Garmin’s new finder sends clearer picture
Oof the challenging things about using boat-mounted sonar units to locate game fish is trying to decipher the images on the fish finder’s display.
There are cloud-looking things, blips, dots, arches and sundry other marks. Not to mention a multitude of colors.
As a rule, the arches represent fish, but before you can identify what is a fish, you first must learn how to recognize the difference between a blip and an arch.
That sounds easier than it really is, especially for newcomers who are often seen staring into the display on their fish finder while asking, “Is that mark a fish-representing arch or just an elongated blip? Or is it just the edge of a cloud looking thingy?”
Once an angler decides that a mark is definitely an arch, then he needs to identify the type of arch. Is it a largemouth bass? A catfish? Or maybe a carp?
This struggle has plagued anglers since the first fish finder showed up in stores and has not been overlooked by the companies who put them there. Through the years, these companies have spent millions of dollars looking for ways to improve the image you see on your fish finder’s screen.
One of those companies is Garmin USA, whose fish finding entry in the new products showcase at the International Convention of Allied sportfishing Trades walked away with the Best of Show Award. That recognition came after capturing the Best of Category Award for electronics.
ICAST is billed by the American Sportfishing Association as the world’s largest sportfishing trade show and was once a frequent visitor to Las Vegas. In recent years, however, the show has been in July in Orlando, Florida.
Garmin’s award-winning entry is sure to take the fun out of interpreting blips, arches and cloud-looking things. In fact, the Panoptix Livescope offers anglers none of these. What it does provide anglers, according to a Garmin news release, is “the first and only live scanning sonar for recreational fishing.”
What does that mean?
Lake Mead — Anglers are finding good fishing for striped bass in the Boulder Basin. The fish are taking anchovies. With high daytime temperatures, the best action can be found in the early mornings and evenings. Catfish are eating almost anything fished off the bottom in coves. Shore fishing for bluegill has been good around Government Wash.
Lake Mohave — Smallmouth bass and stripers are biting near Nevada Telephone
Cove, and bluegill are taking worms near Placer Cove. Look for black bass in coves near Cottonwood Cove. Striped bass are hitting anchovies and artificial lures at Willow Beach. Large swimbaits in trout patterns are bringing in big stripers.
Laughlin — Warm-water fish are providing the best fishing. Anchovies are catching striped bass all along the river. Shore and boat anglers are catching the fish. Live and plastic worms fished along shelves are bringing in smallmouth bass. Rainbow trout still are biting below Davis Dam and around Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area.
Las Vegas urban ponds — Small bluegill and bass can be seen rising on the ponds. They are taking flies, small lures and mealworms. Heavy rains have caused murky water conditions, and that has kept many anglers at home. The best action can be found in the mornings before the temperature reaches triple digits.
Kirch Wildlife Management Area — Monsoonal thunderstorms brought rains to the area over the weekend. A wet-weather pattern has kept reservoir water level higher than usual. Fishing pressure has been light, but the few anglers who are venturing out are finding the best fishing in the early mornings. The water has been murky, and aquatic vegetation continues to spread.
Eagle Valley Reservoir — Monsoonal rains kept most people off the water over the weekend, but those who did try their luck found good fishing for rainbow trout early in the morning. The fish were taking Powerbait, night crawlers with a bit of marshmallow and small, gold spinning lures. Crappie hit the lures as well.
Echo Canyon Reservoir — If you are looking for a quiet place to fish, this is the place for you. Monsoonal storms kept most anglers off the water over the weekend, but action off the dam has been good for rainbow trout and crappie.
Upcoming events — The Nevada Department of Wildlife will hold a free family fishing clinic for anglers of all ages at Floyd Lamb Park at 9 a.m. on Aug. 18. The clinic is part of the monthly meeting for the Southern Nevada Family Fishing Club. Visit https://registered.com/programs/nevada/210-angler-education for more information and to register.
It means when you look at the display on your fish finder you will see “easy-to-interpret scanning sonar images of structure, bait and fish swimming all around your boat, even when your boat is stationary.”
In other words, gone are the blips arches and cloud-looking things. There is no mistaking what you see on the screen. A bush is a bush, and a fish is a fish. And in some instances, you might be able to distinguish between fish species. You won’t be looking at a picture of a fish, but you won’t be left guessing, either. After watching a video of the Livescope in action, it was hard not to be impressed.
During an interview with ICAST TV, the trade show’s in-house channel, Garmin pro angler Jason Christie said about Livescope: “To me, as a fisherman, simpler is better. It’s really simple to use. The picture is 3-D. It makes my job a lot easier.”
Livescope combines scanning sonar with live sonar, and that combination of technology accounts for the detail on your fish finder screen. The transducer offers two viewing modes, down and forward. Down shows you
what is directly below your boat, and forward allows you to see all around your boat. In both modes, the viewing distance is about 200 feet.
To be sure that anglers see a steady sonar image, Garmin included what it calls an attitude heading reference system that compensates for a boat’s motion by constantly adjusting the unit’s sonar beams.
The Livescope transducer comes with a universal plug that makes it compatible with several models of Garmin displays and chartplotters. You can expect to pay about $1,500 for the unit. Product videos and information can be found at garmin.com/ panoptix.
Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas ReviewJournal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions are his own. Find him on Facebook at @dougwritesoutdoors. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail. com.