Hey all,

 

I'm a recreational fisherman but I do want to optimize my time on the water as its not always easy to get the time.

 

Been researching youtube, reddit and all sorts of articles which only made me more confused and overwhelmed.

 

I know technology changes and Im getting analysis paralysis waiting for the next evolution every year.

 

This would go on a kayak without a motor. 

 

My first question is do I need two different finders like I see everyone using or is there a universal one with all the features....side scan, live scan...etc

 

My budget is around $5K for the finder, transducer and as whacked as this may look...I am hoping to get the larger type screens with the highest frequency resolution for a kayak.

 

Are they accurate enough to decipher & see bass in vegetation?

 

It also appears that Garmin, Lowrance, and Hummingbird are the biggest players but its like Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge

 

Im also an old school purist in that I was hoping to use livescope to locate the fish but not use it as a video game type thing if that makes sense.

 

Thoughts?  Thanks for reading 

 

1 hour ago, Bass Car Willie said:

My first question is do I need two different finders like I see everyone using or is there a universal one with all the features....side scan, live scan...etc

The high end fish finders have all of the features you mention but only have one screen.  Your screen can be divided into different views so you can view multiple things at once.  Those who have multiple fish finders are doing it for the additional screen real estate.

 

1 hour ago, Bass Car Willie said:

Are they accurate enough to decipher & see bass in vegetation?

It depends on how thick the vegetation is and many other factors but generally it's hard to see fish in vegetation.

 

1 hour ago, Bass Car Willie said:

It also appears that Garmin, Lowrance, and Hummingbird are the biggest players but its like Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge

That's a tough question.  They all have some strengths and weaknesses but in general they all get the job done.  Unfortunately, there's no Toyota in this market.😊

The what depends on you.  I have owned Lowrance and Humminbird units.  I have fished with 2d sonar, down scan, side scan and Garmin and Humminbird live.  They all have units that with added transducers can do the job.  One unit should suffice for a Kayak.

 

I think Lowrance has the best 2d sonar, Humminbird has the best side and down scan while Garmin has the best live.  What’s most important to you?

 

Some of the questions that come up are:

What's going to be your method of propulsion on your kayak (paddle or pedal)?

     If your paddling you are going to have to find a location for your fish finder that will be clear when you are paddling and out of the way.  That is usually center mounted with the screen between your feet.  If your are pedaling, pedal kayaks you can mount closer to the seat and on one side or the other.  This makes it much easier to change screens on the unit and having the unit closer makes it much easier to see. 

    You mentioned a budget of 5K. That covers almost all of the high end single units up to about a 10 or 12" screen.  The higher end bigger screen units use much more power then a 7" or 9" screen without the livescope (Garmin), 360 mega view (Hummingbird) or active target (Lowrance).  Bigger units with those features require you to have a bigger battery for extended use. Bigger battery equals more weight, more space and having a good location to mount and stow your bigger battery.  Bigger units with the above features I mentioned your looking at minimum 30amp hr battery or larger for a full day ( 8 to 10 hours) on the water.

     How are you going to be transporting you kayak?  Car top, truck bed or trailer?  My recommendation is to remove your depth finder and battery when your transporting.

     All of the big three will give you good enough resolution to distinguish weeds and structure.

 I've been using Garmin and have Live scope. The Garmin 93 UHD 2 and up gives you a very clear picture of what's down there when using the down scan or side scan modes.  I have seen Hummingbird Helix and Solix units on the water and the down scan and sonar graphics are really good too.

     I hate to say this but look at You Tube and see what you like. there are a look of videos with decent reviews.  It's a big purchase and there is a lot of things to consider.

     What kind of kayak are you running?  What is the weight capacity? Where are you fishing? Rivers, lakes, bigger lakes? What are you looking for from the unit?

     What's your likelihood of dumping your kayak? What's going to happen to your fish finder, battery and gear if you flip.

     So summing it up. I love my Garmin.  Being able to tell whats down there and knowing your in a productive area that has fish and bait and how deep they are is very helpful in maximizing your time on the water.

Good luck in your hunt!

Fishingmickey

   

I appreciate for everyone taking the time to help.

 

This will be a major investment for me and I dont always know what questions to think about. 

 

I will not be peddling in the kayak.

 

So MEGA Live 2 ...if I get the right model and transducer would have all these different point of view modules in one unit?

