I fish shallow all the time down here in the Florida everglades (2-3ft) and never use electronics. The only time that it comes on is when I first launch to get the water temp. Then it goes off and stays off all night or all day. I always manage to catch big fish without the electronics, 4 trophy bass (8 pounds and up) last few weeks, including scores of smaller fish. Not bad for no electronics. Or, as for that matter, electronics not needed to get the bigguns!

On 2/26/2023 at 5:02 AM, Woody B said:

How many mature bucks would be killed (legally, during the daytime) if it wasn't for the rut?   

In my case, none.  Because the 9 day season falls during the rut and I do not hunt deer other than during that 9 day season every November.

 

A fair amount of mature bucks are taken pre-rut by archery hunters though.  That usually falls during the second half of October here.

If I'm fishing a new lake, or one that I haven't been on in a while, I will use the sonar.  If I fish the lake a lot and I know pretty much where the bass will likely be the sonar stays off or at home altogether.