to the kayak. The general arm arrangement is OK, but there is another arm segment that I have removed, in order to simplify it down to just horizontal and vertical bars with only one joint. Thanks. I left it a little longer for the pic since I can always shorten it further. I assume a little deeper is better for avoiding near-surface turbulence? Maybe it doesn't matter?

@J Francho After my mods, this is what it looks like. Let me know if you see anything obvious, but I think this should be a big improvement. Thanks again. *It is possible to reduce the depth a little more by trimming the vertical segment that extends down from the arm. I have not measured the depth below the hull at this point, just winged it. FWIW I don't love the bolting setup on the switchblade between the two vertical pieces. I would say that is the biggest disappointment in terms of basic design of this setup; maybe that will be fixed by YakAttack in a future revision.

I will post a pic. However.... There is no advice more effective than making a guy think about what the heck he has done by sharing a pic... so, I went and looked harder at what I am doing. I am an engineer: physics and common sense say that longer arms = more flex and joint loosening. I have tightened the bolts. That helped! I have now shortened the arm that cantilevers out over the side. Next move will be to reduce the depth of the transducer since it is currently about 12-16 inches below bottom of the boat. With this switchblade you can cut the rods to shorten them. @J Francho how shallow can/should I go with a side imaging transducer? (I take full responsibility if I cut it too short!! ? THEN I will take a pic and post!

As always, awesome. Thank you. Much appreciated.

Went for my first paddle with a Yak Attack Switchblade as the arm for my Garmin Striker Plus 7sv unit. It seemed really flimsy and the arm flopped all over the place. I am re-assessing. Aside from getting a different arm, if anyone has made this thing work for them, please let me know how! I have it set up directly onto a track on the side of the kayak. I don't have a Yak Attack cellblock, or mounted directly to the kayak. Might be as simple as: tighten connections more...

OK I will adjust the scroll speed! Thank you! One more question for you @J Francho Which deployment arm are you showing there? I got a Yak Attack switchblade and I found it to be flimsy. IT MIGHT BE ME - and I need to figure out how to tighten it down. I may make a separate post to learn how guys have managed to get this one working... but I might also just get the one that has worked well for you.