I have a fishing buddy I like to refer to as Eagle Eye Paul. He could see things from such a distance away that at first we didn’t believe the things he said he saw, that we of course couldn’t see.

It didn’t take long before he had proved this over and over. He could even see fish in the water in place I couldn’t and I can usually spot fish. I wonder how many I have missed over the years.

Well for those of us who don’t have Paul’s eagle eye vision, like myself, other skills are required or perhaps skill along with technology.

There are a lot of clues in and around the water’s edge a fisher can use to determine how they will fish this particular spot. I have been fishing for 50 years and for many of those years it was pretty simple fishing gear so I had to use skill to do well.

When I am in water that is deeper than I can see or if I have Eagle Eye with me, I usually rely on a fish finder. It’s so much better than sticking your head in the water to see what’s down there. Casey has two Humminbird Fishfinder in his boat which is great because I get to see the structure as well even though we are on opposite ends of his boat.

The fact we don’t see any fish on the fish finder doesn’t mean they aren’t there. It usually means they just aren’t right there under the same path the boat is taking. That’s why I like to look for structure and fish the structure.

If the fishing is good and the fish finder doesn’t have a way to mark your spot then I like to line three spots on the shore so I can find my way back. I spent a lot of time on lakes with my canoe and portable Humminbird Fish Finder and loved locating new structure.

I’ve even looked at smaller fish finders for my float tube but I don’t go far from shore in the tube so I can’t really justify getting one. When the wind picks up I like being close to shore when float tubing.

But back to spotting fish in the water. Even though I can’t see into the water I can see what’s happening at the surface so I look for any activity that would indicate possible fish.

1. Jumping fish, hey that’s a great indicator, although when Atlantic salmon fishing it doesn’t mean they are going to take anything you throw at them. I love chasing jumping fish.
2. Jumping baitfish, are usually trying to escape being dinner. Give them something other than that bait fish to look at.
3. Birds that eat fish are worth watching and not just because they are awesome to watch. They can lead you directly to a great day of fishing.
4. Shoreline structure that extends into the water such as trees and points.
5. Shorelines can indicate sudden drop-offs or points that extend into deeper water.

There are plenty of indicators that will help you find fish whether you’re fishing shorelines or off-shore. It just takes observing your surroundings but I have to admit I would rather take pictures of the scenery and use a Humminbird Fishfinder to locate the fish.

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It’s most annoying when you have a fish finder that gets a bit of water in it. It doesn’t take much to fog up a display screen, not to mention other damage that could result from having water on the inside of your fish finder. I’m sure you’ve had a watch that water got into and remember how annoying it was when it fogged up.

As soon as the sun gets things warming up and hits your fish finder it will start to fog up the display screen. I was on a fly-in fishing trip to northern Quebec, out in the middle of no-where for a week when it fell in the water just as I was connecting it to the boat. Very frustrating, I grabbed it in less than a second. I don’t think it even fully submerged but it still took in some water making it almost useless for our fishing trip.

After the first two days I felt like tossing the friggin’ thing back into the water and leaving it there for the fish. Plus we were fishing lake trout and it’s not usually sight fishing. You need a fish finder for those trips.

Well that was about 20 some years ago and fish finders have come a long ways. I still check to see if a fish finder I’m checking out says it’s water proof. That’s the first thing I look for now, no more spoiled trips that cost a lot of money.

At the moment I don’t have a boat of my own but there may be one in our near future, as soon as my wife decides to retire so we can start traveling. There are a few brands I like in fish finders but today I’m looking at Garmin fish finders, water proof ones of course.

I’m looking through Amazon for a Garmin fish finder because they often have some great deals on fish finders and other fishing related things.

The Garmin Fish Finder 400C 4-Inch Waterproof Fish-finder and Dual Frequency Transducer

My first fish finder was difficult to read but still allowed me to find so many more fish and places they hang out. Before that it was more a visual thing and I spent most of my time either fishing structure off the bank or trolling until I found structure. Usually meaning I would hang up on bottom. Today fish finders have come along way and show so much more detail.

The Garmin Fishfinder 400C is both affordable and has value for your investment like the great detail you get about the environment just below your feet.

Another feature I look for when checking out fish finders is how the fish display on the screen. How deep are they and what size are they? That the detail I’m looking for when looking at fish on the display.

The detail in the structure below my boat is important too. Are they weeds, fish, rocks what the heck is it down there? No problem for the Garmin fish finder.

