Side Imaging Fish Fider??????

So I know this is a little off topic for our Pier Fishing Forum. But..... I am seriously considering upgrade of one if not both of my sonar units on my Triton Bass Boat. My upfront unit with trolling motor transducer is first in line to be upgraded. So I'm tired of reading reviews and watching basically commercials on you tube. I know there are lots of folks that read this forum with experience in all sorts of fishing situations. So does anyone have any experience or opinion about side imaging especially when mounted on the trolling motor? Is it worth the extra money? If you have side imaging on your boat, how do you feel? Take it or leave it? OR Can't live without it?

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Originally Posted by bkwathen

So I know this is a little off topic for our Pier Fishing Forum. But..... I am seriously considering upgrade of one if not both of my sonar units on my Triton Bass Boat. My upfront unit with trolling motor transducer is first in line to be upgraded. So I'm tired of reading reviews and watching basically commercials on you tube. I know there are lots of folks that read this forum with experience in all sorts of fishing situations. So does anyone have any experience or opinion about side imaging especially when mounted on the trolling motor? Is it worth the extra money? If you have side imaging on your boat, how do you feel? Take it or leave it? OR Can't live without it?

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Hummingbird only way to go

I've got an old (like 10 yrs) Humminbird 997c and I rarely use the side scan as I cannot see anything in broad daylight. When I do use it I am in "record" mode so that I can look at something later played back on the computer at home.

"Record" mode (indeed, side scan in general) requires that you be making a straight line pass at consistent speed to get a good picture - not going to be very useful on a trolling motor while the head is turning. It makes a picture by assembling it a line at a time - very slowly. If you are not moving you get garbage. If you are not moving in a straight line it gets very smeared and skewed.

On my old one I had to order a special transducer to get side scan (extra $$). Side scan does not read as deep as traditional mode.

Maybe the later screens are better, I don't know, but I'd look at one outside in daylight before spending the money, "record" mode is not that useful. You will definitely want a hood for the screen to use side scan, but the traditional view is quite readable in bright light.

The map function is good, waayy more readable than a Garmin. You will need to spend some time on a computer reducing the names (length) and number of spots that you store on the computer. The more numbers you have (and old tracks) the slower the screen refreshes (updates position). This is a real handicap when you are trying to position yourself over a small pyramid, but is as true for a Garmin as Humminbird, if not moreso. I prefer my old Humminbird to my friend's brand new Garmin as far as screen readability.

My 2 cents, FWIW.

Ive got a lowrance sidescan. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Just added the same machine up front at trolling motor. However i did not install the sidescan tranducer. I will scan the area and mark sturucture then come back and use downscan or sonar on trolling motor to stay on it. I only crappie fish in freshwater and i dont know how we did it without these things.

Bkwathen don't know if your on it but there is a forum for Triton Boat owners that will get more comments that you really want. Google it and somebody has to accept your request to join.

I purchased one this winter and have used it with some success. I did mount to TM. It does show more detail to the side, but in my opinion has helped some, but was not life changing for me. It does give you direction as to what side you have marks on, and an idea of what is off to the side. I thought I would be able to scan under docks, but that use has been a little disappointing. I do leave mine on with the side scan/down imaging on the screen 90% of the time.

When crappie are suspended in schools but feeding if cast a jig to them, the side feature is indispensable. My buddy would spin the trolling motor until he found them and said "cast where I cast". Most times it was a double hook up.

Don't recommend using side scan on the trolling motor. Any time you turn the trolling motor (even slightly) it skews the side scan image really bad. You have to be moving in order for the down and sidescan to work properly. It is not like sonar. If you are going in a straight line then the side scan image is good.

I have a lowrance HDS-7 gen 2 touch with the HDI transducer at the trolling motor and use the sonar and downscan. I have a lowrance HDS-9 gen 3 at the console. I have them networked together so I can share waypoints between them and I only have 1 map card that I share between them via the network. Also if I want to, I can look at the side scan image or downscan or sonar from the transducer on the back of the boat using my HDS-7 at the trolling because my two units are networked together. Networking them is easy too. Just buy the networking ethernet cable, connect to both units and BAM! You are done.

Thanks everyone for your information. This is exactly the kind of feedback I had in mind. Love this site!