Electronics are useless..........

IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THEM!!!

I mean really, don't you think I should have noticed this?Attachment 276319

This is just a few minutes after launching last night. I got the poles all rigged up and hit the record button and then noticed some activity at the surface not too far away so I threw a few casts in that direction but no takers. I then started rowing and getting the poles tossed out behind and never even noticed that big school on the left, nor the smaller bunch a few minutes later on the right, out there about 30 feet or so. Another shot:

Attachment 276320

I'll be paying a bit more attention in the future. These fish were within 100' of the launch, too. I might have even found some more if I had looked in that area.

Anyway, pay attention to the screen once in a while, OK? You won't wear it out any faster looking at it a bit more often rather than looking away.

I found this this afternoon while playing back the recordings from last night.

It doesn't hurt to watch out for other boats either. Luckily I was in a no wake area when I turned in front of another boat Thursday night while checking out bridge pilings. They were a couple hundred feet away but it was still impolite and I was glued to the Helix screen.

So you think those are crappie? Trying to figure out what they look like on SI.

In my experience, on this water, yes they are; I'd put money on it, especially on the left. The right side could be 'gills but I'd lean toward crappie or possibly a mixed school. Not quite clear enough to call it any closer.

Excellent screen shots. Learning how to read your electronics certainly is paramount.

I used to own a side-scanner years ago made by Eagle until the unit died. Maybe the price will be more affordable as it has for regular sonar at less than $100 for a color unit. I'd be lost without mine and many I know are still lost with them. For now, I guess my thousand or so casts will remain my side fish finder.