Updating your electronics software will make you rich!

How’s that for a misleading sales pitch? But I think we need the exaggeration in this case.

Clearly, when many anglers hear the phrase — “update your software” — their eyes glaze over. So let me entice you with a juicy promise: If you update your electronics system regularly, you will unlock hidden treasures you never knew you needed.

Like what?

Well, if you’re a Garmin owner, you can enable high-resolution relief shading. If you run a Raymarine unit, you can get a fish-detection alarm and day/night colorization. And that just scratches the surface. The wealth can be staggering.

Read Next: Electronics Tricks of the Trade

To top it off, the updating process could not be simpler today. All you have to do is initiate. To explain why and how to update software, we asked the manufacturers to answer a Q&A. Here are their answers alphabetically by brand.

Furuno

Q: How often do you offer software updates?

A: Furuno usually updates light marine product software bi-annually, but there’s no set schedule.

Q: What are some of the most recent features you’ve added?

A: Right now, Furuno is excited to be offering a massive free upgrade and new user interface for our TZtouch2 multifunction display (MFD) product line. We are adding fantastic new fishing features like a dedicated Event Mark button that is also a gateway to a new feature called Furuno “Catch.” Catch allows customers to save events as fish marks and adds fish information such as size and weight to an event mark that is logged into the MFD and then automatically logged into a personal secure website when combined with a new free app called Furuno First Mate. First Mate is compatible with Android and iOS platforms and allows customer to record images of the fish they catch and save them to the cloud. Furuno has also gone a step further, including a new welcome page and new user interface. Check out the tutorial video below.

Q: What’s the easiest process for downloading and updating your software, and how much does it cost?

A: When the MFD is connected to the internet (using a smartphone hotspot or a router at a marina or on the vessel), the system will alert the boat owner when an update is available. Then, the software downloads directly to the MFD from the cloud. The boater can also check periodically on the furunousa.com website and download a dedicated upgrade file that can be saved to a memory card and then plugged into the MFD. The update method you can choose depends on the size and nature of the update. The current upgrade updates the operating system as well as features. For this, downloading a file to a memory card is necessary for safety and security. Furuno does not charge for software updates to existing product.

Q: What advice would you share with readers on how often and why they should update?

A: In most updates, new features, improvements and bug fixes are introduced.

Garmin

Q: How often do you offer software updates?

A: Garmin does quarterly software updates that include new features and performance enhancements that are offered at no charge to the consumer.

Q: What are some of the most recent features you’ve added?

A: I would say the most important feature we’ve had in quite some time is the Pin Code feature rolled out in early May. It locks and unlocks the display to help prevent unauthorized use of the unit. That has been a hot topic for years, and Garmin listened to customer feedback to improve our product and customer experience. We also continue to improve our sonar quality through testing. Some other important features we have released for saltwater anglers are software enhancements but they do require the purchase of a new product. Enabling High Resolution Relief Shading on BlueChart g3 Vision requires a card but the plotter must be updated with the newest software in order to see the content. Fish Mapping from SiriusXM with the GXM 54 receiver is another phenomenal fishing tool that has been added recently.

Q: What’s the easiest process for downloading and updating your software, and how much does it cost?

A: The ActiveCaptain app is by far the easiest way. We send out a notice over the app that says when new software is available. You can use your phone or your tablet to update your units. The app will check for new software updates, and if there is a new version, it will download it while you are on Wi-Fi so that it doesn’t eat up your air time, then when it pairs with the unit, it pushes the new update over Wi-Fi. You can also go the manual route and download the latest update from Garmin.com and save it to an SD card and then manually load it into the machine. (As noted above, the updates are free.)

Q: What advice would you share with readers on how often and why they should update?

A: We recommend updating software every time a new version is available. We are continuously adding new features and performance enhancements. As with all software, there’s potential for bugs so if we find those, we correct them and issue an update. Making sure you have the latest version of software ensures that your units run efficiently and that the user gets the optimal experience. We also continue to add support from other vendors such as FLIR, Yamaha and Optimus. Who doesn’t like better or more features for free? 

