If you are a traditionalist, read no further.

dezza · Jul 6, 2012

However if you love new ideas and gadgets, and want to catch more fish, this could be right up your street.

It's the Humminbird Smartcast Wireless Fishfinder. You attach the reciever to your rod, then you tie the sensor to the end of your line, cast it out, switch it on and bingo, you get a complete read out on the screen of the bottom, underwater snags, weedbeds and best of all - fish!

Have any of you ever tried one of these devices. I used to have a boat mounted sonar years ago that cost a fortune, but this device is only £98.00 from Fishtec.

Look it up on Google. Humminbird are a well respected American company.

I wonder when devices like this will be banned.

Would you buy one?

maceo · Jul 6, 2012

No I wouldn't.

It's unsporting in my view.

dannytaylor · Jul 6, 2012

Ive used one of these on a bait boat when deadbaiting for pike very useful for finding drop-off patrol features, However i would take the fish "symbol" which is supposed to illustrate fish in your swim with a pinch of salt its more often than not picking up weedbeds or large boulders etc. I dont often use one of these as i prefer to use a plumbing rod and take my time its very rewarding when you find features this way and it can sometimes be as enjoyable as the fishing itself........sometimes! However this finder was a friends who i was fishing with at chew. We only had limited time on the water so i saw this as a useful tool and took advantage.

I have a hummingbird finder mounted on my boat and i wouldn't be with out this on large waters. Again though i wouldn't take any notice of the fish symbol, much better to turn this option of and adjust the display setting you will then get a much better interpretation of what are features and what are fish.

barbelboi · Jul 6, 2012

The Hummingbird has been out many years now and I've often seen them in action. As Danny say's they're a good feature finder, you can map out a lake very quickly within 30m of the bank, but take the fish symbol signs (or lack of them) with a pinch of salt. Even if the fish symbol meant much we all know that there can be many fish in the swim completely ignoring your bait - why add to the frustration.

mg:
Jerry

dezza · Jul 6, 2012

Thanks for the comments guys. I think I'll take a raincheck on this device.

The Lowrance sonar we were using a few months ago certainly did indicate the presence of fish, and it certainly saved us a lot of petrol. I just wondered what this particular Humminbird sonar would do.

---------- Post added at 04:50 ---------- Previous post was at 04:49 ----------

maceo said:
No I wouldn't.

It's unsporting in my view.

So what is unsporting about it - especially when some of the world's most famous anglers are avid users of such devices?

bennygesserit · Jul 6, 2012

Ron The Hat Clay said:
Thanks for the comments guys. I think I'll take a raincheck on this device.

The Lowrance sonar we were using a few months ago certainly did indicate the presence of fish, and it certainly saved us a lot of petrol. I just wondered what this particular Humminbird sonar would do.

---------- Post added at 04:50 ---------- Previous post was at 04:49 ----------

So what is unsporting about it - especially when some of the world's most famous anglers are avid users of such devices?

I am not at all surprised to find that some of the world's most famous anglers are using these as they are a bunch of cheating lying self publicising fakers , with the exception of Matt Hayes.

itsfishingnotcatching · Jul 6, 2012

bennygesserit said:
they are a bunch of cheating lying self publicising fakers ,

There you go again Benny, sitting on the fence

sam vimes · Jul 6, 2012

A word of warning, the Humminbird sonar unit, when chucked about with a rod, is well known for not lasting very long. I went for a copycat Chinese unit, for a fraction of the price, direct from China. After a year of fairly light use, it's still working. However, don't expect to use them for fish finding and don't necessarily expect the depth readings to be blisteringly accurate. I use mine on rivers, particularly the Trent, for finding depressions (likely holding and bait accumulation areas) in the river bed. Once found you can pretty much predict where the bites are going to come when trotting a float.

WIRELESS PORTABLE DOT MATRIX FISH FINDER, SONAR, RADIO | eBay

Definitely not the be all and end all and not the great "cheat" that some seem to think they are. However, they can be a useful if a little limited tool.

maceo · Jul 6, 2012

So what is unsporting about it

Well it's just my point of view, that's all and how I personally like to fish. I wouldn't say they should be banned or condemn people for using them.

For me, it's getting an unfair electronic advantage in the battle of wits between you and the fish. I wouldn't get the satisfaction from catching if I'd electronically 'locked on target' using a device like that previously.

It's like turning up for a running race on a motorbike.

redfin123 · Jul 6, 2012

Ron The Hat Clay said:
However if you love new ideas and gadgets, and want to catch more fish, this could be right up your street.

