March 2009
New Tip of the Week
New boat
control article added. http://www.hightechfishing.com/tipoftheweek.html
Final
2009 Lowrance Schools and Mapping Classes
All
sites have large classrooms so I should have room for late registrations.
March
24 Cabela’s Rogers, MN
March
28 Scheels Des Moines, IA
April
2 Scheels Mankato, MN
April
18 Scheels Bismarck, ND
April
19 Gander Mountain, ND
Go to http://www.hightechfishing.com/schedule.html for details and
registration forms on
the
classes.
Free Seminars
R&R
Marine Shakopee, MN 10 AM Saturday April 4 “Interpreting the Sonar
Display and using Aqua-Vu for confirmation”
Cabela’s
Rogers, MN Sat April 25 “Interpreting the Sonar Display and using Aqua-Vu
for confirmation”
Go to http://www.hightechfishing.com/schedule.html for details on
seminars.
HDS 2nd
Review
I
have only seen a few photos of the side viewing feature and I plan on looking
at structure that I understand first. I have not heard of any date for the
release except it will be in 2009. It appears that the side viewing will work
with any HDS model by adding a different transducer. I will collect lots of
side viewing images with matching Aqua-Vu images this year and work on a DVD
for interpreting side imaging next winter if I get the side viewing before the
water freezes!
DrDepth BT (bottom
hardness) Edition (2nd review)
I
demonstrated these maps in the last newsletter but I figured out a way for
everybody to see the bottom hardness map on your Lowrance plus the depth
contours. Since I have a laptop in the boat I can view the colored depth and
hardness maps shown below on the water and I figured out a way with DrDepth for
Lowrance users to use the bottom hardness data.
I combined
the above maps as a LCM for Lowrance. I used the nightview selection in order
to demonstrate the lines clearly. The black lines are depth lines and the cyan
lines are the bottom hardness lines. Bottom hardness 40 is softest and 120
hardest. The labels overlap so it can be hard to interpret, but not bad for a
homemade map. The point is that you can clearly see hard bottom extending past
the point and “we care”! I did all of this with DrDepth.
Now let the
ice thaw and I have some spots to collect data for some more testing.
I should
have some interesting images to share of side imaging, and bottom hardness maps
after this summer.
Fun Stuff
Doc’s
Tournament schedule
AIM Pro
Walleye Series Akaska and Winnibigoshish
FLW Walleye
Tour Winnebago and Red Wing
Go to www.aimfishing.com for details on the new Pro Walleye
Series and registration forms for pros and co-anglers.
I am
excited for these locations as I have been to 3 of the locations and the 4th
is easy for me (Minnesota structure fishing).
The AIM
tournaments will be interesting with the CRR format. This is new and will
spread out the fields. The tight slot limits for walleye fishing have limited
fishing skills for big fish since you can’t keep them. Big fish are
harder to pattern because they are fewer so you have limited information to
pattern them. You have to be brave to fish big fish as they are few and fickle.
With the CRR (catch, record and release) you can record your 7 largest fish for
the day. With slot limits it is impossible to catch up and consistency is more
important. Now I can think I can win up to the last hour of the last day
thinking I can find big fish for a comeback. I call this the Fairbairn option.
Scott Fairbairn was 32nd place on day 2 and won the tournament with
a big sack the last day at FT. Peck, MT where there was no slot limit. We can
have tournaments just like at the Bassmaster Classic this year when Mike
Iconnelli almost won with a big sack on the last day.
New Product Review
Minn
Kota Fortrex http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/freshwater_bow_mount/fortrex.aspx
I have been
waiting for this motor. I love my cable drive Maxxum but I have never liked the
stowing of it. Since I have a deep V Crestliner, I have to slide the head to
the bottom each time I deploy the motor or I can’t keep the prop in the
water on windy days. When I stow it I had to kneel on the bow to slide it up
before I could pull it up for stowing. The new Fortrex will allow me to stand
back and just pull the cord to stow it easily with the Lift-Assist . When you
are 60 and fish competitively in adverse conditions, this a sweet gift from
Minn Kota.
The 2nd
best new feature is the Removable Bowguard, one screw and the motor is
removable for repair or to deter thieves.
Newsletter
Discounts
1.
Aqua-Vu
MAV Exclusive Deal
Get the same underwater camera that Doc uses—at a special
price! The Motorized Aqua-Vu (MAV) and new MAV 7 are available exclusively to
High Tech Fishing members at $1499.99 (MAV) and $999.99 (MAV 7).
That’s $500 below retail pricing!
To take advantage of this special offer, visit this link and place
either the MAV or MAV7 into your shopping cart, then enter code DOC
http://www.aquavu.com/Products/Boat-Mounted-Viewing-Systems/
2. KassWinns
15% all products
Go to www.kasswinns.com and use this promotion code DOC2009
3. BIGWATER
GUIDE SERVICE for trophy walleyes on Lake Erie
Captain Ross Robertson
hogwalleye@yahoo.com 419-283-7069 http://www.bigwaterfishing.com/Bigwaterfishing/Bigwaterfishing.html
Mention
Doc and get $50 off.
DOCTOR SONAR