Waypoints

[minnowtime]

I could use pointers on how you return to waypoints. They being Corp of Engineers or waypoints I marked. Just bough a HB with GPS and side imaging. Would like to stay off to side of waypoint and use trolling motor and long pole to fish brush pile. Just an old F--t wanting to speed up learning curve! Thanks

[NIMROD]

Why hold off? They are not that accurate. I want to fish right it over myself. Hit go to and then move straight to it and drop a bouy as you pass over .

[slabbandit]

I also like to anchor off to the side of a brushpile and cast to it. Often catching more fish than moving directly overhead. I use a Garmin handheld and just don't go straight at the brushpile but just a little to one side. When directly beside it I drop a bouy or anchor and notice the distance on my GPS.

Good Fishing!

[Hanr3]

GPS can be extremely accurate, depends on the system your using. I know heavy equipment that can grade a road to within millimeters, farm tractors that can follow the exact path it took to plant the crop, military weapons that can drop on a dime, and fish finders that can return you to the exact spot.

While I use a cheaper GPS unit, I also use an old navigation technique I learned in the military. Triangulation. Basically you pick out three points on shore and when those three points line up, your on the spot. My GPS gets me close, and my triangulation puts me dead on. I also worry about noise over the crib, and will kill the main motor, fire up the trolling motor and point me in the right direction. As I get close, and am on line, I kill the trolling motor and coast over the spot watching my sonar unit for fish and the crib. When I mark both, I drop a marker buoy, coast on past. Then fire up the trolling motor and anchor myself up to fish the spot.

I don't have side imaging so I can only guestimate at a good method. Hopefully someone will chime in on a good side imaging technique.

[Bartman]

Here's how I do it... Approach waypoint with TM and have buoy in hand. Have HB unit on split screen with map and SI. As you get closer to the waypoint, keep zooming in on the HB map until it will not zoom any more. Then I start watching the SI and look for structure to throw the buoy at. The waypoints will only get you close. Sometimes it's right under the boat and others it's about 15' off. I keep my side scan width at 50' each side if I'm fishing in less than 20 FOW. If I see the structure on my right side image half way on the screen I know I need to throw the buoy 25' to the right. You can now circle the area, watching SI, as you fish it and find the exact location of the structure in visual reference to the buoy. The SI width will tell you how far to throw the buoy to the side but now you have to figure out how far back because the image is slightly behind perpendicular of the transducer because the boat is moving. To learn this "lag", I recommend finding something above the water (dock) and side scan it and see the relationship of how far it's back when you see the support posts on side image. It all depends on boat speed & SI chart speed. General rule is match chart speed to boat speed. After a few times, You'll be able to throw the buoy right on top of it. I purposely throw my buoy off to the side of it because my wife likes to snag the buoy

[rnvinc]

The newer software versions in the HB chartplotter series units have a new feature called "Casting Rings"...

It basically will draw a circle around your waypoint at an adjustable distance from the waypoint on the chart...

This feature was requested by Kevin van Dam (ya I know)... Where one can stop before the boat spooks the fish from a waypoint structure and be at a "Cast" distance from the structure...

This works (in theory) as long as one realizes that the inherent accuracy (maybe "inaccuracy" is a better term) of most commercial chartplotting GPS systems are only advertised as accurate to 8-10ft at 95% of the time ...

One can set the "Casting Ring" distance at say 30ft and when the boat icon on the chart gets to the "Casting Ring" ...stop the boat and start fan casting to pinpoint the structure...

Rickie

[minnowtime]

I believe I have not been Zooming in to max, as why I can not find the structure. Also found these alarms that may help all are adjustable range from 25' to 3000'. 1. arrival alarm 2. Off course alarm 3. Drift alarm. Do any of you use them if so what distance do you have them set at? Two other items that may help me. 1. Waypoint target 2. Trolling grid. As Bartman pointed out Side imaging should help with it set to 50' each side and arrival alarm set at 40' I should be able to RELOCATE any structure. By the way does anyone else mark something, go back later and find it doesn't exist or just can not find it?

[Hanr3]

Casting rings is a great idea. Man, I learn so much from this site. It's awesome.

[Cane Pole]

I don't have any technique. I just drive over the crap in the water and catch what bites.

[Bartman]

I don't use any of the alarms because I can see on the map where the boat is in relationship to the waypoint.... This guy explains SI very good and is has helped me a ton just by wating his vids on youtube. Tips 'n Tricks 19: Humminbird Understanding the Side Imaging View - YouTube