Manufacturer’s Electronics Play a Leading Role in Finding Fishing Hot Spots
At the professional level of bass fishing, in order to be competitive, an angler has to be able to find fish consistently on lakes that he might only fish once a year. Having the right electronics on board can make a big difference is putting fish in the live well, according to Tom Mann, Jr. who has qualified for the FLW Championship this year on Logan Martin Lake in Birmingham, Alabama, on August 11-14.
Mann has fished competitively since 1996 in over 50 tournaments and this year is the fifth time he has qualified for the FLW Championship. He has also qualified for the Bassmasters Classic eight times. He credits his Raymarine electronics for a portion of his success.
“My Raymarine electronics will play a huge role in my ability to find fish on Logan Martin Lake this year,” says Mann. “The lake is located on the Coosa River and it is full of big spotted bass that love to hang out around deep structure, and finding that structure is the key to finding fish.”
Mann explains that the Alabama Power Company regularly releases water to generate electricity. During the water release, underwater currents are created on the entire lake.
“The trick is to find deep water eddies where the big bass get in to wait for bait and other food to be washed by,” Mann explains. “This is when my electronics come into play. I start on the main river close to where creek channels intersect with the river channel and then look for any structure that comes off the bottom. It doesn’t take much to create an eddy, and that’s where the fish will be holding.”
According to Mann, knowing how to read and interpret your electronics is even more important. For pro anglers and amateurs, the new generation of digital fishfinders from Raymarine removes a lot of guesswork. Â They combine advanced LCD color displays with the company’s High Definition Fish Imaging (HDFI) technology. The result is a fishfinder that is easy to read and the ability to target fish and bottom structure with amazing clarity and color separation. Â
Another advantage that Mann will enjoy is the “hands off” operation of the new fishfinders. The HFDI fishfinders can fine-tune their performance by providing an infinite number of bandwidth settings for optimal performance at any depth ranges or boat speed. This unique technology gives anglers the ability to see fish in difficult conditions, where other fishfinders see little or nothing at all. Also without the need to constantly adjusting the fishfinder settings, Mann can concentrate on catching fish.
“The new fishfinders from Raymarine are simply amazing. I feel like I have eyes under the water and that I have a definite advantage in any tournament I fish,” Mann says.
You don’t have to a pro bass angler to have HDFI technology on your bass boat. The new A-Series digital fishfinders were designed to fit the smaller consoles on boats. The A-Series line includes the 3.5-inch DS400X, the 5-inch DS500X, and the 6-inch DS600X models. The fishfinders will also display GPS waypoint and position data so anglers can record their favorite fishing spots.
By: Walker Agency
