Livescope

[John Bales]

Just watched Jacob Wheeler discuss FFS . He was asked what the number one thing he has taken from it. His comment was that every fishing magazine you have read in the past, throw them away and use them for starting a fire because nothing is in stone any more. Something like that. I agree. Bucks guidelines are still in stone. If you just do what's in the book, get on the water a lot and just do what it says, you will gain the knowledge that is needed for consistent catches. He was a great teacher and gave us the basics of what is needed. He also said that there is a lot more to learn. I have learned many things but those things can be summed up by saying one thing. There are so many variables in fishing. Conditions are constantly changing and the fish adapt to those changes for survival. Buck said that they will be where ever conditions are most stable. They will and can be where ever they want to for that stability and survival. Many of my best spots are vacant of adult bass. One spot is simply loaded and this spot has never been my best summer time spot. Other spots have had them show up for a week or two or three only for them to disappear. On that occasion, I looked around and found them in and around the deepest water in the area and there were lots of them and they were catchable, (that day)....... The next day they were gone and back on the other two spots where they were but again they are gone and also not where I found them before. Thoughts of the reasons why they make these moves could be associated with local weather conditions and other guidelines but the only thing learned is that what I am seeing can happen and does. Still left with the same questions as before and realize that not all questions can be answered all the time. Sticking with Bucks original guidelines answers some questions but not all of them. The key is to keep learning. One thing I have learned is even though natural lakes are all put into the same category but don't go to another lake and think anything will be the same or any two days will be the same. John

[Bink]

If you ain’t scoping you’re just hoping

[CHAMP]

If you ain’t scoping you’re just hoping
Believe I heard ANDY MORGAN say that.
But as fishermen we are always hoping.
If I'm using active target, I'm hoping I can find them and then hope, I can get them to take my offering.
If I'm casting some of my known hotspots, I'm hoping I can get them to strike my offering.
If I'm trolling some breaklines I'm hoping I can make them strike my offering.
So, I'm always hoping to contact the fish and catch some of them.

[Bink]

I should clarify that I heard Gerald Swindle say “if you ain’t scopin you’re hoping’. I don’t have one yet. Not sure it will happen anytime soon. Don’t think I spend enough time on the water to see the real benefits. After spending 12 straight days on the water I can see how valuable it would be for someone who is out everyday and can follow this fish with it. If you have the chance to be on the water at least a couple times a week I think live scope will be a MUST have on the near future. I have dialed in my hummingbird Helix pretty well and can get just about as
Much info as livescop other than seeing my bait in real time. I’m finding spot lock as the best thing Iv got on my boat

[CHAMP]

Bink, I have to agree with you. I would surely give up my active target before my Navionics maps , gps, waypoints, spot lock.

[John Bales]

As of today, I don't want to give up any of my tools. I use them all with spoonplugging guidelines in mind. John

[Bink]

I agree John. If knowledge is the key….. any tool/technique that can give a great amount of live data on the water/weather/structure/fish should be used.

[John Bales]

Here is something I have learned by observing with Livescope. Some of the very best schools of bass in the heat of the summer are on very flat, less obvious features and none of these spots are directly related to the deepest water in the lake or near any fast drop offs. Some lakes are showing no schools of bass, none at all in a group. Some lakes where the fish are using the sharper breaking areas and have well developed weedlines, the bass are so close or in the weeds that they cannot be seen. Also the livescope is just like any other sonar and will not show the fish if belly to the bottom. With some practice, you learn to identify slight movements but not a view if they were a foot or two off the bottom and this can be a give away that they are there but not very active. I brought up the less obvious locations because years ago, most of the best bass spots I am finding, I would not give a look at when looking at a contour map and would pass up the best spot in the lake for the bass. Just thought I would mention this. Soon they will start moving towards the steeper stuff and those great summer spots will no longer be productive. John PS. I gave you this information not because Livescope is so great but to open your minds to maybe taking a look and working some of the flatter features you might have in your fishing waters.