Speaking of forward facing sonar

[Crow Terminator]

How many of you guys have stepped into the multi F.F.S craze? I reckon I am getting ready to play with it with 2 transducers...gonna have one mounted in forward mode and the other on perspective mode. This will be somewhat of what I was already doing with Mega 360...except the view will be live on the screen. I'm hoping this will let me see brush, cover, etc out in front of the boat in real time and known exactly where it is so that I can know where to point the transducer in forward mode to see what fish are there/how deep, etc. From what I have saw...Garmin has the best imagery for forward and down mode...but Lowrance is much better for landscape/perspective style view. So that's my plan...Garmin LS34 for forward mode and Lowrance Active Target for perspective mode viewing. I will also have the Lowrance regular transducer mounted to the bottom of the trolling motor for 2D and Down Imaging when not running the landscape modes. I was going to put the HDS Live unit at the console but think this is a much better idea. I use the graphs up front way more than at the console anyway.

 

[Iglow]

A guy I work with just showed me a video with some kid with a google goggle thing on his head and he's seeing his livescope and fishing at the same time......

 

[Urban_Hunter]

The perspective mode doesn't have near the detail that 360 has. It is for locating suspended fish mostly when covering lots of water. For what you describe I would imagine a 360 would be better for identifying structure to focus on with the 34

 

[Crow Terminator]

The cone/beam in perspective mode doesn't allow for gauging depth of fish though. You can see them IF they are in the beam but have no idea what depth they are at. I don't need extreme detail ...just need to know where it's at in relation to the boat. I've got Mega 360 on the front now and had already been playing with it vs perspective mode on the LS34 transducer. I prefer the live version. Mega 360 is too slow at updating/refreshing. Even by increasing the sweep/refresh rate, it is slow. I actually turned it into a "Mega 180" to just show what was in front of the boat, as I didn't care for what was behind me. It gives a better overall picture that way (fill the screen better). My plan is to take the whole Mega 360/Humminbird package off the boat and replace it with the HDS Live and Active Target. Active Target will be mounted to my trolling motor shaft and LS34 to my separate pole.

 

[TNReb]

I have LVS32 in forward mode + Mega 360. I've played with Livescope in Perspective, and I just don't like it. It's not clear and the depth of water affects it greatly.

There are days where I don't really use the 360 much, but there are other days where it is great for following a grass line, ledge, etc.

 

[Crow Terminator]

Yeah, it will be a situational use for sure. The Lowrance mount has more of a downward angle/offset on its perspective mode and allows the beam to see the bottom better in deeper depths vs the Garmin. The Russell marine guys have several videos comparing the FFS between Garmin and Lowrance. That's what has me wanting the Lowrance for landscape mode...it looks a lot better than the Garmin to my eyes. Even with the 360, it is situational. 9 times out of 10, I don't even use it but I bass fish less and less each year too.

Update...HDS Live unit came today. To my surprise, there wasn't a trolling motor mount for it which is a bit of a setback. Looks like there's only aftermarket/3rd party mounts to do that, and all of them are $100+. I will be fabricating my own

 

[bluball]

I'm with the rest,I like the mega 360 with the lvs 34 in my opinion.Perspective mode in my opinion would be good maybe bed fishing shallow.But if I didn't have the livescope/360 setup I would have 2 livescopes and set one to perspective.I mainly use my 360 for structure and livescope for fish though.I have been on a guided crappie trip with a guy who had 2 transducers one perspective and one forward.He said the only time perspective shined was bream fishing or shallow bedding crappie.I personally wouldn't worry about a transducer on the trolling motor for 2d,di and si ,it's not needed on the front.I use to rig my own boats with a si on the front and the only time I used it was to mark structure while trolling.With today's units if your trolling and have a si unit at the console you can see it at the front if you have a bow unit networked to it.

 

[TRIGGER]

I have two transducers. I have one on a pole and one on the TM. haven't used perspective mode much but from what I have seen it's only good in shallow water.

 

[TNReb]

Yeah, it will be a situational use for sure. The Lowrance mount has more of a downward angle/offset on its perspective mode and allows the beam to see the bottom better in deeper depths vs the Garmin.