Raymarine

Q: How often do you offer software updates?

A: We try to update our LightHouse 3 operating system quarterly, though sometimes the increment is slightly longer depending on just how many new features are inside. Quality Assurance is a large part of every software release, so we’ll let the “quarterly update” interval extend if we need to, because it’s essential that the software update works correctly. 

Q: What are some of the most recent features you’ve added?

A: If you’re not updating regularly, you are missing out on lots of capabilities. Here are some recent additions that benefit anglers. Note, if you miss a release, simply download and install the latest and you’ll be 100 percent caught up.

· Fish Detection Alarm – Audible and visible alerts of fish in the water column, with customized icons, depth and range targeting

· System Day and Night Colorization – Axiom has selectable day and night-time system-wide color palettes, perfect for night fishing.  Charts, radar, sonar and more all respond to day or night selections.

· Fishidy Sync – Sync waypoints and catches between Axiom and the Fishidy Mobile App. Fishidy is a waterway-based community fishing app that lets you log catches, see local activity, and interact with other anglers.

· Dual-Streaming Video from FLIR cameras. View both the visible and thermal images from your compatible FLIR M300, 400 or 500-series camera on your Axiom LightHouse 3 display.

· Yamaha Command Link Engine Display – Yamaha’s official, certified display on Axiom.

· Fishfinder Pinch-to-Zoom and Swipe to Range Shift

· Radar sector blanking – Create “no transmit” zones in your radar to protect crew or sensitive devices.

Q: What’s the easiest process for downloading and updating your software, and how much does it cost?

A: Raymarine emails customers who have registered their products when new features are available. Anglers can also use the check-online menu on the display anytime. Then, the easiest way to update is to use Axiom’s onboard Wi-Fi to connect to the internet. Simply link your Axiom to a nearby Wi-Fi Hotspot or your mobile phone.  On Axiom, open the settings menu and choose “update software.” Axiom will update not only itself, but all of your other Raymarine gear it detects on the network — other MFDs, autopilot components, radar scanners, sonar black boxes, transducers, GPS sensors, AIS transceivers, SiriusXM receivers, instrument displays, VHF radios and more. If they need an update, Axiom will notify you, download the latest, and install it. In the event you don’t have internet access at your dock, you can download the latest update on raymarine.com, transfer it to a microSD card and plug it into Axiom. Updates are free.

Q: What advice would you share with readers on how often and why they should update?

A: At the very least, boaters should check at the start of their boating season to see if there is anything new. Our updates always have new features and capabilities, so that alone is normally reason to upgrade. Additionally, we do fix bugs and do other optimizations to keep the MFD and its sensors running fast and smooth. Some great examples of features added via software update include:

• Augmented Reality
• AIS and Radar danger area predictions.
• Axiom UAV app integration with the DJI Mavic series drones

Simrad

Q: How often do you offer software updates?

A: Simrad’s goal is to produce software updates once a quarter for its displays. This is not always the case, but that is the general rule of thumb.

Q: What are some of the most recent features you’ve added?

A: In a June software release, Simrad added new features such as support for Fish Mapping data from SiriusXM, C-Map Embark passage planner sync, NMEA 2000 update capability for Mercury VesselView Link, Naviop performance improvements, and accessory control of Lowrance Ghost freshwater trolling motor and Rhodan trolling motors.

Q: What’s the easiest process for downloading and updating your software, and how much does it cost?

A: The majority of displays are WiFi capable and that is by far the easiest way to update software. To make things easier, push notifications are sent to the MFD to let boaters know that an update is available. The updates are free.

Q: What advice would you share with readers on how often and why they should update?

A: Aside from the obvious being the updates often deliver advanced functionality to benefit boaters and anglers, the other critical reason is that the majority of tech support calls are the result of someone not running the latest software. It is important to know that the software updates are not always just for the MFD. Many times, the software is actually updating a connected device like a sonar module or a radar or an AIS. 

