HELIX anglers gain revolutionary fish-patterning power; free software download available this month
Previously compatible with Humminbird® ONIX® units only, revolutionary fish-patterning program SmartStrike® will soon be compatible with HELIX® 9, 10, and 12 CHIRP. That’s big news for any angler who wants to eliminate unnecessary searching and wasted casts.
“If the features available in HELIX 9, 10 and 12 CHIRP like AutoChart® Live weren’t impressive enough, we’ve added SmartStrike compatibility to really kick it up a notch,” says Humminbird brand manager, Jeff Kolodzinski. “Whether you’re a pro angler or taking the family out on a weekend fishing trip our goal is always the same – to find and catch fish in a very limited amount of time. SmartStrike does just that by helping anglers develop fish-catching patterns quicker than ever before.”
Here’s how it works: SD card-based cartography product SmartStrike allows anglers to quickly run searches for various target species by entering criteria like season, time of day, water conditions, cloud cover, wind, depth, structure, slope, aspect, sun & current exposure, and more. A press of the button later and your LakeMaster HD map comes alive with color-illuminated spots to investigate, greatly reducing the amount of time it takes to learn new lakes, reservoirs and rivers – not to mention, teach us more about home waters.
“SmartStrike is a great pre-fishing tool that can be used before you even hit the water,” says 4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion Kevin VanDam. “Enter your various criteria and it automatically highlights high-probability areas of the lake to fish. Then, once you get on the water, you can use SmartStrike to narrow it down even more. It’s kind of like having your own guide or local knowledge.”
Not only does SmartStrike help anglers locate and pattern fish more efficiently, once you find fish in a given area, simply click on that area, select Find Similar Areas, and millions of data points are searched to return other areas just like it. Combine that with simultaneous use of Humminbird LakeMaster’s patented Depth Highlight, Shallow Water Highlight and Water Level Offset, and creating milk runs has never been easier and more rewarding.
Get Software Update Notification
Humminbird Helix 9, 10 and 12 CHIRP users should verify they have registered their product in the free Humminbird Select Program for automatic notification when the new software becomes available later this month. The software update will allow compatibility with SmartStrike for eleven North American regions, including Dakotas/Nebraska, Great Lakes, Great Plains, Mid-South States, Mid-Atlantic States, Minnesota, Northeast States, Southeast States, Western States, Wisconsin and Woods/Rainy, purchased separately.
With any of these SmartStrike map cards anglers can take advantage of awesome LakeMaster features, including the following:
• Minn Kota® i-Pilot® Link™ compatibility
• Easy-to-read contours
• Depth Highlight Range
• Water Level Offset
• Shallow Water Highlight
• Scrollable Lake List
About Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson Outdoors and consists of the Humminbird®, Minn Kota® and Cannon® brands. Humminbird® is a leading global innovator and manufacturer of marine electronics products including fishfinders, multifunction displays, autopilots, ice flashers, and premium cartography products. Minn Kota® is the world’s leading manufacturer of electric trolling motors, as well as offers a complete line of shallow water anchors, battery chargers and marine accessories. Cannon® is the leader in controlled-depth fishing and includes a full line of downrigger products and accessories.
By: Jim Edlund, Traditions Media, LLC
