Small Portable SmartCast Depthfinders

[CarpSearcher]

I have tried searching for info in this forum but do not find it.

I am looking for a depthfinder that you can attach to a bobber, cast it out and then check the depth situation on a device you're holding.

I do not have a boat and I would love to be able to cast out and check out the depths. I don't really care about the fishfinder part.

Do these work ok? Would these work in rivers where there is a current and it might go downstream at a good clip?

If anyone has any info or experience or if you can point me to some reviews of these devices, I would be very grateful. The ones I've seen aren't that expensive, but why throw a few twenties away if they're actually crap.

Thanks to everyone in advance.

[SCUMFROG]

From what I hear they work ok. The only thing is once you turn the thing on, it stay's on for about 400 hours. And then you have to get a new one. (You can't change the batteries.) GIve them a shot.

[BIG DS]

Check with your nearest Humminbird dealer. Humminbird makes the Smart-Cast wireless depth finder. Or log onto their website. Spell it the way I did in this post and add .com and click on products.

[say_der]

There are 2 metal contacts on the bottom of the castable transducer. When they are both in the water the battery is activated. Once you take it out of the water & it dries off the battery shuts off until you wet it again.

They work pretty darn good. I have the watch version - I got it as a gift when they first came out. I wish I had the pole mounted screen so I wouldn't have to check my wrist all the time. I'm sure I can come up with a way to mount it to a rod or just to my boat too.

One thing about the green tug boat transducer - it weighs a lot & can be used as a bobber or even a slip bobber depending on how you rig it. But I much prefer casting it out with a old clunker rod & not having a hook below it. Then I fish around it if I'm seeing the structure I want. The problem with that is that it can appear that I am fishing two lines when I'm really not.

The transducers are replaceable for about $20.

If you shore fish I highly recommend it. The transducers also work with a different Humminbird finder - I can't remember the model # off hand but it is a boat mount one - I like that because if I'm anchored I can cast around a long ways to check for additional structure while my wife fishes.

Not a bad system at all.

[SCUMFROG]

Have they always been like that? Cause when I looked at them when they first came out the guy at Gander told me that once they are on you can't turn turn them off.

Now that I know they'll turn off maybe I'll get one. I do a lot of shore fishing small ponds for big bass and it would be so much faster to find fish then castting out, no fish, move, cast out no fish. move..

[BIG DS]

There are a bunch of different models all the way through Humminbird's product line that can be used with the smart cast. Depends mostly on what you want for features and are willing to spend.

[say_der]

Yeah they have always been that way. I got mine like the first week they came out. There is no actual on/off switch. Just the water to activate/deactivate it.

[SCUMFROG]

Well maybe the guy didn't know what he was talking about. I'm going to get one now...

[CarpSearcher]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your posts! I now have a special present I can buy for myself! I was hoping these things were legit.

Plus it sounds like it'll be useful even if I do buy a boat at some point.

Thanks again.

CarpSearcher