The post Get Rich Quick with Electronics Software Updates appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Raymarine has introduced new Axiom+ multifunction displays, which will replace the company’s original Axiom line. Along with the upgraded units, Raymarine also debuted its own new proprietary LightHouse Charts that can be maximized with an add-on Premium subscription.

Available in 7-, 9-, and 12-inch models, the Axiom+ features a quad-core processor and ultra-bright IPS screen (25 percent brighter than previous models). Raymarine has also introduced a HydroTough coating to the new displays to repel water and oils as well as deliver improved touch control.

Axiom+ comes with four built-in sonar channels, including RealVision 3D, and an ultra-sensitive 10 Hz GPS/GNSS receiver for more accurate positioning. The units will employ the latest operating system — Lighthouse 3.12 OS Dartmouth — which includes new fonts and graphics, fish alarms, a distance ruler and an edge-swipe menu for audio controls.

Prices for the 7-inch display start at $749; 9-inch Axiom+ models start at $1,099, and 12-inch versions start at $2,499. Retail sales begin today.

The networkable Axiom+ units feature increased onboard storage (up to 16 GB) and can display Navionics and C-MAP charts as well as Raymarine’s new LightHouse Charts, created using official hydrographic sources. Designed for both recreational and professional applications, the charts allow captains to switch between a more stark government-style presentation and a more feature-flush leisure view.

The new charts also come with four flexible color modes for day, dusk, night and “super day” (ultra-bright conditions). Users can also adjust the size of channel markers and other icons on the screen for easier viewing. For anglers, Raymarine employs its Fishing Hot Spots data to provide 1-foot depth contour lines. Those who want to make their own contour charts can use RealBathy personal sonar mapping.

To access continuous chart updates, expanded points of interest and enhanced satellite imagery, captains can option up to a LightHouse Premium subscription. Benefits include high-resolution views of shorelines and shallows, a rich index of POIs, and the ability to update and purchase charts as well as sync premium content with Axiom units via the free RayConnect mobile app.

LightHouse Charts come preloaded on new Axiom+ displays. The maps will be available for purchase in the third quarter at raymarine.com/marine-charts. Chart prices start at $79; a North American bundle will cost $149.99 and comes with 12 months of Premium for free. (After the first year, an annual Premium subscription costs $99.99.)

The post Raymarine Rolls Out Axiom+ Displays and LightHouse Charts appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Yeti Roadie 24

Yeti says it’s responding to fan comments and suggestions with the release of the new Roadie 24 hard cooler. The new model weighs 10 percent less (and yes, we’ve inspected the new model and can verify that); it holds 20 percent more, and the company says it performs 30 percent better thermally. The new cooler presents a more vertical profile (it’s 17 ½ inches high by 16 ½ inches long and 14 ½ inches wide) than the previous Roadie. It can accommodate a standard bottle of wine and fits better behind the driver or passenger seat of a vehicle. New Quicklatches are quite honestly simple and easy to operate. A new flexible woven handle has also replaced the original metal bar. The Roadie 24 comes in four colors and costs $199.99.

Penn Clash II

Penn has introduced the second-generation Clash II inshore reel, which features Penn’s CNC gear technology and HT-100 carbon-fiber drag system. The reel’s clutch armor system and hydrophobic line roller bearing ensure strength and protection to critical components. The Leveline slow oscillation system promotes precise line lay cast after cast. Available in 1000 to 5000 sizes with high-speed models in the 3000 and 4000 class, Clash II features a full metal body and sideplate. Max drag ranges from 9 to 20 pounds; prices range from $209.95 to $249.95.

Bluefin USA Face Shield/Neck Gaiter

Bluefin USA’s neck gaiters, made from ultrafine microfiber, can be used as a face and neck shield. The 36 different patterns were designed to be soft and stretchy for a lightweight feel. The gaiters offer UPF 30+ sun protection; they’re moisture wicking and quick drying. When used as a face mask, they can help limit respiratory droplets. They measure 19-by-9 ½ inches and cost $18.

