Thread: Long and Maybe a bit OT, Santee navigation

Google “Navionics Web App”. It will allow you to view Navioncs lake mapping on your computer or phone without paying a fee. It obviously does not show stumps but it does clearly show the boating lane exiting the canal and other marked boating lanes. Good thing to study before you go. You can also get the Navionics app for your phone and use it on the water to help with navigation.

Also, it’s not a great idea to idle around with the motor looking for boating obstacles. You will find them with the motor, just like you experienced. Raise your trolling motor way up and ease in and check if you must.

Originally Posted by 91tiger

Google “Navionics Web App”. It will allow you to view Navioncs lake mapping on your computer or phone without paying a fee. It obviously does not show stumps but it does clearly show the boating lane exiting the canal and other marked boating lanes. Good thing to study before you go. You can also get the Navionics app for your phone and use it on the water to help with navigation.

Also, it’s not a great idea to idle around with the motor looking for boating obstacles. You will find them with the motor, just like you experienced. Raise your trolling motor way up and ease in and check if you must.

Yeah I got the Navionics app for a while now. I can see the usefulness of it, particularly following channels as you mention. It's also a great compliment to the new Garmin and checking contours, creek channels, points, etc. in most all the lakes around.
And to clarify, no, I wouldn't go looking for specific stumps and rocks with the main motor down. If there's something specific like the Santee rock piles I'd ease up with the trolling motor.

Originally Posted by Bigtrout

Yeah I got the Navionics app for a while now. I can see the usefulness of it, particularly following channels as you mention. It's also a great compliment to the new Garmin and checking contours, creek channels, points, etc. in most all the lakes around.
And to clarify, no, I wouldn't go looking for specific stumps and rocks with the main motor down. If there's something specific like the Santee rock piles I'd ease up with the trolling motor.

I've never used mapping on the Garmin but there does seem to be a push by the depthfinder manufacturers to provide much more accurate mapping. Lowrance came out with their CMap card which my understanding is they sent out teams to survey the lakes and create ultra high resolution mapping. I've never used it for Santee because I haven't fished there in years but it is unreal how good it is for Hartwell and Murray. But unfortunately it isn't accurate at all for Greenwood, Navionics is way more accurate there. But it may be worth talking to the local bass guys at Santee and see which card they like best for there. If you see one with three 12 inch screens at his console that's probably the one to ask. The bass guy I know that fishes Santee regularly really likes the Lake Master chip form Hummingbird but I don't think he has tried the Lowrance Chip there.