Every now and then I get in my boat with someone that tells me they have a Lowrance unit but they really don’t understand how to use it correctly. So I spend part of the day trying to give them a quick orientation on the unit’s capabilities and mention some aspects that they just can’t do without.

The first thing I tell people is, as stated by my friend Wilson Frazier, “It ain’t TV,” meaning you can’t look at it like it is a TV. You should not expect the screen to give you TV-like images. It has to be read from right to left and from bottom to top. Look at the bottom right corner of the screen where you determine depth, bottom changes, and color that identifies the kind of bottom, and then look upward to find the fish and depth changes.

You also need to understand the bottom structure as the screen only allows you to interpret the bottom, not see it like a TV show. Once you can read the bottom, you’re well on your way to making your unit work for you. Now you can start finding fish. Since bass instinctively relate to structure, accurately identifying bottom structure tells you where the bass should be.

Next is the GPS. I always set my unit up in a split mode where the depth and bottom shows on the right side and the GPS shows on the left. With this setup you can utilize the mapping part of the system. Resize your screen to allow the GPS part to be blown up in front of you and a small section dedicated to the bottom and depth.

Lastly, I always see folks that can’t tell where a mark on their GPS is unless they are headed directly north. There is a function on your GPS called range rings. Set this up for 1-mile distance, it allows you to see when you actually turn your boat whether you are heading toward a way point, hump, or point rather than missing your designated area and wasting time.

There are many capabilities on your Lowrance. You can get by using only a fraction of your Lowrance’s functions and a rudimentary understanding of what you see, but you are passing up information that will help you catch more and bigger fish.

Come fish with me and I will give you more tips that you can’t fish wtihout!

Captain Mike Gerry
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
Web: www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
(256) 759-2270