Fishing Electronics

[Blue Kayak]

I am new to fishing the Minnesota River and think some electronics would help. I'll be using a kayak mostly, but might want something that could be moved to another boat. I would like to find the deep holes, and I expect actually "seeing" the fish would be a plus. I have seen graphic and flasher models. Which do you prefer for the river?

Also, how useful are GPS units on the river?

[Papa Grump]

I have both on the my River Pro and prefer the flasher over the graphics. They pick up the snags and such in the holes alot better than the graphics do, which can help steer you away from snagging up your line.The graphics have a tendancy to pick up any amount of disturbance in the water column which would lead you to think there is fish there. However I do use the graphics if drifting / jigging the holes and will pick up on something on the bottom every now and again that is a fish. It really is a hit or miss on what you are use to using to begin with, but I would recomend a Flasher model if it is your first investment. ( Marcum LX3 or the new LX5). I can't comment on the GPS thing, I have one in my truck for ice fishing purposes and the river changes alot from year to year. What was once a 30 foot hole this year, could be a 10 foot hole next year. The outside bends and bridges stay consistent so it might help there, but perhaps others can comment better on that subject than me. Happy fishing!

Brian

[Dennis Steele]

For portability and ease of use, I would have to agree with Papa. You can't beat a flasher. That would be my first choice in a small craft.

I have been using my Marcum LX3 in my boat as well.

Whats neat about it is, I can just set the transducer in the bottom of the boat (bilge area) and it will read through the hull. Being my hull is rather thick aluminum,.190 gauge, I have to bump the gain up a little.

It would work great through the thin skin on a kayak.

Plus it will pull double duty on ice as well.

I also run a high end graph. My Vexilar Edge II does an excellent job seeing through turbulence and the turbidity of the river. If it shows me a fish, there is a fish there.

I have run lesser quality graphs that just aren't any good for the river. They just plain lie.

If your thinking of running a graph, especially for jigging the holes for eyes, spend the extra to get a good quality graph, other wise half the time the river conditions will make your electronics near useless anyway.

[Blue Kayak]

Thanks Papa Grump and Dennis. I'm putting a flasher on my Xmas list; hope Santa will be good to me. I am so impressed with your posts and pictures of Minnesota River fishing. It is quite a resource. On my three float trips I had the river to myself until the landing at St. Peter.