Speedometers

[Dara]

The walleye trolling speed thread got me wondering.

I need something and figure GPS is the way to go. But that costs a lot just to find out how fast you are going.

What methods/equipment do you guys use to know your speed?

[Twocoda]

I always use the GPS to determine my speed ....but ...most times i dont have to look at it ....if my cables are cutting the water with an inch and a half bubble wake off them ...im normally bang on ....but this isnt always correct as currents play a factor as well...even on the big lakes...

 

If you know your boat really well you can just tell when everything is just right ...from the sing of the cables to the sound of the motor...but the GPS always gets the confirmation check ...

[ohhenrygsr]

hey Dara you can get just the small Handheld Garmin Etrex unit for cheap. It will pretty much do anything you want it to for a GPS plus you can mark your spots and maybe troll back to the line that you where getting hits. Battery life is amazing on 2 AA i think it's something like 8-10 hrs.

 

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=144&pID=8705

 

[Twocoda]

Who does your nails Henry??? j/k

[ohhenrygsr]

Who does your nails Henry??? j/k

 

Buh hahaha i never notice that lol

[Fish4Eyes]

It is more money for a gps unit, but it is nice to have, especially if you fish unfamiliar lakes. You will end up getting one in the future, as we will be exposed to it more and more.

[Dara]

I have that yellow etrex but it broke.

I never really did use it for the purpose intended. I went to use it now for trolling speed and it won't turn on.

I gotta try to get it fixed. Really hate to buy another when I never used the first one.

Money pit or what

[Twocoda]

just a suggestion ....did you try changing the batteries???

[Jonny]

I've had a yellow "base model" etrex like that for close to 10 years now. It's seen a lot of use and it always works. Two batteries basically last a full day of fishing or hunting, which is dirt cheap if you look for when the big packs of AA's come on sale.

 

I wouldn't go fishing without it.

 

Compass

Clock

Sunrise/sunset times

Trolling speed

Distances

... and of course marking reference points, submerged weed beds, good structure, etc.

 

I keep it in a little case with a little spiral-bound notepad (and pencil) with it to mark what my numbered waypoints mean. Although you can edit waypoints I find the notepad easier.

[Dara]

just a suggestion ....did you try changing the batteries???

 

 

Yeah..a couple times. I'm pretty sure they were good batteries, but I figure I have one chance left with some for sure brand new good ones

[Jonny]

This is gonna sound stupid, but it's just the kind of thing that derails me sometimes when I haven't used a piece of equipment for a long time ---

 

Did you press and HOLD the power button til the display comes on?

[Dara]

This is gonna sound stupid, but it's just the kind of thing that derails me sometimes when I haven't used a piece of equipment for a long time ---

 

Did you press and HOLD the power button til the display comes on?

 

 

I must be doing something wrong. I need to dig up the instructions to be sure which one the power button is now

[Twocoda]

make sure the batteries are installed properly...these little units are pretty durable...i would find it hard to believe its broken...ive dropped /banged/submerged mine several times and amazingly it keeps on ticking ..

[stan_133]

hey Dara you can get just the small Handheld Garmin Etrex unit for cheap. It will pretty much do anything you want it to for a GPS plus you can mark your spots and maybe troll back to the line that you where getting hits. Battery life is amazing on 2 AA i think it's something like 8-10 hrs.

 

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=144&pID=8705

 

 

i agree i ihave this very same unit and its great. i got it for 99 bucks at bass pro and its really it truly great.

[Jonny]

I must be doing something wrong. I need to dig up the instructions to be sure which one the power button is now

 

On the right-hand side... the button with the light-bulb symbol below it. Press and hold until the screen comes on.

 

EDIT - Go here...

 

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/eTrex_OwnersManual.pdf

 

and here...

 

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/eTrex_QuickStartGuide.pdf

 

You need Adobe Acrobat to read them.

Edited July 15, 2009 by Jocko

[Dara]

Thanks Jocko

It just doesn't want to work.

[Jonny]

I had a depth finder like that. One day it worked great, the next... NADA.

 

Another dumb suggestion... you've maybe got nothing to lose... give it a couple of good smacks with the heel of your hand, or tap it firmly against a counter. Then try to power up again.

 

Of course if it works then, you'll never be able to totally rely on it.

 

---

 

Actually before I did that, I'd search the internet for possible causes and solutions. I have a Canon camera that started acting strange after 3 years. Without searching other people's problems with the same model, I would never have found out that Canon had major problems with the CCD sensors in these cameras and was replacing them free of charge, even for cameras long out of warranty. All it cost me was shipping them the camera. They even paid the postage to send it back to me.

[Dara]

It sat in the glove box of my truck with batteries in it for 2 winters. Could be that. I did smack it already, and I darn near threw it too.

[Jonny]

It sat in the glove box of my truck with batteries in it for 2 winters.

 

That could be the problem. Are the battery contacts clean and shiny? No signs of leaks from the batteries?

[dave524]

When I ran a boat trolling Lake Erie and Ontario back in the 80's and 90's, I had a sailboat knotmeter installed. Consisted of a paddle wheel on the stern , next to my tranducer, that generated an electrical current and a gauge ( Voltmeter essentially ) on the dash that read from 0 to 12 knots, I believe it was made be Pelican. There was no power involved unless you wanted to hook up 12 volts for a light at night. I was quite happy with it at the time.