When we are out fishing it can be important to know the water temperature like the Garmin 400C Fish Finder does to locate feeding fish. Knowing the depth and water temp can mean the difference between catching and just fishing.

Having a good fish finder like the Garmin fish finders helps you locate those active fish.

What a huge difference having a fish finder that has a colour display over those I’ve had in the past. So much more detailed information available on the display.

When we go out fishing for the day it’s for the day and evening, usually. We start while it’s still barely light and until it’s just about dark. That’s when the fish finder turns into a backlit display showing you what’s under your boat.

Getting back home is important to us as we love our families and fishing so we want to return home safe and ready for another day on the water.

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I love to get out fishing from my float tube. It’s so relaxing and at the same time exciting. Back when I had a canoe and a boat I had a nice little Humminbird portable fishfinder but found it too big for my float tube so I sold it with my boat.

I have looked for a nice portable fish finder since but never saw anything that I really liked, until this morning.

It’s getting close to Christmas so I was looking through Amazon to see what was there and found this cool little wrist mounted fish finder, perfect for float tube fishing adventures.

Humminbird Smartcast Wrist Mount

I remember fishing Lake George New Brunswick, along with a few other larger lakes in the area, from both my canoe and boat. It was nice to have a fishfinder so we could located active spots we could come back to. We must have fished Lake George a hundred times and always seemed to hook into a lot of smallmouth bass.

I’d say it was mostly because of the Humminbird fish-finder keeping us on the right locations.

I remember so many times I wished I had a fishfinder for my float tube so I could find those great spots again.

Here are a few specs for the Humminbird Smartcast RF 35 fish finder.

First, Humminbird is using wireless technologies to the Smartcaster rf35 so you don’t require a wire going to the sensor. Just attach a length of fishing line and give it a toss out on the water and you’re ready to go fish finding.

The Remote Sonar Sensor has a separate, lithium battery that is non-replaceable , that has a lifespan of three years and will work for somewhere around five-hundred hours in the water.

Note: It’s always good advice to clean your equipment after a day on the water and it goes the same for your remote sensor. Keep it cleaned and it will keep going on keeping on.

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A great fish finder can make the difference between a good fishing trip and a great fishing trip. The Eagle fish finder has been making a big splash in the fish finder sonar market because of its compact size and durability. It’s the perfect tool for sport fishermen who are serious about getting a great catch every time. If you have often wondered, “How do fish finders work,” then read on. In this article, we’ll tell you how the Eagle work and how it compares with other fish finders and how it can help you out on the water.

There are a few different models of the Eagle fish finder and all are quite easy to use and reasonable. Due to its size and lightweight construction this device can be used on small boats such as canoes, float tubes and kayaks. The transducer, the operating piece of the device, mounts onto the craft making use of a suction cup. Due to its well-built and watertight exterior, this portable gadget can be used in both saltwater and freshwater environments. An additional benefit of this piece of equipment is the screen design. It’s bright and easy to read – even in full sunlight. The Eagle varies in price from approximately $100-$500 and comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer.

Sonar signals is what allows these devices, including the Eagle fish finder, to work. Using a transducer, which is the working element, a signal is sent below the boat and it scans the area for fish, weeds and other underwater structures. The signal or echo is sent back to the boat and is displayed as a chart on your screen. The power of the transducer will determine how long this process takes. Customer reviews regarding the speed and accuracy of the Eagle have generally been very favorable.

Among the Eagle’s biggest selling points is user-friendliness. After you have arrived at a prospective fishing place, turn on your fish locator. The unit will show the deepness and water temperature to about 600 feet in the screen’s corner. The sonar chart will begin scrolling and show anything right below the watercraft as you drift or troll for schools of fish. By using the menu choices you can fine-tune the sensitivity of the apparatus. The fish will be displayed as a straight line when you are at a stop.

As good as the Eagle fish finder is, no device is foolproof. To get the most out of your fish locator, you must determine which frequency to use. One rule of thumb is to use the 83 kHz option in very deep saltwater and the 200 kHz option in shallow water up to about 300 feet. The 200 kHz frequency gives better detail and definition, but its depth penetration isn’t as good. The sonar can be fooled, so watch for false readings if you use the fish display option–often called Fish ID–instead of the actual fish echoes. Fish ID displays symbols on the screen. For example, a small fish symbol will appear when the device “thinks” the target is a small fish, a medium icon when it “thinks” it has hit a medium fish etc. In spite of this, the Eagle is still a great device that will definitely improve your game.