I would go to a retail store that has display models and play around with a few of them in advance.  If you aren't already used to one of the major brands and how they operate, then try all three.  Many of use are using the brands we are today because its what we're used to, and we are creatures of habit.  Not necessarily because its the best or most ideal for what we want to do or how we fish.

 

I've used Lowrance since 2001, so I'm a perfect example.  Do I think the others are better at certain features than Lowrance?  Of course I do.  But I'm very familiar with the operation of Lowrance and it generally does what I want it to do, so I stick with it.

 

Also keep in mind that pretty much anything you go with now will probably be outdated in short time.  Marine electronics have rapidly changed over the years and each one tries to come out with the latest and greatest on an annual basis.

41 minutes ago, Bass Car Willie said:

I appreciate for everyone taking the time to help.

 

This will be a major investment for me and I dont always know what questions to think about. 

 

I will not be peddling in the kayak.

 

So MEGA Live 2 ...if I get the right model and transducer would have all these different point of view modules in one unit?

 

watch glen's video for one if you haven't already.  Then I'd recommend watching one for how fish finders actually work and what they are good for showing (and what they aren't good for showing).

 

A couple basics:

- A total fish finder setup means a head unit, a transducer, a mount, and a battery.

- Live imaging you can be sitting still for.  For basically all other bass fishing purposes you need to be moving for the fish finder to give you any type of useful image.  Yes it will display an image, but its just taking repeated snapshots of what's directly below you and not a scan of the surrounding area.  So keep that in mind- for your fish finder to be useful it means using it while you're paddling along ideally at a constant-ish speed.

- Mega live (and live scope and panoptix) are transducers.  They are live imaging transducers.  Terms like mega SI/DI, triple shot, split shot, and 3-in-1 are the common names for the non live imaging transducers from the various manufacturer.

- what imaging type you get will depend on what you buy.  Since you mentioned ML2 I'll use Humminbird terminology (with which I am familiar).  Side imaging (SI), Down imaging (DI), 2D/Chirp, and GPS are the main features in the head units as you would get them out of a box (let's leave out 360 and Live for a minute).  HBird starts with Chirp + GPS.  The next status up is Di which includes Chirp and GPS.  Then SI includes Di, Chirp, and GPS.  SI is the most fully features model.  You will also see reference to Mega and '+' in the descriptions which are references to the higher frequencies available on those models and which are depenent on the transducer and not as much the head unit. If you buy a SI unit, then you will have all of the other views available as well.

- Mega Live and 360 Imaging are add on transducers.  In theory you could buy a control head only (no transducer) which is Si capable and add on ML/360 and in that case you would NOT have side/down imaging though your unit would be capable.  You just wouldn't have the transducer for it.  In practice, so long as the head unit you buy comes with a transducer then that won't happen.

 

Now to your specifics.

 

What do you want to do with the fish finder?  what are you expecting it to do for your fishing?  Those answers will inform what you need.  I'm going to say that you almost certainly don't need to spend $5k and you most probably don't need 2 head units. 

 

For a kayak, the 7-9" size is a pretty big unit but still decently manageable.  As you start to get bigger you start to need specialized mounts and the total weight of the head unit gets to be a lot.  Even going from 7" to 9" is a huge jump in size.  Bigger screens are nice if you're trying to split it 3 ways and still have a big SI or Live image.  If you're using live imaging and trying to scan out to 75'  in 30' of water while watching a 3" bait then a big screen would be nice.  Outside of those scenarios, a 9" screen can do a ton and be very clear.

 

You asked about vegetation.  You're in CT and your waters are a lot like mine.  I'm going to say that the answer to your question is 'no'- they aren't going to pick up bass in vegetation the way I think you're thinking about it.  I might be interpreting you wrong, but if you have a grass bed on a big flat you're asking if it will show you were in that grass bed the fish are.  The answer is no.  Think of the transducer as a flashlight.  From where you're sitting right now, look around the room and pick out a couple objects between you and the wall.  Now shine your flashlight at the wall.  The objects are clumps of grass.  Do the objects block the light from shining behind them on the wall?  What if there was a fish behind that object, would it be lit up with the flashlight?  That's how sonar works.  The beams get blocked by whatever they hit.  They can't see behind objects.  If the fish is in front of the grass in the open then it might be able to pick it out.  If its inside the edge of the grass, then depending on how thick the grass is you probably won't see the fish.  Below are two examples.  the top is a split screen of down/chirp/side imaging.  The second is live from the same place.  That grass is 5-6' from bottom to top.  Notice you can't see 'inside' of the grass in any of the images (yes, the 2D is 'hot' and could be better).  There are certainly fish in there (I caught some skimming the top of it). 