Standard Horizon GX2400B Matrix

Standard Horizon’s new GX2400 Matrix fixed-mount VHF radios replace the company’s earlier GX2200 series. Features of the new units include NMEA 2000 and 0183 compatibility, second-station wired RAM4 or wireless RAM4W capability, and an upgraded display with a brighter backlight. The 25-Watt GX2400 comes with a built-in 66-channel GPS receiver and AIS/AIS SART target display and more. Available in black, the unit costs $449.99.

XtraTuf Slip-On

XtraTuf has released its Slip-On deck shoes in a women’s version. The shoes feature the same slip-resistant Chevron outsole as the company’s Legacy Boots. They are 100 percent waterproof with a rubber and neoprene upper and come with an XpressCool lining for breathability. The shoes weigh just under 2 pounds, come in sizes 5 to 11 in seafoam green, and cost $85.

Shimano SP-ORCA FB 150S

Shimano’s new sinking pencil baits introduce Flash Boost technology to the company’s saltwater lure lineup. Flash Boost reflective foil suspended on springs inside the lure emit a fish-attracting shine. The lures come in six colors (injured sardine pictured above) primarily to target tuna and other pelagic species. They measure 5 7/8 inches long and weigh 2 ½ ounces and wobble side to side as they sink. The SP-ORCA FB 150S comes equipped with Shimano’s propulsion weight-transfer system for longer casts and through-sire construction. The baits cost $22.99.

Columbia PFG Low Drag

Columbia’s PFG Low Drag boat shoes, available in men’s (pictured) and women’s versions, are made with a water-and-stain-resistant, quick-drying mesh and leather upper and a siped Omni-Grip rubber sole. Lightweight cushioning in the Techlite EVA midsole enhances impact absorption. Men’s lace-up Low Drags come in sizes 7 to 17 and in three color combinations (dove/blue chill pictured). The women’s version comes in sizes 5 to 12 and in three different color combinations. They cost $85.

Humminbird Solix G2

Humminbird’s new Solix G2 multifunction displays combine technologies such as Mega Side Imaging+, Mega Down Imaging+, dual-spectrum chirp sonar, AutoChart Live and Cross Touch control for anglers with all levels of experience. Mega Imaging+ extends Humminbird’s imaging capabilities down 200 feet for and 200 feet to each side. The high-frequency megahertz range provides the clearest, sharpest imaging returns available.The G2 units also come equipped with Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, which allows anglers to choose between wide mode, showing bigger and better fish arches, and narrow mode, maximizing detail and target separation. Available with 12- or 15-inch displays, the units cost $3,099.99 and $3,699.99 respectively.

Huk Rogue Wave

Huk has introduced two new color options for its 4-inch Rogue Wave boots. Hannibal camo (pictured), created by K.C. Scott, came from that artist’s fishing experience on Panama’s Hannibal Bank. Rogue Waves also now come in white. The boots feature a waterproof rubber and neoprene upper, Grip X outsole traction pattern, and an 8mm molded EVA footbed. They weigh 38 ounces per pair, come in men’s sizes 8 to 13 and cost $85.

Read Next: New Products

Gamakatsu Superline Swimbait Heads

Gamakatsu’s Superline Swimbait Heads are built on a high-carbon NSB-coated hook with a 60-degree bend that keeps baits running true regardless of presentation. The angled shank also sheds weeds. The leadheads come with a stainless-steel spring that secures the swimbait and are available in weights from 1/8 to ½ ounces on 4/0- or 5/0-size hooks. Choose painted or unpainted heads for $5.99 to 6.99, depending on size.

The post New Fishing Gear for May 2020 appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Lowrance has brought features such as FishReveal and Genesis Live to its Hook series of multifunction displays with Hook Reveal, available in 5-, 7-, and 9-inch models. FishReveal makes fish easier to see by combining the benefits of chirp sonar with DownScan Imaging. Genesis Live allows anglers to create custom 6-inch-contour maps of uncharted waters in real time. These maps can also be saved to a blank microSD card. Hook Reveal units also deliver Autotuning sonar, which automatically delivers the best sonar image as fishing conditions change. Prices range from $299.99 to $799.99, depending on display size, charting options and transducer choices.

