GPS waypoints?

[Barnacle Bill]

Do you rename your way points or just let the default numbers fall where they may? I've been renaming them but it seems like to me its a lot of unnecessary work.

[NIMROD]

Give them names or codes for which area , creek or bay. That way the points are grouped by part of lake .

[Moose1am]

The Fish and Wildlife Area that I fish have three large lakes with different names. I use a code for the way points in each lake. OT = otter pit, BG=blue Grass Pit and finally LO= loon pit.

So my waypoints are OT01 though OT25 and then LO01 though LO06 and BG01 though BF20.

Then I have a few for Kentucky Lake. KY01 though KY20.

It only takes a few seconds to rename the waypoints. Oh and I have some for Patoka Lake PL01 though PL15.

This way I can have over 100 waypoints for each lake in the same data base and easily sort though them to find just the ones for the lake I am fishing.

This works great if you fish many different lakes and use the same gps unit.

PS: My GPS unit has a built in ram memory for loading maps into it. And I can see these maps on my screen along with the dots that represent the waypoints. So I can just look at the map view on my gps screen while fishing or traveling in the truck and tell where the way points are in relation to things on the lake. This works for my Kentucky lake and Patoka lake maps but the other lakes I fish don't have digital maps. So there are no lake contour lines or shorelines on my gps screen when I fish those lakes. But I can still see the wp and where they are located in relation to each other. I can easily zoom my screen display from 20ft out to 700 miles. ie I can show about 20ft area around my boat or a 700 ft area around my location.

Do you rename your way points or just let the default numbers fall where they may? I've been renaming them but it seems like to me its a lot of unnecessary work.

[sac-a-lait]

I think the most important thing to include is the DEPTH they are in...that way if you fond some in 10 feet of water on structure, I will try some more I have at that depth as the day progresses.

[TOMMY4UA]

i name mine after the creek they are in so when i look at find waypoints the creeks will all be grouped together

[Barnacle Bill]

i name mine after the creek they are in so when i look at find waypoints the creeks will all be grouped together

That's what I've been doing but including the depth some how sounds like a good idea.

[EDDY CREEK BANDIT]

Mine all have names that are special to me for one reason or another. I have 35 names in EddyCreek Bay on Barkley Lake. Some are very simple as the Bouy hole, Tim Hole, Scott hole, etc... It is easier for me to do it that way thatn try to remember the numbers. I have 3 more condos ready to drop so I will add some more names soon.

THE BANDIT:D

[Fred in Ky]

I just use the numbers for a reference. May start naming a few!

[Moose1am]

With the Garmin MapSource Software you can rename waypoints after you upload them into the PC from the GPS unit. Once they are in the PC you can use the mapsource software to rename them and add information such as depth to each way point. Then you can download those changes right back into the GPS unit.

It's a lot easier to use the computer keyboard than try to use the gps screen to type names etc.

[Barnacle Bill]

With the Garmin MapSource Software you can rename waypoints after you upload them into the PC from the GPS unit. Once they are in the PC you can use the mapsource software to rename them and add information such as depth to each way point. Then you can download those changes right back into the GPS unit.

It's a lot easier to use the computer keyboard than try to use the gps screen to type names etc.

I can do that with Lowrance's Map create. I just need to keep a written record as I mark them on the GPS. Don't want to waste fishing time you know. LOL