Idaho Kokanee Fishing: I want to take up Kokanee Fishing and i have purchased everything but a fish finder. Anyone have some advice on a great fish finder to use primarily trollin?

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

I want to take up Kokanee Fishing and i have purchased everything but a fish finder. Anyone have some advice on a great fish finder to use primarily trollin?

fishtail

When looking for a fish finder, all you really want to know is water depth, and is there any fish under the boat. Oh, and are there any snags. I've fished lakes, rivers the puget sound and the pacific ocean with an inexpensive depth sounder. Get one that's simple to use so you aren't spending all your time trying to figure it out.
fishtails,

TJA57 Loc: chino, CA

Cybersnow wrote:

I want to take up Kokanee Fishing and i have purchased everything but a fish finder. Anyone have some advice on a great fish finder to use primarily trollin?

Fishtail makes a good point, that you could get a good inexpensive basic fish finder that will do the job.
However, in my opinion, you must consider the troll motor you have purchased. If you have purchased a high end troll motor that has integrated gps, sonar, anchor lock, remote control ect . you may want to consider a higher end finder that can connect to your troll motor and utilizeall of it's features.

Glennthen Loc: Sandpoint, ID

Cybersnow wrote:

I want to take up Kokanee Fishing and i have purchased everything but a fish finder. Anyone have some advice on a great fish finder to use primarily trollin?

A relatively inexpensive fish finder is the Humminbird Helix 5 DI. It tells you the depth, water temp, fish and a very important aspect of kokanee fishing, boat speed. This is a good starter system and covers all the critical bases.

Mapping, lake structure and topo can be found on the higher end units.
Happy fishin'

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

Is it important to be able see/identify the thermocline? On my last boat i used to troll just under thethermoclinr.

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

Any thoughts on whether Lowrance or Garmin is better?

TJA57 Loc: chino, CA

Cybersnow wrote:

Any thoughts on whether Lowrance or Garmin is better?

Personally I like Lowrance but Garmin does make good units.
I don't think you would go wrong with either unit.

JimTom Loc: N Idaho

Glennthen wrote:

A relatively inexpensive fish finder is the Humminbird Helix 5 DI. It tells you the depth, water temp, fish and a very important aspect of kokanee fishing, boat speed. This is a good starter system and covers all the critical bases.

Mapping, lake structure and topo can be found on the higher end units.
Happy fishin'

Right on Glenn especially on the boat speed.

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

I currently have a garmin UHD 73SV in the boat, but the operating instructions must have been written by a bass fisherman as it gives no info on how to use the system in a trolling situation. My old boat had a Lowrance on it and it told me everything i needed to know including thermocline and boat speed. I have written multiple emails to Garmin but their customer support team doesnt seem to be focused on their customers. I am thinking of removing the Garmin for a Lowrance

fishtail

Maybe you should tell Garmin that your going to switch and tell everybody about their lousy support team and you might get some results.

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

The difference in customer support has made me feel that I need to switch. When i asked Garmin how to set up for Kokanee trolling i received a digital copy of their owners manual. I asked Lowrance the same question and received a number detailed approaches on how to setup their fishfinder.

fishtail

Good luck!

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

Thanks, cold weather and kokanee finishing spawning has shut my fishing down. Will give the Garmin one last try in the Spring and call them when i am on the water with the boat. If that doesnt resolve my “operator error” I will fork over the money and go to Lowrance.

TJA57 Loc: chino, CA

Cybersnow wrote:

Thanks, cold weather and kokanee finishing spawning has shut my fishing down. Will give the Garmin one last try in the Spring and call them when i am on the water with the boat. If that doesnt resolve my “operator error” I will fork over the money and go to Lowrance.

If you can't see the thermocline on your fishfinder you might have the sensitivity set to auto. If that's the case your fishfinder might be seeing the thermocline as clutter and filtering it out. Try taking it off auto sensitivity and adjust the sensitivity up or down to bring the thermocline into focus. Hope this helps . But if you are already familiar with the Lowrance and you like it, I think I would stick with that imo.

Cybersnow Loc: McCall, Idaho

Good advice, next Spring when i haul the boat out of the barn and take a run at the uce out trout, i will give that a try! Thanks