The post Lowrance Hook Reveal appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Every angler on the ocean grapples with electronics questions, whether it’s how to take a screen grab or how to update software. To resolve some of the most common queries anglers pose, I asked electronics makers to walk us through how to perform important functions on their multifunction displays.

The topics they chose range from how to mark and save waypoints and switch between radar modes to logging your catch and creating customized screens.

Furuno

Furuno introduced the third generation NavNet TZtouch3 displays during this February’s Miami International Boat Show. We talked to company spokesman Jeff Kauzlaric about the changes Furuno made to its user interface to make it cutting edge.

“One of the things we did is fully utilize the edge-swiping feature where you go from either left to right, right to left, top to bottom, or bottom to top,” Kauzlaric says. “What ends up happening is you’re not going through a bunch of menus. Everything is a swipe and a tap away.”

The bottom-up screen swipe brings up a layers menu. To build a custom screen, you swipe from the top down. “It’s like a car’s stereo settings, you hold the button and set the station — or in this case, the screen — you want.” On the new units, you can choose six different screens.

The new system also gives users the option to program a brief tap with two fingers or a long tap with two fingers to function as a shortcut for taking a screen capture or similar actions. Another new convenience: If you have your screen split four ways and you put your finger on one window for a long hold, that window will go full-screen. Hold your finger on the screen again and it goes back to the four-way split.

Mark and Save Waypoints

Switch Between Radar Modes

Depth/Distance to Fish Target

Log Your Catch

Pin Code Lock

Garmin

Garmin’s interface has a reputation for ease of use. Here are five functions anglers commonly need and directions on how to access them.

Mark a Waypoint

Auto Guidance

Make a Combo Screen

Change Sonar Views

Autopilot Fishing Patterns

Raymarine

Raymarine has put a lot of effort into its LightHouse operating system, and its intuitive nature shows. Here are five commonly used functions on the company’s Axiom units.

Taking Screen Grabs

When you’re on the water and see something cool on your MFD, grab a screen capture that you can save for future reference or share on social media.

Creating Custom Layouts

Every Raymarine MFD ships with pre-configured tiles that show chart, fishfinder, sonar, video and other options. Once you get to know your system, you might want to create custom layouts that make it faster and easier to access the apps you use most.

Create Custom Contour Maps

Many inshore and coastal fisherman use detailed depth-contour information to home in on underwater structure that attracts fish. Though today’s charts are more detailed than ever before, you still see areas where the full definition of underwater structure has not been mapped. Navionics’ SonarChart Live and Raymarine’s RealBathy contour mapping can create underwater maps in real time, using your boat’s sonar and GPS. To use the Navionics system, you need to have a Navionics map card and a valid subscription. The Raymarine RealBathy system is free, and no map is needed. Just insert a microSD card in your unit to save the data it collects.

Night or Day Viewing Palettes

The latest update to Raymarine’s LightHouse 3 operating system now supports multiple color palettes that can be used to optimize the display for different lighting conditions. It changes the MFD’s menus and controls and also changes the colors of the Navionics or Raymarine LightHouse navigation charts.

Updating Software

Although many anglers see it as a chore, updating software regularly unlocks all kinds of new functions, and in most cases, costs you nothing. Raymarine has made it easy to keep its MFDs and their supporting components up to date. Using a Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot, connect your Raymarine MFD to the internet and it will do the rest.

The post Electronics Tricks of the Trade appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Garmin has debuted two new series of multifunction displays—GPSMap Plus (pictured) and EchoMap UHD. The Plus series brings increased engine-integration and OneHelm third-party-integration capabilities to 7- and 9-inch displays. The new series allows anglers to monitor their outboards as well as critical onboard systems on one screen. The UHD series is a new line of midsize (7- and 9-inch) keyed and touchscreen-with-keyed-assist combos that come with built-in support for Garmin’s Ultra High-Definition scanning sonar and Panoptix LiveScope. Both series are available with preloaded BlueChart g3 cartography. UHDs cost $499.99 to $1,149.99, and Plus units cost $899.99 to $2,899.99.

