Using GPS to mark where I cought fish....HOW?????

In article ,
"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote:

":-:NeWcS:-:" wrote in message
link.net...
Im getting a Magellan GPS 310. It will hook up to my PC so what software
should I get? Will it have the lakes I fish one the software???

I'm not a big fan of Magellan gps units. It seems to me that Magellan makes
their units harder to work with than Garmin or Lowrance. As far as what
lakes are on the software, I have no idea.

Look at the Garmin units, from everything that I've heard and experienced,
they are a much better unit and I know Fishing HotSpots maps are available
to interface with the Garmins.

I would offer a counterpoint on this.

If you have not used one in the past couple of years you may not be
familiar with the current functions.

I have had a Magellan Meridian Marine model since they first came out. I
have had some issues but no complaints about the detail It is in fact
more detailed than the GPSMap 76 from Garmin. As well, the track is more
detailed also (not just my observation check out the comparisons at
http://gpsinformation.net/.

The unit is easy to use and a big plus is the SD card which allows me to
use the Magellan BlueNav to load detailed information for my specific
fishing areas. Also capable of popping that into a card reader and
downloading or even editing directly (careful about changing the text
format and string length limits though).

Hot Spot maps are okay but the thing to remember is that is everybody
has that information the chances that they are not over fished is slim.
As always to have the best spots takes some personal exploration. The
environment changes as well so what was hot one year may not be the
next. That is where your GPS comes in. I have spots marked where I have
caught fish and returning to those waypoints has been productive. I also
mark holes and cuts at low tide in the flats for later opportunities.

Along with the suggetion that you can plot your waypoints on a map
(still takes some work) you can use several of the mapping services with
your GPS coordinates to add them to the map and then save/print this
image. That may also help ease plotting on your charts.

I have a review of the Meridian on my site that I note pros and cons.
The biggest issue is that losing all battery power can cause the
waypoints to be lost. Having them on a card resolves that issue. Also
makes it easy to share points with another magellan user.

I not only would buy another Meridian if given the chance but I DID
after my first one was donated to the Gulf of Mexico when it slipped off
my kayak on a night fishing trip in a ripping tide at Ft. Desoto. By the
time I noticed it was gone it had floated off and was never seen again.
Hope someone found it.

Good Fishin'

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com

Hot Spot maps are okay but the thing to remember is that is everybody
has that information the chances that they are not over fished is slim.
As always to have the best spots takes some personal exploration. The
environment changes as well so what was hot one year may not be the
next. That is where your GPS comes in. I have spots marked where I have
caught fish and returning to those waypoints has been productive. I also
mark holes and cuts at low tide in the flats for later opportunities.


I am pretty sure that Fishing Hot Spots is simply the brand name of the map
company that puts them out. I have several "Hot Spots" maps of local lakes
and it shows a good map of the lake, any underwater features that are known
about, and that's it. They don't list actual "fishing" hot spots to my
knowledge.

The best maps of my local lakes that I have are aerial photo maps. The
photos were taken from high alitutude planes, after the timbering, prior to
the lakes' initial floodings. Works great, shows the actual road beads,
railroad beds, holes, places where grass/weeds did grow, where they didn't
grow, and so on.

Any of these maps work in conjunction with a GPS unit, especially when one
uses waypoints to find their way back to their own personal hot spots.

Good stuff Sim. The best stuff I know of I've found myself, period. GPS is
an incredibleaid to the guy that'll take the time to actually drive his boat
over the lakebottom & pay attention to what he sees. I've never won a
tournament on something that I've seen on a mass-produced contour map,
though I have certainly used them to guide me to some honey holes. The best
stuff are things like rockpiles the size of a car, a sudden break in a
weedline, an uncharted hump, etc... The problem is few guys want to put
their rods down long enough to find these places.

That's especially good for guys like me ;-)

Warren

"SimRacer" wrote in message
om...


Hot Spot maps are okay but the thing to remember is that is everybody
has that information the chances that they are not over fished is slim.
As always to have the best spots takes some personal exploration. The
environment changes as well so what was hot one year may not be the
next. That is where your GPS comes in. I have spots marked where I have
caught fish and returning to those waypoints has been productive. I also
mark holes and cuts at low tide in the flats for later opportunities.


I am pretty sure that Fishing Hot Spots is simply the brand name of the
map
company that puts them out. I have several "Hot Spots" maps of local lakes
and it shows a good map of the lake, any underwater features that are
known
about, and that's it. They don't list actual "fishing" hot spots to my
knowledge.

