Boat layout between sonar and trolling motor.

[wildcat3]

Any tips or tricks to stay on top of brush piles or structure with a plain Jane foot operated trolling motor ? I've got down scan and side scan but my unit is mounted in the back of the boat. I can use the electronics to locate what I'm looking for but seem to have a hard time locking on it when I move to the front to fish.

 

[nchawkeye]

I throw out a bouy to mark the brush pile...

 

[wildcat3]

I throw out a bouy to mark the brush pile...

Do you toss directly on it? I know crappie can spook fairly easy.

 

[nchawkeye]

Do you toss directly on it? I know crappie can spook fairly easy.

I do...and sometimes I get right on top of the brush pile and vertical jig...Typically I fish Badin or High Rock, with Badin these fish can be 25-30 feet deep and I'm using a 6 foot rod...I don't bang around in the boat but I'm able to catch them right under the boat...I have a Hummingbird in front as well and sometimes throw out a 2nd bouy if the first is off the brush...

I guess there are times they are spooky but I've had good luck doing it this way...

 

[woodmoose]

Any tips or tricks to stay on top of brush piles or structure with a plain Jane foot operated trolling motor ? I've got down scan and side scan but my unit is mounted in the back of the boat. I can use the electronics to locate what I'm looking for but seem to have a hard time locking on it when I move to the front to fish.

Move the sonar unit to the front of the boat maybe?

 

[oldest school]

Any tips or tricks to stay on top of brush piles or structure with a plain Jane foot operated trolling motor ? I've got down scan and side scan but my unit is mounted in the back of the boat. I can use the electronics to locate what I'm looking for but seem to have a hard time locking on it when I move to the front to fish.

learn to "line up" the brush.
You basically use two points in the same sight path (like open sights on a rifle) the further apart the better.
LIke say a fence post and a noticeable tree.
You can never miss your underwater object if you start out from it and keep casting on the line til you find it.
This is not triangulation.
But the buoy is even easier. The line up stuff is if you dont want to run over the brush before you fish it.
This was the what off shore bass fishermen learned before modern electronics. It does just fine for crappie brush as it does for bass offshore cover.
A phone pic of your line up might help ypu in finding it. Those pics are a great help when the water drops and you can see the stuff you want to fish when the water is normal. You can see the line and the cover- no memory required.

Good Luck- It is a pleasure when you "hit" your hidden target and get bit.

 

[darenative]

If you are running garnin electronics, you can install the active captian app and display the graph on your phone or tablet. Hbird and lowrance might have something similar, but not sure on it.