The post Garmin GPSMap Plus/EchoMap UHD appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

When I fish from my Hobie kayak, I’ve noticed that everything slows down. Not only is my speed diminished due to lack of outboard propulsion, but my expectations slow too.

I find more time to experiment with my electronics, and I’ve uncovered several key features in my multifunction display that have helped me better understand and learn about the marsh zones I fish.

Because of that revelation, I asked electronics-makers and pros, who use their MFDs daily, to describe some of the tricks that all inshore anglers can explore to improve situational awareness and fishing success.

Chart Art

“The cartography is exponentially better now than anything we’ve had even two years ago,” says David Dunn, Garmin director of sales and marketing. “We’re also starting to see a gain in momentum for QuickDraw Contours. Every manufacturer has some form of that. I think fishermen should use that more often.”

QuickDraw Contours software and similar sonar-charting products such as Navionics Sonar-Chart Live, C-Map Genesis and Humminbird AutoChart use your boat’s transducer to update chart contours—in 1-foot increments—on a real-time basis. So, if a storm shifts the sand near your inlet, you can turn on sonar charting and see the new patterns. Regions rarely updated on official charts can be updated any given day.

On a Garmin unit, you start recording sonar with this feature through the chart page menu, choosing Layers and QuickDraw Contours. You can turn off the overlaid contours when you choose.

Dunn also recommends using depth-range shading. If you’re nearshore and looking for even a slight break in depth, you can set the chart to display one color for depths of 5 to 6 feet, for instance, and another color for depths of 6 to 7 feet.

Companies such as Standard Mapping have developed specialty charts that work with many of today’s displays. “Standard Mapping offers a map package that is 90 percent satellite photos that they have gone through to show off the shallow areas,” says Jim McGowan, marketing manager for Raymarine/FLIR.

Satellite photos really help in areas with less-than-optimal water clarity. They can identify drop-offs and points that hold fish. Be sure to set your display to show aerial photos over land and sea rather than just land. Leave at least a little transparency in the photo layer so that you can see the depths on the chart beneath, McGowan suggests.

He also advises anglers to turn on tracks each day, which will record your boat’s path on the charts. Assign a different color to each day’s track and drop waypoints when you hook up to give you a real plan for success. Know too that every waypoint is electronically stamped with depth, time and date. When turning on tracks, set up the feature to drop an electronic bread crumb every two -seconds for better continuity.

Tom Rowland, a Florida Keys captain and TV co-host of “Saltwater Experience,” uses Florida Marine Tracks as the primary inshore charting software on his Yellowfin bay boat’s Lowrance HDS Live unit. “It comes with tracks for high water or low water, and then the aerial photos on that chip are better than anything else,” he says. “You can see every little dip in the flat, see sand holes, everything.”

Sonar Tips

Rowland also relies on his StructureScan side-imaging sonar to scout for tarpon while he’s idling at bridges and deep channels.

“You can clearly see the fork of the tail and the shape of the fish,” he says. “The other thing we’ll do is anchor in a channel for tarpon. That has been the best for me in terms of when I’m not seeing any fish rolling and thinking of leaving. Then, I see them swimming next to us on the sonar, and that makes me stick around till the bite turns on.”

In circumstances when you don’t need to see the water column on both sides of the boat, Raymarine’s McGowan suggests selecting an option on your display to show only the left side or the right side. “It makes the presentation bigger. You get more pixels in the display, so it’s better resolution,” he says. “When you’re trying to see greater distances, the targets will look bigger.”

Even in just a few feet of water, Raymarine SideVision can look out 50 to 70 feet, he adds.

When setting a range for SideVision, McGowan eyes the distance to the shoreline or structure, then sets the range so that he sees the edge of the structure. Raymarine’s new Element series of MFDs also offers HyperVision, a higher-frequency imaging sonar that offers even greater detail, though at shorter distances.

Capt. Eric Davis (vero​backcountryfishing.com), who runs a Pathfinder 2500 Hybrid out of Vero Beach, Florida, uses the LiveScope real-time sonar on his Garmin GPSMap 8612xsv to see bait schools ahead of his boat when scouting in channels, inlets, off the beach or offshore. “It’s an absolute game changer,” he says. “It mostly applies in the mid-range depths of 20 feet or more.