 

 

 

 

If the grass is thinner, then you might be able to pick out fish.  The image below is a pretty heavy crop from a bigger picture, but you can see the sparseness of the grass in the down imaging (blue)  on the left of the image and you might be able to pick up fish in that.  The heavier grass on the right (which you can see in the SI on top) you couldn't pick one out.  So relying on your FF to pick up fish IN grass isn't something I would do.

 

52 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

watch glen's video for one if you haven't already.  Then I'd recommend watching one for how fish finders actually work and what they are good for showing (and what they aren't good for showing).

 

A couple basics:

- A total fish finder setup means a head unit, a transducer, a mount, and a battery.

- Live imaging you can be sitting still for.  For basically all other bass fishing purposes you need to be moving for the fish finder to give you any type of useful image.  Yes it will display an image, but its just taking repeated snapshots of what's directly below you and not a scan of the surrounding area.  So keep that in mind- for your fish finder to be useful it means using it while you're paddling along ideally at a constant-ish speed.

- Mega live (and live scope and panoptix) are transducers.  They are live imaging transducers.  Terms like mega SI/DI, triple shot, split shot, and 3-in-1 are the common names for the non live imaging transducers from the various manufacturer.

- what imaging type you get will depend on what you buy.  Since you mentioned ML2 I'll use Humminbird terminology (with which I am familiar).  Side imaging (SI), Down imaging (DI), 2D/Chirp, and GPS are the main features in the head units as you would get them out of a box (let's leave out 360 and Live for a minute).  HBird starts with Chirp + GPS.  The next status up is Di which includes Chirp and GPS.  Then SI includes Di, Chirp, and GPS.  SI is the most fully features model.  You will also see reference to Mega and '+' in the descriptions which are references to the higher frequencies available on those models and which are depenent on the transducer and not as much the head unit. If you buy a SI unit, then you will have all of the other views available as well.

- Mega Live and 360 Imaging are add on transducers.  In theory you could buy a control head only (no transducer) which is Si capable and add on ML/360 and in that case you would NOT have side/down imaging though your unit would be capable.  You just wouldn't have the transducer for it.  In practice, so long as the head unit you buy comes with a transducer then that won't happen.

 

Now to your specifics.

 

What do you want to do with the fish finder?  what are you expecting it to do for your fishing?  Those answers will inform what you need.  I'm going to say that you almost certainly don't need to spend $5k and you most probably don't need 2 head units. 

 

For a kayak, the 7-9" size is a pretty big unit but still decently manageable.  As you start to get bigger you start to need specialized mounts and the total weight of the head unit gets to be a lot.  Even going from 7" to 9" is a huge jump in size.  Bigger screens are nice if you're trying to split it 3 ways and still have a big SI or Live image.  If you're using live imaging and trying to scan out to 75'  in 30' of water while watching a 3" bait then a big screen would be nice.  Outside of those scenarios, a 9" screen can do a ton and be very clear.

 

You asked about vegetation.  You're in CT and your waters are a lot like mine.  I'm going to say that the answer to your question is 'no'- they aren't going to pick up bass in vegetation the way I think you're thinking about it.  I might be interpreting you wrong, but if you have a grass bed on a big flat you're asking if it will show you were in that grass bed the fish are.  The answer is no.  Think of the transducer as a flashlight.  From where you're sitting right now, look around the room and pick out a couple objects between you and the wall.  Now shine your flashlight at the wall.  The objects are clumps of grass.  Do the objects block the light from shining behind them on the wall?  What if there was a fish behind that object, would it be lit up with the flashlight?  That's how sonar works.  The beams get blocked by whatever they hit.  They can't see behind objects.  If the fish is in front of the grass in the open then it might be able to pick it out.  If its inside the edge of the grass, then depending on how thick the grass is you probably won't see the fish.  Below are two examples.  the top is a split screen of down/chirp/side imaging.  The second is live from the same place.  That grass is 5-6' from bottom to top.  Notice you can't see 'inside' of the grass in any of the images (yes, the 2D is 'hot' and could be better).  There are certainly fish in there (I caught some skimming the top of it). 

