smartcast fishfinder???

[new2fish]

hello everybody !<br />is anybody use this thinks before?<br />i asked for it for my birthday, any info?<br />thanks guys..

 

[Snailman]

Re: smartcast fishfinder???

Hi Laszlo,<br /><br />I bought one but I've since returned it in exchange for the Piranha4.<br /><br />I thought it would be nice to have while bank fishing and while fishing from the kayak.<br /><br />One thing I wanted to try with it was pulling the bobber transducer on a line behind the kayak while paddling. I didn't work because the transducer kept slipping slightly below the surface and losing contact with the receiver.<br /><br />It was actually pretty nice when bank fishing though.... You can cast out from the bank and get a clear reading on depth and structure. <br /><br />The biggest problem I had with the unit was water intrusion into the battery compartment. It seems to be isolated to the unit that I bought though because the Piranha4 is the SAME design and has, so far, operated flawlessly.<br /><br />I would recommend the Smartcast for bank fishermen. If you're going to fish from a boat, even a kayak or canoe.... get a Piranha with a suction cup transducer.<br /><br />I've got a Humminbird 400TX on the cruiser.

 

[new2fish]

Re: smartcast fishfinder???

snailman ,thanks for reply..<br />i am new to boating and fishing/5 years fishing/<br />i don't have a fishing boat,i am restoring a 1957 speed queen /not the washer//with a 1956 evinrude big twin..is your fishfinder just show you what is underneath your boat?

 

[Snailman]

Re: smartcast fishfinder???

Hi laszlo,<br /><br />You've been fishing longer than I have! I guess I've been on the water for about 2 1/2 years. <br /><br />A fishfinder or depthfinder will show you only what is in its sonar beam. If it's a Smartcast bobber then you can pull it through the water and see what's directly below the bobber. If it's mounted to your boat (either permenantly or by suction cup) it'll show you whatever you're driving over. Mind you my 400TX has a "wide angle" transducer that transmits multiple beams and will show things out at a 45º angle from the transducer as well as straight down but that's designed to be permanently mounted on a boat.<br /><br />I started fishing from my kayak and borrowed a portable fishfinder. I liked it so much I bought the Smartcast. It didn't do everything I wanted from the kayak but it worked GREAT from shore but I rarely fish from shore. That's really the only reason that I exchanged it for the Piranha4.<br /><br />The fishfinder on my cruiser is a Humminbird 400TX that I bought from a guy on eBay. <br /><br />I guess the difference between a DEPTHFINDER and a FISHFINDER is that a depthfinder shows you just that.... DEPTH. A fishfinder will show you depth along with lots of other information. Depending on the sensetivity of the transducer and the pixel density of the display it'll show you depth, structure, bottom composition (hard, soft etc...), water temperature, speed and any fish that might swim into the sonar beam.<br /><br />In my experience (limited at best) a fishfinder is best for displaying the depth and structure. Those are the two most important things when fishing. Knowing how deep it is and where the drop-offs, stumps and lumps are make all the difference, right?<br /><br />The Smartcast will give you all of that from the bank as far as you can cast (just about). If you have a boat (even a canoe or kayak) a portable fishfinder with a suction cup transducer might be better.<br /><br />Let me know what you decide on and how it works out!

 

[Snailman]

Re: smartcast fishfinder???

Lazlo...<br /><br />Did you get the Smartcast? How's it working for you? I'm still using my Piranha 4 and it's working fine on the kayak.

 

[wikelam]

Re: smartcast fishfinder???

been fishing for 20+ yrs. never needed one of these to catch fish from a bank. only use a depth finder when in my boat. then only use it for depth readings. on the bank i can tell how deep it is where i am fishing. if not, ill just wade out there and find out.