The best maps of my local lakes that I have are aerial photo maps. The
photos were taken from high alitutude planes, after the timbering, prior
to
the lakes' initial floodings. Works great, shows the actual road beads,
railroad beds, holes, places where grass/weeds did grow, where they didn't
grow, and so on.

Any of these maps work in conjunction with a GPS unit, especially when one
uses waypoints to find their way back to their own personal hot spots.

Exactly !!!

"go-bassn" wrote in message
...
Good stuff Sim. The best stuff I know of I've found myself, period. GPS
is
an incredibleaid to the guy that'll take the time to actually drive his
boat
over the lakebottom & pay attention to what he sees. I've never won a
tournament on something that I've seen on a mass-produced contour map,
though I have certainly used them to guide me to some honey holes. The
best
stuff are things like rockpiles the size of a car, a sudden break in a
weedline, an uncharted hump, etc... The problem is few guys want to put
their rods down long enough to find these places.

That's especially good for guys like me ;-)

Warren

"SimRacer" wrote in message
om...


Hot Spot maps are okay but the thing to remember is that is everybody
has that information the chances that they are not over fished is
slim.
As always to have the best spots takes some personal exploration. The
environment changes as well so what was hot one year may not be the
next. That is where your GPS comes in. I have spots marked where I
have
caught fish and returning to those waypoints has been productive. I
also
mark holes and cuts at low tide in the flats for later opportunities.


I am pretty sure that Fishing Hot Spots is simply the brand name of the
map
company that puts them out. I have several "Hot Spots" maps of local
lakes
and it shows a good map of the lake, any underwater features that are
known
about, and that's it. They don't list actual "fishing" hot spots to my
knowledge.

The best maps of my local lakes that I have are aerial photo maps. The
photos were taken from high alitutude planes, after the timbering, prior
to
the lakes' initial floodings. Works great, shows the actual road beads,
railroad beds, holes, places where grass/weeds did grow, where they
didn't
grow, and so on.

Any of these maps work in conjunction with a GPS unit, especially when
one
uses waypoints to find their way back to their own personal hot spots.

Thank God you let me knowabout that detail scale on the Garmin software
Jerry, that was a huge improvement!

Warren

"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Exactly !!!

"go-bassn" wrote in message
...
Good stuff Sim. The best stuff I know of I've found myself, period.
GPS
is
an incredibleaid to the guy that'll take the time to actually drive his
boat
over the lakebottom & pay attention to what he sees. I've never won a
tournament on something that I've seen on a mass-produced contour map,
though I have certainly used them to guide me to some honey holes. The
best
stuff are things like rockpiles the size of a car, a sudden break in a
weedline, an uncharted hump, etc... The problem is few guys want to put
their rods down long enough to find these places.

That's especially good for guys like me ;-)

Warren

"SimRacer" wrote in message
om...


Hot Spot maps are okay but the thing to remember is that is
everybody
has that information the chances that they are not over fished is
slim.
As always to have the best spots takes some personal exploration.
The
environment changes as well so what was hot one year may not be the
next. That is where your GPS comes in. I have spots marked where I
have
caught fish and returning to those waypoints has been productive. I
also
mark holes and cuts at low tide in the flats for later
opportunities.


I am pretty sure that Fishing Hot Spots is simply the brand name of
the
map
company that puts them out. I have several "Hot Spots" maps of local
lakes
and it shows a good map of the lake, any underwater features that are
known
about, and that's it. They don't list actual "fishing" hot spots to my
knowledge.

The best maps of my local lakes that I have are aerial photo maps. The
photos were taken from high alitutude planes, after the timbering,
prior
to
the lakes' initial floodings. Works great, shows the actual road
beads,
railroad beds, holes, places where grass/weeds did grow, where they
didn't
grow, and so on.

Any of these maps work in conjunction with a GPS unit, especially when
one
uses waypoints to find their way back to their own personal hot spots.

SON!!! It does make a difference, don't it ?

"go-bassn" wrote in message
...
Thank God you let me knowabout that detail scale on the Garmin software
Jerry, that was a huge improvement!

Warren

"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Exactly !!!

"go-bassn" wrote in message
...
Good stuff Sim. The best stuff I know of I've found myself, period.
GPS
is
an incredibleaid to the guy that'll take the time to actually drive
his
boat
over the lakebottom & pay attention to what he sees. I've never won a
tournament on something that I've seen on a mass-produced contour map,
though I have certainly used them to guide me to some honey holes.
The
best
stuff are things like rockpiles the size of a car, a sudden break in a
weedline, an uncharted hump, etc... The problem is few guys want to
put
their rods down long enough to find these places.

