I was just wondering what y'all do about electronics for your co-angler. Whether fishing with them or against them do you leave the console electronics on for them to look at or what do you do? Just thought of this when I was fishing a team tournament from the back of the boat over the weekend. Just a thought for when I get my boat in the next few weeks.

I keep my center console screen on for the back angler almost all the time. I may shut if off intermittently if we are fishing all day and I don't want the battery to die, or if the back angler isn't even looking at the graph. 

I keep mine on, show them how to switch between screens like the maps, DI, or SI, and let them adjust the RAM where they need it to be able to see the screen. If they don't want it then I'll turn it off though. 

I fish as a co angler in many tournaments during the year.

3 national circuit's, a local club and as many charity ones as I can.

99% of the time the center console units are left on, even if the boat has a bow mounted unit.

If there isn't one I'm constantly calling out any bottom changes, temp etc.

Regardless if we're in direct competition or not.

I feel It's just the right thing to do.

Mike

I put the console unit on demo mode, lol.

I usually turn mine off unless I forget for some reason.  No need to have 2 sonars pinging away, not sure how much of a difference it actually makes...but it's what I do.  Sometimes when I'm on tidal water and fishing really shallow areas I'll even turn off the front unit too.  

 

Saves battery too when fishing in one area for extended period of time, but that's just a secondary reason for me.  If the co-angler wants to know the depth all they need to do is ask.

From a co's point of view, I will keep an eye on it if left on to keep up on depth around points or humps. It is to out of the way to keep watching for details like specific bushes, trees or rocks. But it does help, unless its an area I feel I know well if the boater ask if I want it I will request to leave it on.

 

And if it is being left on a co should understand how to adjust it, but ask the boater if its okay to change it. Part of being a co for most of us is to learn, and we wish to one day have a boat of our own. Using whats available to you on different boats means you get to see different brands/models great time to take advantage.

I'm in total agreement with Mike L

I fish as a co-angler too. I want to know the depth and any other info I can get. Just like the boater does. Just common courtesy. Imo

If a guy turns it off, like Stratos, I pretty well know he's one of those guys that has no consideration for the co-angler. I shouldn't have to constantly ask "what is the depth" when there is a unit right there I could look at.

 

If a guy turns it off, like Stratos, I pretty well know he's one of those guys that has no consideration for the co-angler. I shouldn't have to constantly ask "what is the depth" when there is a unit right there I could look at.

LOL!  Couldn't be further from the truth...But thanks.  I have my reasons for doing what I do in every aspect of my boat operation and none of those reasons are to screw the co-angler.   FWIW I usually explain the areas I'm fishing so the co-angler knows whats going on, whether the console graph is on or off .

 

Sometimes a boater will do things that are not 100% favorable to a co-angler, whether it's this particular scenario, the way he's fishing (docks, for example), or anything else....It doesn't make them inconsiderate, it's just part of the game.  Just my opinion anyways, I've been doing it a long time and I'd like/hope to think the overwhelming majority of my co-anglers over the years have enjoyed themselves.  

Speaking as one of Logan's (Stratos20SS) co-anglers he is great to fish with. I have never once had to fish without the information I needed or had to ask for anything. I generally get more information than I expect from a boater. A lot of co's do not look at the electronics, if they are not being looked at there is absolutely no reason to leave them on.

I leave mine on and explain as best as I can the area but so many times I'll look back and he's just casting in random directions no clue what's goin on on the graph. I'll try to point them to the general area to cast too but a boater can only go so far with helping. If it was a long tournament where batteries might be am issue I don't see a huge problem of shutting it down.

As a boater, I leave mine on. It's not hurting anything and a lot of non-boaters will keep an eye on it. 

I put the console unit on demo mode, lol.

That's fun to watch!

A friend of mine loves to change sonar units to demo when know one is looking!

Tom

I use them to tv fish until the boater gets mad and turns them off