Don’t know your Garmin Fishfinder 140 from your Furuno FCV? Read fish finder reviews to help you make the right choice.

If you’re thinking about using a fish finder in the most effective ways, you have to look at it like a tool. Exactly like any tool, it requires understanding. Simply because this device is based on technology doesn’t mean that you cannot develop skills with it. While your favorite fishing hole may have been your best kept secret, you cannot deny that being able to glimpse below the water’s surface and catch a look at what’s going on isn’t useful.

A gut feeling is one way to find great fishing grounds. However it is nice to be able to validate your hunch with technology. If you ultimately learn how to use the device with the same precision as you use your rod and reel then you may very well never have a disappointing fishing trip again.

The sonar technology that these fish finders use is based on nature’s ability to detect objects in the water. It’s simply the electronic version of the echolocation utilized by whales and dolphins. Sound waves are scattered and the measured time frame in which it takes for those sound waves to bounce back creates the visuals right there for you to see.

When you find a good location for your fish finder you’ll want to make sure that you are mounting it in compliance with the instructions. Misaligning the equipment can result in incorrect readouts. Finding the ultimate sensitivity setting for the finder is an interesting trick. Most manuals come with recommendations, but in general you want the sensitivity settings to reflect the locale which you fish. If you are out on open deep waters you may find a higher sensitivity does the trick.

It might very well take you a little time to learn how to read your fish finder just right. It’s not unusual for logs or debris to be confused with one really big fish right below you. Once you get the hang of it you’ll find that those mistakes are minimal.

The incredible technology that has been added to fish finders is actually quite impressive. Weather alerts, GPS coordinates, and even the ability to distinguish fish species have made these little devices much more than a system to find fish.

You don’t have to follow old techniques in order to take pleasure in fishing. It might be useful to unite both the old traditions and new technologies. Utilizing a fish finder might even help you confirm that grandpa’s old fishing hole has loads of fish on every second Tuesday of the month.

If you want to increase your odds of catching fish, you should consider investing in a fish finder. But how do you know if the Humminbird SmartCast RF 15 portable fishfinder is better than the Humminbird 997c, for example? You need to read some fish finder reviews to help you decide on the right model for your needs.

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Knowing the structure that lies beneath the waters that you fish in can be the difference between catching and just fishing.

I remember back when I was a kid I took an old bucket, cut the bottom out of it and glued a piece of glass into the bottom. It took me a while to get it water proof and it looked pretty ugly but guess what. It allowed me to see below the top of the water without sticking my head in the water. I was pretty proud of it and I could see my dad was impressed too.

Way back then I called structure ‘hiding places’. I even took my bucket with me when we went to the ranch where we kept our cattle all summer. They had a lake right in the middle of their property and only one other farm on the whole lake.

I was too young to take the boat out on my own but I would put on my life jacket and sit in the boat with my bucket over the side just watching all the life and activity beneath the boat.

Today I have become a little more suffisticated and use a Hummingbird fish finder. It saves me so much time on new waters. I was sold on fish finders when five of us went on a fly-in fishing trip to northern Quebec. I was the only one with a fish finder and we had three boats.

We had 7 days with an entire lake to ourselves. There was an island in center with a beautiful cottage but no one was there all week. It was a really remote location, accessable only by plane so I imagine it took some bucks to build that cottage.

We got settled in to our cabin had a bite to eat and then it was off to the boats. None of them knew I had a fish finder and of course they all wanted a crack at it but I said no way. I did say that each day I would switch fishing partners so they could all try it out.

Well every single day my boat caught more fish and bigger fish. We eliminated so much water and found other water that we might never have bothered with because the clues were all below the surface.

My partner and I out fished the others so much that they just started following us.

The fly-in fishing trip was my first so it is special but the quality of the fishing and accomodations were less than promised. I was the only one that practice total catch and release while the others wanted trophies. The fridge freezer quite working near the end of the week and they all lost their trophies while mine were still swimming around.

But honestly I would have slept in a tent and used canoes so we had it pretty easy for being so remote.

The happy memories would not have been so happy had I not brought my Hummingbird fish finder.The fact that I out fished the others with my fish finder proved to me that we would have been crying by the end of the week.

I don’t swear by Hummingbird, not at all. I am glad to have it and it works for me but I have never tried any other kind. I think just having one for those times you are fishing new waters is worth the investment.