GPS/Fishfinder-GPS Combo

[sccatfish]

Are there any GPSs or Fishfinder-GPS combos that allow you to mark where fish were caught? I would like to have one that I can mark every time I catch a fish (preferably with a 1-touch or other quick way), then I can see where the highest numbers come from. Something where I can record conditions (water level, weather, time of year, wind direction, time of day, etc.) along with those marks would be nice also.

I guess I could use waypoints if I needed to, if there is a way to mark them quickly, but I was hoping there was a system with something specifically designed to mark fish catches.

 

[skargo]

Re: GPS/Fishfinder-GPS Combo

Waypoints do exactly what you are asking, mine you can even use a little fish sybol if you like.

 

[Boatist]

Re: GPS/Fishfinder-GPS Combo

I agree waypoints work very well. They can be set quickly on most units and will assign the next waypoint in order. Many units it is a mater of holding a key for 2 seconds or hitting a key twice.

One thing I do is either log the waypoint number in a note book with big fish caught or many fished hooked or big snag. Then I later go back and add the notes to the waypoint it's self with symbol. In my case I log each waypoint I keep in my log book after I get back home. Sometimes I will change the waypoint number or symbol or delete it.

Since this all takes time what I do most of the time today is have a digital voice recorder next to the GPS. I set the waypoint and note the new number then pick up the digital voice recorder and say Waypoint 325 hooked large Lingcod or double Salmon hook up or everyone snagged bottom.
There are some GPS units that have a voice memo you can add to each waypoint as you save it.
Good Luck and Good Fishing

 

[John_S]

Re: GPS/Fishfinder-GPS Combo

My HB has one button, one push waypoint mark. It can be configured to save the current screen shot to SD chip at the same time. If on the 2D screen, it can save water temp, speed, and other data that you have displayed there. I wouldn't mark every fish or try to use the waypoint as a log, but insert that info into a log. I like the digital recorder idea above. I generally make a mess out of any paper log book on the boat.

 

[sccatfish]

Re: GPS/Fishfinder-GPS Combo

Thanks guys.

I figured I would probably be stuck with using waypoints.

I was trying to stay as simple as I could. I don't really want to have a lot of devices on the boat and I'm sure paper would get messed up and probably not stay legible long, or it would get lost. I also don't want it to take a lot of time, either when marking or when deciding where to go.

I was hoping for a system where you put in your conditions when you start, then mark every fish caught which would store all of the conditions with it. Over time you would collect a lot of data, and when you go back and put in your conditions, it shows your catches matching the conditions and hides the rest.

 

[dingbat]

Re: GPS/Fishfinder-GPS Combo

My 2 cents on the subject.
The only time I "mark" locations is when trolling open water. Use MOB to mark the location so I can run back over it.

I don't use a logs. Don't have the time nor patience. Data doesn?t mean much unless you know why. Much more productive if you program your ?internal hard drive? to extract the data. Then you have the ability to extract data from anywhere you go. All you need is a map.