New School Technology, Old School Techniques

There is no doubt that modern day technology has revolutionized the fishing world. This is certainly true with crappie fishing. With the introduction of the Garmin Livescope a few years ago, fishing has not been the same. You no longer have to blind cast or fish every possible structure to find fish. With Livescope, you can tell if there are fish on a particular structure. Not only can you see where they are, you can see the exact depth and able place you bait in the exact location to get them to bite. But this is where the dilemma comes in. For those fishers who prefer casting or watching their float(cork) slowly descend when the fish bites, watching a screen all day may not be for you. The good news for the old school fishers is that you can incorporate both. Finding fish with Livescope is a matter of searching. Sometimes you find them quick and other times it may take longer. But once you locate fish, you can either anchor up or just use your trolling motor to stay in the zone. Then, you can go back to old school techniques by casting in the area where you have located fish. Those who love to spider-rig can also use this technology to their advantage. In the past, you would set out your rods with different baits, set at different depths and adjust them according to which rods were getting bit. With this new technology fishers can see exactly the location of fish in front of them as they troll. For those who love to catch other fish such as bluegill, shellcrackers and other assorted panfish, this new age of technology can certainly help you locate fish. Again, once you have located the fish you can go back to old school techniques by casting a worm or cricket on a hook under a cork to catch them. This new age of fishing is certainly not for everyone. First of all it is relatively expensive for the average weekend fisher. Second, it is a learning curve to be able to differentiate which fish are those you are seeking and those which are just bait and other "trash" fish. I have only mentioned the Garmin Livescope, but there are many other marine products that will help you find fish. There are units with down imaging, side imaging, and units that scan 360 degrees around your boat. Garmin is no doubt the leader is this new technology, but other companies such as Lowrance and Humminbird have units that will help you find fish. So, if you are thinking about trying this new technology for fishing, just know you don't have to give up your favorite way to fish. It just makes it easier and thats a good thing. Good luck fishing and hope to see ya on the water.. #Garminlivescope

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