 

 

 

 

If the grass is thinner, then you might be able to pick out fish.  The image below is a pretty heavy crop from a bigger picture, but you can see the sparseness of the grass in the down imaging (blue)  on the left of the image and you might be able to pick up fish in that.  The heavier grass on the right (which you can see in the SI on top) you couldn't pick one out.  So relying on your FF to pick up fish IN grass isn't something I would do.

 

 

Great stuff man! 

 

I wish I can describe the type of vegetation but in theory I was thinking of using it for flipping and under a high gain or sharper threshold setting (not sure what the proper terminology is) I would see a darker solid object (bass) in the heavy vegetation. 

 

Then after hours utilizing the the sonar I would hope to think that I would be trained enough in sight seeing to see good looking vegetation if you will and may not need the fish finder training wheels if you will all the time.

 

I need to digest what you explained to me but I will definitely share what I spec out for a system for feedback. 

 

I will checkout that video too

 

Thanks! 

42 minutes ago, Bass Car Willie said:

 

 

I wish I can describe the type of vegetation but in theory I was thinking of using it for flipping and under a high gain or sharper threshold setting (not sure what the proper terminology is) I would see a darker solid object (bass) in the heavy vegetation. 

 

 

no. That’s not going to happen. 

7 hours ago, Bass Car Willie said:

My budget is around $5K for the finder, transducer

 

Firstly, WELCOME to the BassResource family.

 

I have no experience with the new 3D/Live stuff.  But your budget sure allows it.

 

I have a 7" Lowrance Elite Ti2 on my kayak with a side scan transducer mounted on a RAM arm.  I mounted my Ti2 on a removable mount on the right side rail on my kayak.  It's within reach and out of the way of casting & landing fish.

 

I find 7" plenty big for a kayak.  I power it with a 12 Ah Dakota Lithium battery and get three full days from a charge.

 

As far as Ford, GM (I'm a Buick guy), and Dodge, I have friends that have Garmin units and find their screens much better than my older Lowrance.  The Lowrance, however, is easier to navigate/operate for me.  Navionics mapping in Plymouth/Cape Cod is decent.

 

Since you're in CT, I suggest calling the folks at Bass Fishin Electronics in NH.  The owner is a true enthusiast and will take the time to answer your questions.  I needed parts for my Ghost trolling motor and they were more than helpful.  Their store is EXACTLY what you'd expect a bass fishing electronics shop to look like.  Here's a link: https://www.bassfishinelectronics.com/

 

Good luck rigging your kayak.  We New Englanders hope to see you posting a lot on the EASTERN MA & NEW ENGLAND AREA thread found in this forum.

Definitely didn't have the budget you have for mine but if you happen to have an old town kayak the hummingbird fish finders pair well with them (both are johnson outdoors companies). Did a fair amount of going through youtube videos to figure out what I was going to do and ended up using this video to install mine without having to drill into the kayak at all:

 

also went with the mount he suggested in the video and it has been working well too. If you don't have an old town kayak and end up liking a different brand for the fish finder I'd still suggest looking into how well the two actually pair together and making sure you have a compatible mount. Good luck, and hope you end up liking what you decide to go with.

 

Also, one last thing I'd point out is I don't use FFS but if you want to get into that (and you definitely can w/ that kind of budget) I've heard others say the Hummingbird option is not the one they'd go with and most people seem to suggest Lawrence or Garmin for that...active target seems to be the one I hear about the most but there's plenty of FFS kayak stuff on youtube too and some interesting looking stuff from ICAST this year...

Lots of good info here so I’ll keep it simple. Go to a store with display models and see what manufacturers interface is friendly to you and that should help narrow your decision, screen size as well. 

 

All of the major manufacturers are competitive, one may be a little better here, others a little better there but at the end of the day, it’s not light years better so you can’t make a bad choice.

Without a boat now advances in sonar has left me in the wake.

Like nearly everything choose a product with outstanding customer service you will need it.

No reason to buy the latest and greatest unless you competitively fish tournaments.

When you have reduce your choices I suggest hiring a guide who has the units your are interested in getting. On the water tutorial is well worth  it.Happy Holidays🎅🏻

Tom

 

 

^ very good point some guides even have dedicated show me how ffs works type bookings. Also a good point that honestly all this ffs is a bit over the top and just people trying to get other people to buy more crap sometimes. You might even find that they have a model similar to the one you were thinking about dropping a bunch of money on and you go and buy that lure that is SOOO HOT right now and still have a bad day...One of the guys I actually respect a lot just put out a video about how the rapala countdown is the now next big thing (even though it's old as hell). Was a little disappointed to see it to be honest I don't think the lure matters that much ffs lets you see the fish more clearly and you put any bait in front of more fish of course you are going to catch more.