It's the Humminbird Smartcast Wireless Fishfinder. You attach the reciever to your rod, then you tie the sensor to the end of your line, cast it out, switch it on and bingo, you get a complete read out on the screen of the bottom, underwater snags, weedbeds and best of all - fish!

Have any of you ever tried one of these devices. I used to have a boat mounted sonar years ago that cost a fortune, but this device is only £98.00 from Fishtec.

Look it up on Google. Humminbird are a well respected American company.

I wonder when devices like this will be banned.

Would you buy one?

Yes I am a traditionalist and I would,nt dream of using such a stupid toy. I put fish in the net using skills I have learned over years of dedication, not with silly gadgets. You get one ron little things please little minds.

sam vimes · Jul 6, 2012

maceo said:
I wouldn't get the satisfaction from catching if I'd electronically 'locked on target' using a device like that previously.

They aren't anything like as good as you think they are.

dezza · Jul 6, 2012

redfin123 said:
You get one ron little things please little minds.

Why do you have to be rude?

redfin123 · Jul 6, 2012

Ron The Hat Clay said:
Why do you have to be rude?

why are you always having a dig at traditionalists, watch one fishing the trent you might learn something.

dezza · Jul 6, 2012

redfin123 said:
why are you always having a dig at traditionalists, watch one fishing the trent you might learn something.

There is absolutely no reason to be rude. I have never had any digs at yourself. I make it a rule never to get personal, except perhaps if I am defending myself, and most times I just let it wash over me because often responding is tedious.

And much of the time when fishing the Trent I use traditional methods like trotting, legering and stret pegging. Am I not a traditionalist myself?

If I wanted to become a real traditionalist, I would obtain a source of chandlers greaves or bullocks pith and brains.

mark brailsford 2 · Jul 6, 2012

Sorry Ron,
but I just think it's one gadget to many IMO! Why buy a device like this when you can draw fish into your swim using angling skill (and ground bait) and you can use the money saved to buy a few decent season tickets

dezza · Jul 6, 2012

mark brailsford 2 said:
you can draw fish into your swim using angling skill (and ground bait) and you can use the money saved to buy a few decent season tickets

And also by observation and watercraft.

However I have in the past used a bassboat on lakes the size of English counties where a sonar system was often necessary to find fish.

And having found the fish, you still have to catch them.

chub_on_the_block · Jul 6, 2012

I wouldnt use one while fishing. Prefer to keep it to watercraft/observation, BUT if i was starting out on a new large-ish water and having a good walk around noting features etc, then something like this could be useful to get to know depths/ drop-offs. I wouldnt be looking for anything to locate fish, other than my eyes (or ears).

Nowadays I look for aerial views on google Earth - and thats certainly not something that was available traditionally - unless you could arrange a ballon-ride over somewhere!. Pity the views are often 5 years out of date though.

terry m · Jul 6, 2012

It's a personal view, but these are just not cricket.

I have actually seen this gadget in action, as was pointed out earlier in the thread they are nowhere near as good as they purport to be.

beerweasel · Jul 6, 2012

This is just another american gimmick, like those electronic fish attractors.
What next bowfishing ?

sam vimes · Jul 6, 2012

It's painfully apparent that some have never even seen one, let alone used one. The reality is that they do have a use, they aren't just a gimmick. However, that use is effectively as a glorified plummet. Now I'm not entirely certain how some of you plumb up on a big old river, but I'm happy that doing so with any degree of accuracy is nigh on impossible. (Usually it's a case of setting up and adjusting the depth until you start to trip bottom.) To find underwater features on a deep, turbid and, on the face of it, featureless expanse of water like the tidal Trent, is also nigh on impossible. These gizmos come into their own. Granted, if you are fishing a beautiful little chalk stream where you can see every feature, they probably aren't going to be much use to you. Likewise, if you miraculously expect them to reveal the exact location of shoals of fish, you are deluded. However, to write them off as cheating, or as a gimmick, is simply wrong. In the right situation they can be a useful tool. Ultimately, no one is going to force anyone to buy one and why would anyone else care if someone else uses one?

If using one of these is cheating why is a pair of polarised glasses any less of a cheat? Using technology to locate your quarry and maximize your chances of catching a few, yes please.

Honestly fellas, use them or not, your choice. But bandying words such as "cheat" around is overly emotive nonsense. Outside of a competition, who can you possibly be cheating?

If you are a traditionalist, read no further.

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