What's the point of side scan? Does anyone use it?

is there 4 transducers on your boat?

I really liked my side scan and downscan. Interesting data when in the bays and shorelines.
 
Side scan and downs scan definitely have their place in a boat. Expect the technology to improve and the depths you can expect to get clearer target returns to increase as manufacturers fiddle with different frequencies.

I have 5 transducers in my boat---in the picture above, the yellow "wet box" is an in-hull M260 (a 1 Kw 50/200 KHz that shoots through the hull) . The big brass thru-hull is an Airmar B175W "Chirp" and the P79 behind it is an in-hull for just depth readings

But my favorite transducer is the tried-and-true P66 ( 600 W---50/200 KHz) ---that one is on my transom. Many people would agree that with a P66 transom puck, a Pacific Northwest salmon fishermen really doesn't need any other piece of sonar/fishfinder technology. That has been my experience also, but as I kicked my cocaine habit years ago I just had to, no doubt just had to, replace it with another habit....now I have this irresistible compulsion to stick my face into large MFD screens that show interesting painted pictures of target returns...which explains all the other transducers...
 
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Side scan and downs scan definitely have their place in a boat. Expect the technology to improve and the depths you can get clearer target returns to increases as manufacturers fiddle with different frequencies.

I have 5 transducers in my boat---in the picture above, the yellow "wet box" is an in-hull M260 (a 1 Kw 50/200 KHz that shoots through the hull) . The big brass thru-hull is an Airmar B175W "Chirp" and the P79 behind it is an in-hull for just depth readings

But my favorite transducer is the tried-and-true P66 ( 600 W---50/200 KHz) ---that one is on my transom. Many people would agree that with a P66 transom puck, a Pacific Northwest salmon fishermen really doesn't need any other piece of sonar/fishfinder technology. That has been my experience also, but as I kicked my cocaine habit years ago I just had to, no doubt just had to, replace it with another habit....now I have this irresistible compulsion to stick my face into large MFD screens that show interesting painted pictures of target returns...which explains all the other transducers...


I'm supprised. What is it about the P66 thats better than the B175m? Do you find better returns? I found the opposite, going from a HDI 70/200 transducer to a TM150 chirp gave better returns.
 
I'm thinking part of the reason I favor the P66 is its placement on the boat. Hung on the transom, and with the 25 degree beam, it tracks my gear the best because with the blow-back of braid, sometimes the B175W loses the gear target. -- the cannonball gets pulled so far astern of the boat due to blow-back it no longer sits in the beam angle of the B175W. Although the P66 doesn't have the crisp target returns of the B175W, it definitely gets the job done

IMG_0557.JPG
 
hence also why i run a p66 and SS-175 high
have Lss-2, p66, SS-175 high and low
 
I bought a Humminbird (first mistake) Helix 7 SI/DI last year. My main hope was that it would show sturgeon on the Fraser. But it really does not, even when I know there are fish around. The guides uses the Mega-Imaging Humminbird which is over 2k.....those show sturgeon. I have marked bait balls off to the side in the ocean, but it really is not that useful. Lowrance next time for me.
 
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