 

This thread did get me down a bit of a rabbit hole earlier this morning for what it's worth I might look at that new lowrance one going for 1k that they demo'd at ICAST this year looks cool but that would be the most I'd spend and even then having to hang a pole across the side of my kayak and lower and raise it all the time would probably make me feel like I was in the navy more than going out to relax, kayak and maybe catch a few fish.

 

If you are interested in 'decipher & see bass in vegetation' ffs is going to be your best bet and lowrance and garmin have the two best options out there right now...decent sale on the garmin at scheels at the moment from the looks of it but again you seem like you are just in the early stages of figuring out what all this stuff even is so I'd be careful before handing over that much cash to someone.

 

I'm going to be the naysayer here and advise you to not purchase a FFS unit as your first unit.  Think about this, if you will; Right now, you don't know how to interpret 2D sonar, Down Scan, Side Scan, what mgh setting is appropriate for the depth of water you're fishing, etc. I suggest getting a unit like a LOWRANCE Hook 2 Tripple shot, the 7in. version. It does all three and with auto settings, it's basically the best plug and play option, IMO, for someone starting out. Take a season to learn how to interpret those forms of sonar. When you're confident with your ability with those forms of sonar, sell it and go out and get a unit that offers it all.You'll likely get a better FFS unit than one you could purchase now or the price of the current offerings could go down. Getting frustrated attempting to learn everything, is not a good and that statement applies to just about any subject.

21 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I'm going to be the naysayer here and advise you to not purchase a FFS unit as your first unit.  Think about this, if you will; Right now, you don't know how to interpret 2D sonar, Down Scan, Side Scan, what mgh setting is appropriate for the depth of water you're fishing, etc. I suggest getting a unit like a LOWRANCE Hook 2 Tripple shot, the 7in. version. It does all three and with auto settings, it's basically the best plug and play option, IMO, for someone starting out. Take a season to learn how to interpret those forms of sonar. When you're confident with your ability with those forms of sonar, sell it and go out and get a unit that offers it all.You'll likely get a better FFS unit than one you could purchase now or the price of the current offerings could go down. Getting frustrated attempting to learn everything, is not a good and that statement applies to just about any subject.

I would say that if your intention is to use ffs as a fish catching tool then you don’t need to learn the others first. They are so different in how they work that one isn’t required for the other. That said, ffs isn’t the best for defining cover or locating fish in the first place. That’s a different skillset. 

On 12/20/2024 at 3:20 PM, DogBone_384 said:

 

Firstly, WELCOME to the BassResource family.

 

I have no experience with the new 3D/Live stuff.  But your budget sure allows it.

 

I have a 7" Lowrance Elite Ti2 on my kayak with a side scan transducer mounted on a RAM arm.  I mounted my Ti2 on a removable mount on the right side rail on my kayak.  It's within reach and out of the way of casting & landing fish.

 

I find 7" plenty big for a kayak.  I power it with a 12 Ah Dakota Lithium battery and get three full days from a charge.

 

As far as Ford, GM (I'm a Buick guy), and Dodge, I have friends that have Garmin units and find their screens much better than my older Lowrance.  The Lowrance, however, is easier to navigate/operate for me.  Navionics mapping in Plymouth/Cape Cod is decent.

 

Since you're in CT, I suggest calling the folks at Bass Fishin Electronics in NH.  The owner is a true enthusiast and will take the time to answer your questions.  I needed parts for my Ghost trolling motor and they were more than helpful.  Their store is EXACTLY what you'd expect a bass fishing electronics shop to look like.  Here's a link: https://www.bassfishinelectronics.com/

 

Good luck rigging your kayak.  We New Englanders hope to see you posting a lot on the EASTERN MA & NEW ENGLAND AREA thread found in this forum.

 

Thanks for sharing and the source DogBone. 

On 12/21/2024 at 4:27 AM, Brian11719 said:

Definitely didn't have the budget you have for mine but if you happen to have an old town kayak the hummingbird fish finders pair well with them (both are johnson outdoors companies). Did a fair amount of going through youtube videos to figure out what I was going to do and ended up using this video to install mine without having to drill into the kayak at all:

 

also went with the mount he suggested in the video and it has been working well too. If you don't have an old town kayak and end up liking a different brand for the fish finder I'd still suggest looking into how well the two actually pair together and making sure you have a compatible mount. Good luck, and hope you end up liking what you decide to go with.