“I’ve literally moved up to a school of bait, looked at the screen, and said ‘Get ready, we’re going to get hit.’”

He mounted his LiveScope transducer on the transom rather than on his trolling motor because he often uses the sonar when he’s moving at up to 8 mph. He also peers under docks and at different structure, setting LiveScope to look forward on the auto setting.

Read Next: Choose the Right Electronics for Inshore Fishing

“With LiveScope, you see what’s going on now, live,” Dunn says, adding that the most helpful feature of LiveScope that he has seen is echo trails. “Even if you don’t see the fish on the screen, with echo trails on, you can see that something did just swim through.”

Regardless of the brand of electronics you use, the best rule of thumb—inshore and offshore—is: experiment.

Don’t stick with the status quo. You want more fish? Use the incredible electronic tools and information right at your fingertips.

The post Electronics Tips and Shortcuts for Inshore Anglers appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Garmin says its new EchoMap Ultra series of multifunction displays feature larger, brighter screens, Panoptix LiveScope support and new g3 charts. The 10- and 12-inch key-assisted touchscreen chart plotters come with support for Garmin’s ultra-high-definition scanning sonar and Panoptix LiveScope, including the single-array LVS12 transducer that provides live scanning-sonar images in real time. The Ultras are available bundled with an all-in-one ­transducer for ClearVu and SideVu scanning and chirp traditional sonar. Preloaded with BlueChart g3 and LakeVu g3 cartography, the units range in price from $1,599.99 to $2,799.99.

The post Garmin EchoMap Ultra appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Fish finders might be the superheroes of the marine-electronics world, but transducers are the always important, though seldom appreciated, sidekicks. Without the right transducer mounted in just the right place, that fish finder can’t provide accurate, clear sonar imagery, and you’ll be fishing blind (unless you have superpowers yourself).

Choosing which transducer to buy should be equally as important as picking a display. Do you need chirp? Side-scan? Down-scan? 3D or multibeam? Real-time? To answer those questions, transducer makers boil down the selection to three factors:

• what kind of fish finder you own or are purchasing;
• how you fish;
• what size and type of hull you run.

Matching Brains
The easiest of the variables to resolve is fish-finder compatibility. “Most ­multifunction-display models today [which incorporate fish finders] can use 1 kW transducers,” says Craig Cushman, director of marketing for Airmar Technology, a primary source for today’s recreational and professional marine transducers. “It’s when we get into the 3 kW transducers that you need to make sure the MFD can output that power.”

Few anglers need to see to depths that would require a 3 kW transducer, which are capable of reading bottom to 10,000 feet. Similarly, few boats could really accommodate these higher-power transducers because of their size; some weigh 30 pounds or more.

Offshore anglers generally gravitate toward 1 kW or 2 kW transducers (offering 2,500 to 6,000 feet of depth capability), depending on whether those anglers fish more recreationally or compete in tournaments. Inshore anglers can easily manage with 600-watt units and transducers (capable of reading depths up to about 1,000 feet).

To use side- or down-scan, 3D or real-time sonar transducers, your fish-finder, MFD—or networked sonar module—must come programmed to interpret those kinds of sonar signals. Online product descriptions spell out a unit’s capability, and MFD manufacturers usually recommend transducer options for each of their units.

Fishing Styles
Once you recognize the need to match a transducer to its computer brain in an MFD, you face the second round of choices—based on how you fish. Many anglers today buy boats that can run inshore and offshore, so their needs vary on any given fishing day. They also might target multiple species by trolling, drifting, anchoring or casting.

For instance, I might troll for kingfish on a calm summer day, but in spring, I’ll sightcast to cruising tripletail or in winter, float a cork for seatrout.

Decide which types of fishing you’ll do most often (those that are most important to your fishing enjoyment). Gear your electronics primarily to those goals.

