Not finding what is on the map....

[thehackleguy]

I went out yesterday for a bit and tried to find a long finger that stretched out from shore and had a steep break into deep(er) water. I'm not sure this was the best place to fish but I wanted to find it with my lures and try to see it on my sonar. I had navionics pulled up on my phone next to my sonar and the "point" didn't appear to be where it is mapped. I will freely admit I'm really new to this type of fishing but I'm wondering if this happens very often and if it does how do you figure out where it is at?

[Joetrain]

I’m a total newb at this too so take that into account in what I have to say. I have found that the Navionics web site on my phone does not always coincide with the map card I have on my Humminbird. My Humminbird map card is pretty accurate.



~JOE~

[thehackleguy]

Thanks, I have the maps in my sonar also maybe I'll have to switch to that and just learn the bottom with the plugs.

[JohnScheels]

I broke down and purchased a Humminbird 8 three years ago. I found that the directions were not that clear for an old guy like me. The online manual was better but.... so I hired a fellow in the area that I met thru some mutual friends that sell and rig the new boat tech. I went out with him for a few hours for around $200 and it was worth it. I'll get back to that.....He was involved in the pro fishing tours for years, guided inland and Great Lakes.... and .... worked for Navionics for years. They hired him to monitor and update their electronic maps. He had written an article very critical of their elect maps in particular for the Great Lakes. We're in SE Wisconsin, Milwaukee area. He pointed out that their maps were so bad, inaccurate, that they would be liable for wrecks and serious injuries or deaths if a smart attorney also figured out how bad they were. Apparently their maps of the Great Lakes were being used by commercial vessels. With him helping they began upgrading their Great Lake maps with sonar at closer intervals, especially near shore of course. He had me purchase the newest card for Wisconsin with the newest updates before we went out.

I used flashers until I bought this now 15 year old boat, 10 years ago. The little Lowrance grey screened sonar was more annoying than helpful compared to my familiarity with my flasher. His help really did upgrade my use of the Humminbird. However, I do find discrepancies comparing to available printable maps and to what is really down there. That is just the way it is. But your spoonplugging skills will overcome those issues finding the right places to find structure/fish.

Another point. When he found out I was a spoonplugger he was intrigued. Said that my questions were different, advanced, compared to his usual clients. That was good to hear. He knew that experienced students of Mr. Perry were in a different category than his usual students.

[Jerry Borst]

"Said that my questions were different, advanced, compared to his usual clients." Smart man and no surprise.

In 28 years of following Mr. Perry's work I have never intentionally bought a map card. I've been given 1 or 2 and the maps that come on the units are usually 10' or more contours. Imo the ONLY way to go is to make your own. Using either what ever Lowrance, Garmin or Hummingbird has to offer. I personally have the Helix gen 1 with the "Autochart". By taking some time and mapping the structures yourself you will know what's there. No more guess work. Are they perfect, absolutely NOT. Could they be better, yes! But they are 1000% better than what you'll find. After you have a structure worth mapping make sure to put at least 1 icon on the structure which makes locating the structure with the map zoomed out much easier to find.

[John Bales]

Navionics maps are so bad. Sometimes your boat is up in someone's yard according to the map. Many times I am trolling a nice bar and the finger I go around is 100 feet away on the map. My way points on some of the bars with more than one finger are not even close to matching up with the map. The best way to map is the Don Dixon way but some situations may cause you or me for sure to not be able to put a piece of the puzzle together. You know in these cases that if you cannot completely visualize what is there, then its best to use the mapping feature and make a bunch of straight line passes with some over lap and you can get a good understanding of the area. From what I have seen, Humminbirds maps are far superior to navionics. John