 

Also, one last thing I'd point out is I don't use FFS but if you want to get into that (and you definitely can w/ that kind of budget) I've heard others say the Hummingbird option is not the one they'd go with and most people seem to suggest Lawrence or Garmin for that...active target seems to be the one I hear about the most but there's plenty of FFS kayak stuff on youtube too and some interesting looking stuff from ICAST this year...

 

Thanks for sharing Brian.   I have a cheap Kayak from Dicks vs these high end rigs I see on the net. 

Biggest reason is like going in the type of water that is tough to get into.  This thing is about 40 lbs and I know I will have to consider the transducer and the screen and the battery...probably put some of this in a back pack. 

On 12/21/2024 at 9:35 PM, Brian11719 said:

^ very good point some guides even have dedicated show me how ffs works type bookings. Also a good point that honestly all this ffs is a bit over the top and just people trying to get other people to buy more crap sometimes. You might even find that they have a model similar to the one you were thinking about dropping a bunch of money on and you go and buy that lure that is SOOO HOT right now and still have a bad day...One of the guys I actually respect a lot just put out a video about how the rapala countdown is the now next big thing (even though it's old as hell). Was a little disappointed to see it to be honest I don't think the lure matters that much ffs lets you see the fish more clearly and you put any bait in front of more fish of course you are going to catch more.

 

This thread did get me down a bit of a rabbit hole earlier this morning for what it's worth I might look at that new lowrance one going for 1k that they demo'd at ICAST this year looks cool but that would be the most I'd spend and even then having to hang a pole across the side of my kayak and lower and raise it all the time would probably make me feel like I was in the navy more than going out to relax, kayak and maybe catch a few fish.

 

If you are interested in 'decipher & see bass in vegetation' ffs is going to be your best bet and lowrance and garmin have the two best options out there right now...decent sale on the garmin at scheels at the moment from the looks of it but again you seem like you are just in the early stages of figuring out what all this stuff even is so I'd be careful before handing over that much cash to someone.

 

I know all my friends think I am nuts but I fell in love with a basic hummingbird finder my cousin was using while creating a bread crumb trail. 

 

He was patient but we scouted the lake for several hours and by his experience he got us on the fish and taught me how to see how they were holding based on a thunderstorm where they were blowing up bait fish and then they were right inside the weedlines a couple hours later.

 

My point is I would have spent that entire day using a senko where I later changed to a heavy brush hog that really got in the vegetation. 

 

On 12/21/2024 at 9:35 PM, Brian11719 said:

 

 

On 12/22/2024 at 12:24 AM, papajoe222 said:

I'm going to be the naysayer here and advise you to not purchase a FFS unit as your first unit.  Think about this, if you will; Right now, you don't know how to interpret 2D sonar, Down Scan, Side Scan, what mgh setting is appropriate for the depth of water you're fishing, etc. I suggest getting a unit like a LOWRANCE Hook 2 Tripple shot, the 7in. version. It does all three and with auto settings, it's basically the best plug and play option, IMO, for someone starting out. Take a season to learn how to interpret those forms of sonar. When you're confident with your ability with those forms of sonar, sell it and go out and get a unit that offers it all.You'll likely get a better FFS unit than one you could purchase now or the price of the current offerings could go down. Getting frustrated attempting to learn everything, is not a good and that statement applies to just about any subject.

 

Yeah PapaJoe...I see your point.  Maybe I should scale it back a notch as I have no experience with any type of technology.  

 

To each there own but I would not get the same adrenaline rush watching a video screen in realtime vs studying structure and relating a pattern vs the structure and where the fish are staging. 

Hey Bass Resource Nation,

I appreciate your advice from all you took the time.  

I am not one who can just get the best of the best in all the hobbies I enjoy every year so this will be an exception than the rule. ha 

Maybe I do take a step back and get a starter unit like PapaJoe advised. 

That video was a good video for a breakdown of what I need to consider based on which transducer does what function.

 

Thanks!

 

Hey Bass Resource,

Finally Inching closer to my dream. 

Not having a crystal proved out to where other needs took priority that I had not planned on.

 

Here is the bundle that I am eyeing. 