“We want to know where you spend the majority of your fishing time, at what depth,” Cushman says. “Based on that, we can talk about power, for one, and then the second question is: What are you trying to do? Pinpoint fish in structure or wrecks? Are you fishing for pelagics and want wide coverage to locate schools of fish?”

Airmar sells traditional and chirp transducers through its distributor to dealers. It also provides MFD manufacturers with transducers to package with units, and it works with those manufacturers to build brand-specific transducers for scanning and other uses.

On its website, Airmar provides a variety of helpful resources including a bottom calculator to help anglers understand how wide an area they’ll see beneath the boat at different depths. In most cases, offshore anglers want to see as much of the water column as possible, so they gravitate toward ultrawide chirp transducers, which incorporate two frequency bandwidths such as low (for greater depths), medium or high (for shallower depths and more detail).

A PM411, for instance, features an ultrawide low-frequency sonar beam and a medium-frequency beam. At a depth of 4,000 feet, the wide low beam can cover a circle at the bottom that is 2,912 feet in diameter (more than half a mile).

That’s extreme, of course, but a wide transducer beam can show an angler a very wide swath of the water column below and to the sides of the boat.

Scanning or imaging sonars—such as side- and down-scan, Furuno’s DFF3D multibeam and Garmin’s Panoptix Livescope—give anglers detailed returns that can be photolike. They really shine for locating structure, but they can be limited with regard to the depths they can reach.

Fish targets tend to be less defined with scanning sonar because the beams are thin fore and aft. Offshore anglers use scanning sonar to see bait schools to either side of the boat or to see what’s under weed lines.

To combine the best of both worlds, Furuno recently launched combo transducers that incorporate multibeam elements (for the company’s DFF3D sonar) with chirp elements such as those from Airmar’s B275 wide, high-frequency transducer. That gives offshore anglers elongated fish targets as well as the ability to see fish to either side of the boat, Furuno says.

Furuno’s multibeam unit differs from other scanning/imaging sonar in that it employs a lower frequency of 165 kHz compared with the 455 kHz, 800 kHz, 1.2 mHz and higher frequencies used by other companies. That gives Furuno’s product greater depth capability.

“Our RealVision 3D and HyperVision sonar transducers are a great choice for anglers looking for precise information about where the fish are holding in relation to the boat,” says Jim McGowan, Raymarine marketing manager. “Like others, we can display accurate distances to fish and objects both vertically as well as horizontally. We can also combine those sets with additional data into a 3D model to enhance spatial awareness.”

Boat Type
Your boat’s size and hull shape play a major role in choosing a transducer. As with real estate, the prime consideration is location, location, location.

“Mounting options can make or break the whole experience,” says David Dunn, Garmin director of sales and marketing. “A poorly mounted transducer will not perform well. Transom mounts are really good now, if they’re mounted properly. But anytime you can use a through-hull, you’ll get better results.”

A transducer works best when it’s covered by clean, clear water without bubbles that can flow from scuppers, livewell pickups, hull steps and other hindrances. Dunn says transom-mounted transducers remain the most popular and cost-effective solution for many boaters.

Read Next: Choose the Right Sounder for the Way You Fish

However, larger boats with deeper V’s or steps often employ through-hull transducers, mounted using a fiberglass fairing block, or tilted-element transducers that can compensate for the sloping hull of an offshore vessel.

Once you walk through the three variables for choosing a transducer, you should arrive at a much narrower list of options. If you’re buying a new boat, the builder and dealer can help. If you’re installing newer electronics on an existing hull, consult a National Marine Electronics Association certified installer and check manufacturers’ websites for a wealth of assistance.

And remember: Respect the ­sidekick.

The post Pair the Right Transducer to Your Fish Finder appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Simrad has introduced what it calls the most intuitive chart plotter on the market — the Cruise. Controlled with a rotary dial and keypad, the unit provides all the vital information for navigating, using pre-loaded U.S. coastal charts; other options include upgrades from C-MAP and Navionics. The non-networking unit also comes with an included transducer and integral chirp sonar. Available in 5-, 7- and 9-inch display sizes, Cruise units start at $399.

The post Simrad Cruise MFD appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.