I ordered a Fish Obsessed Dominator mount last week that allows for more adjustability than the Garmin mounts. It's being delivered today. I'm curious to see if it makes a difference in both Forward and Perspective modes. I have to run my transducer low on the shaft since I have the 360 above it. This means I get a little interference from the head of the trolling motor. I ordered extra spacers to move it out some.

 

[TNReb]

I personally wouldn't worry about a transducer on the trolling motor for 2d,di and si ,it's not needed on the front.

I agree. I didn't bother putting 2d,di, or si on the front. I couldn't see any reason for it with FFS.

 

[Madbowh]

Is this available for Salt water, has anyone got any experience in salt water with it?

 

[Crow Terminator]

I have a weird layout for my electronics. I don't have anything networked between the front and back but currently do with two units up front so I have to have one transducer up front on the TM. Tracker must have never considered electronic installs when they laid out their boats because it absolutely SUCKS to run transducer wires from the console to the back. I have a fish tape and it's even difficult with it, so I try to avoid changing anything back there. The plus side is...I troll probably 80-90% of the time and while I am up on front, I am always scanning. I never scan from the console unit...I have never been able to get my transducer adjusted to give good returns on the transom. The trolling motor gives me level and 100% better images. The way I have been doing it is, 2 units up front. One unit is maps and one is side imaging. If I am in a new area is the only time I run side scan. Then once I have stuff located, I will lay my trolling tracks out and go to one unit for down imaging and the other for maps. Right now there are two Garmin Echomap units up front. But I am wanting to try this Lowrance out. From what I see, Lowrance has better images vs the Echomap units. And wanting to play with that Active Target stuff eventually too.

 

[mayberryrick]

How many of you guys have stepped into the multi F.F.S craze? I reckon I am getting ready to play with it with 2 transducers...gonna have one mounted in forward mode and the other on perspective mode. This will be somewhat of what I was already doing with Mega 360...except the view will be live on the screen. I'm hoping this will let me see brush, cover, etc out in front of the boat in real time and known exactly where it is so that I can know where to point the transducer in forward mode to see what fish are there/how deep, etc. From what I have saw...Garmin has the best imagery for forward and down mode...but Lowrance is much better for landscape/perspective style view. So that's my plan...Garmin LS34 for forward mode and Lowrance Active Target for perspective mode viewing. I will also have the Lowrance regular transducer mounted to the bottom of the trolling motor for 2D and Down Imaging when not running the landscape modes. I was going to put the HDS Live unit at the console but think this is a much better idea. I use the graphs up front way more than at the console anyway.

Can't hide money

 

[Crow Terminator]

Got it on and installed. If it keeps raining, I can just launch the boat in the yard and try it out.

On a side note. Was carrying the unit outside and tripped over a pair of shoes in front of the door. Lost my balance and ended up apparently breaking the toe next to the big toe in the process. It's all kind of colors now and tingling. But I didn't drop the unit.

 

[TNReb]

I told my kids the other day.. no matter how old you get.. stubbing your toe will ALWAYS hurt. OUCH

 

[Kyboy]

I have two transducers. I have one on a pole and one on the TM. haven't used perspective mode much but from what I have seen it's only good in shallow water.

What kind of pole system are you running? Any interference with having both on at the same time? I just picked up another Garmin to do this as well.

 

[TRIGGER]

What kind of pole system are you running? Any interference with having both on at the same time? I just picked up another Garmin to do this as well.

I am using the low pro pole. I don't have any issues with interference. I don't care for the low pro to be honest. It's perfect for spot lock crappy fishing when you're setting down but not so great for standing up bass fishing. I haven't heard good things about the electronic poles so I'm not sure what to do.

 

[Kyboy]

I am using the low pro pole. I don't have any issues with interference. I don't care for the low pro to be honest. It's perfect for spot lock crappy fishing when you're setting down but not so great for standing up bass fishing. I haven't heard good things about the electronic poles so I'm not sure what to do.

Gotcha, I may make something to put on my ultex. planning on only using it when i am spotlocked brush pile fishing on windy days.