That's especially good for guys like me ;-)

Warren

"SimRacer" wrote in message
om...


Hot Spot maps are okay but the thing to remember is that is
everybody
has that information the chances that they are not over fished is
slim.
As always to have the best spots takes some personal exploration.
The
environment changes as well so what was hot one year may not be
the
next. That is where your GPS comes in. I have spots marked where I
have
caught fish and returning to those waypoints has been productive.
I
also
mark holes and cuts at low tide in the flats for later
opportunities.


I am pretty sure that Fishing Hot Spots is simply the brand name of
the
map
company that puts them out. I have several "Hot Spots" maps of local
lakes
and it shows a good map of the lake, any underwater features that
are
known
about, and that's it. They don't list actual "fishing" hot spots to
my
knowledge.

The best maps of my local lakes that I have are aerial photo maps.
The
photos were taken from high alitutude planes, after the timbering,
prior
to
the lakes' initial floodings. Works great, shows the actual road
beads,
railroad beds, holes, places where grass/weeds did grow, where they
didn't
grow, and so on.

Any of these maps work in conjunction with a GPS unit, especially
when
one
uses waypoints to find their way back to their own personal hot
spots.

In article ,
"SimRacer" wrote:

I am pretty sure that Fishing Hot Spots is simply the brand name of the map
company that puts them out. I have several "Hot Spots" maps of local lakes
and it shows a good map of the lake, any underwater features that are known
about, and that's it. They don't list actual "fishing" hot spots to my
knowledge.

You may want to check again though maybe only the sal****er maps. I
don't do as much lake fishing. The hot spot maps I have for most of the
FL coast attribute the information to a handful of guides as at least on
source. Not saying that they are not any good but when you put a marker
on a fishing hole someboady is bound to give it a try.

good fishin'

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com

Joe wrote: "You may want to check again though maybe only the sal****er
maps. I don't do as much lake fishing. The hot spot maps I have for most of
the FL coast attribute the information to a handful of guides as at least on
source. Not saying that they are not any good but when you put a marker on a
fishing hole somebody is bound to give it a try."

The information you get from local guides or marina owners is very valuable.
You can not get this information by just looking at a map. IN Louisiana
where the land is disappearing at 25 square miles a year, the water bottoms
are consistently changing. There are a lot of hidden structure where
islands use to be. You could drive your boat right over the are and not
even realize it use to be an island. On that note, I have a friend that
uses his GPS and plotter to shrimp with. The model he uses has a built in
map of the are his shrimps. The map is upgradeable and he purchased the
latest map. He switch back to the old one after only one time use. The
reason is the newer map did not have the islands and land mass that is gone.
Knowing where these land mass are is valuable when you are trawling so you
do not run aground.

I fish sal****er only and never plot where I catch fish. I fish that I can
ride right up to the area that I caught before. I do use my GPS to help me
by tracking my route in case I run into a problem with low water I can mark
it. When I get home I circle the area on my aerial photo to indicate
unpassable area on low tide or high tide situations. Plotting where the
fish are would only serve me as to keep records of what areas seem to
produce more catches. I am not interested in that. Fish are constantly on
the move in the sal****er marsh. They will follow the bait. I have limited
out on specks (25) in one spot on one day and the next day that spot produce
zero fish. The bait had moved and so did the fish.

Some of you have had problems with Garmin and some with Magellan. I own
three different brand GPS units. One Garmin, one Magellan and Lowrance and
they all work. They contact customer service for both Garmin and Magellan
and both talked to me. I e mailed on Magellan and they emailed me back
within two business days which I consider reasonable. Both the Magellan and
the Garmin can be hooked up to the computer via a cable. I have used the
Magellan with mapping software, hooked up to my laptop to help me navigate
from Louisiana to Calgary, Canada. The matter of mapping software is a
personal preference as is what brand and type of GPS you want. You need to
check with friends that own one so that you can try it. Some models are a
little more confusing then others.

A good source to get GPS coordinates on line is www.maptech.com You pull up
the area you want then move the cursor over the spot you want. The
coordinates will be on the right side. Just make sure that when entering
the coordinates in any GPS unit that information is in the same format as
you are storing. Make sure that you use the same exact format such as 90 34
05 compared to 90 34 044, This may seem trivial but it could make a
difference of several hundred feet.

Sarge