 

https://www.basspro.com/p/garmin-echomap-ultra-2-126sv-fish-finder-chartplotter-and-garmin-livescope

 

A few more questions if you dont mind.

 

How do I size the battery and can you help me spec that out? 

 

I have this going on a kayak so can someone please hep on what you recommend as some type of shaft to have the transducers mounted on?

 

I believe this comes with both transducers and I am hoping I can mount the two on one shaft or is that an interference nightmare waiting to happen? 

 

I was going to use a simple C clamp type mount until I get comfortable and then get a nice Al bracket.

 

As I mentioned a while ago ..I started to have analysis paralysis by waiting for the next big game changer....specifically resolution. 

 

The thought is that by higher resolution and pixel density...I would be able to detect bass tight to weeds but based on your feedback that may be years away. 

 

I hope its OK to ask on who you recommend I purchase all of this from.

 

I dont believe my local Cabelas or Bass Pro have many fish finders on display or otherwise I would get it from there as the guys seem very knowledgeable and dont appear to be all commission drive but do it for the love of the Sport. 

 

Do any places sell refurbs? 

 

My objective is to learn what goes on underneath and how fish relate to cover. 

Call me an old school purist but I just dont get an adrenaline rush enticing a crappie on live TV. ha 

 

Thanks for reading!

That’s a good unit for live imaging and LVS34 is at the top of the bunch for imaging.  

 

I wouldn’t assume it comes with the side imaging transducer.  That webpage doesn’t detail that so don’t assume it.  That could just be a live imaging only bundle which would be a control head only unit plus the live imaging add ons.

 

For the battery, you need to look up the max draw of the unit.  I think all of those bits will add up around 5 amps at max draw.  Then figure out how long you need it to work on the water.  If you need 9 hours, then that’s 45 amp hours.  A 50 amp lithium would be as small as you could go.  You don’t draw a lithium below 10% (or some makers have the 10% already built into the stated capacity so a 50 is actually 50).  I used a helix 9 and ML1 on a 30 AH battery and could fish the day.  That screen is bigger and the black box has a draw too.

 

Look at sniper marine, summit, or fishing specialties for a pole mount.  I had FS.  Koz on here did too I think but has gone sniper now.  Fry dog had one or the other also.  You’re only going to put the live imaging on it.  You’ll have to mount side imaging separately.  

On 7/12/2025 at 2:32 PM, casts_by_fly said:

That’s a good unit for live imaging and LVS34 is at the top of the bunch for imaging.  

 

I wouldn’t assume it comes with the side imaging transducer.  That webpage doesn’t detail that so don’t assume it.  That could just be a live imaging only bundle which would be a control head only unit plus the live imaging add ons.

 

For the battery, you need to look up the max draw of the unit.  I think all of those bits will add up around 5 amps at max draw.  Then figure out how long you need it to work on the water.  If you need 9 hours, then that’s 45 amp hours.  A 50 amp lithium would be as small as you could go.  You don’t draw a lithium below 10% (or some makers have the 10% already built into the stated capacity so a 50 is actually 50).  I used a helix 9 and ML1 on a 30 AH battery and could fish the day.  That screen is bigger and the black box has a draw too.

 

Look at sniper marine, summit, or fishing specialties for a pole mount.  I had FS.  Koz on here did too I think but has gone sniper now.  Fry dog had one or the other also.  You’re only going to put the live imaging on it.  You’ll have to mount side imaging separately.  

 

Thanks for your detailed response casts_by_fly.

 

To your point it looks like I would need to add this transducer for the side scan module.

 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/garmin-gt56uhd-tm-uhd-transducer-black#

 

I really appreciate the  time you took to explain the sizing of the battery.

 

I have more research to do now. ha 

 

 

Would I have to get two independent sniper poles if I was to look at livescope and front/side scan simultaneously? 

Not sure if two transducers on the same pole would cause noise interference.

 

Sorry for maybe a silly question. Thanks  

A sniper pole is only for FFS.  It will only fit one transducer.  The purpose of having the pole is so that you can rotate it like FFS needs to be.

 

The side imaging transducer needs to be mounted separately.  It does NOT rotate so you won't want a sniper pole or similar for it.  Depending on your kayak, mounting the transducer to the kayak itself is probably a better choice.  Old town kayaks have a great mount location towards the bow on the underside.  If you have scupper plugs, you could use a scubber hole mount also.  If you don't want to permanently mount it, then look into the switchblade rail mount setup.