Bow mounted fish finder

[spincast]

Looking at adding a fish finder to the bow. I do have a trolling motor, but really this wont be used in many of my applications, and if possible I prefer not to have it on the water all the time (like for instance trolling with the kicker). Any ideas or thoughts, experiences others have had with this? Boat is deep V aluminum.

Thanks

[Roy]

I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer here....I don't understand what you're asking. Is the question about transducer installation/positioning or??

[spincast]

That would be the one Roy - sorry, spent an hour researching on the 'net and got kinda zoned in on the topic. Looking for alternative methods for mounting the transducer other than on the trolling motor. This place is full of pretty inventive people that seem to come up with solutions for just this kind of challenge.

[porkpie]

My question is why? You could stern mount the transducer, but then you'd have 18 plus feet of distance between the bow and stern. No good for vertical jigging etc. There is a reason everyone mounts them to the trolling motor, or buys a trolling motor with universal sonar. Otherwise you'd be jury rigging something up that would be more trouble than it would be worth.

[spincast]

Well, gee that was helpful.

[misfish]

Not sure bud. Always seen them attached to the motor head. A good quality gear clamp will do the job.

[Sinker]

Thru hull close to the bow?

 

I dunno, seems on the TM is the best/easiest way to go.

 

S.

[Pigeontroller]

It can be done with a powerdrive/V2/Terrova. The fact that the shaft slides up and down through the steering housing is the problem, you cannot secure the cable to the shaft. Get a Minn Kota trandsducer mount, one tie strap at the vertical collar of the nose cone and then the cable has to free float the rest of the way. I have mine running under/through the space under the quick release bracket. It seem like a poor way to do it but it works quite well. after stowing the motor you pull the slack in. A certain amount of care should be used as you stow the motor into its final position as to not 'pinch' the cable.

 

Or you could get a US2. lol

[Fisherpete]

I was wondering about this too - my Motorguide is the same, slide-thru collar and I didn't like the idea of the cable free floating... But if you say it works Dax I might just give it a go.

[spincast]

Hmm, guess my dreams of finding an angling Dyson who had come up with a V shaped bracket that had 0 interference with the hull, held the 'ducer in place and could be applied with silicon wont become a reality just yet then? ... oh well, thought I'd try.

Thanks Dax - if all else fails sounds like that may be the best solution. Trolling in the big water with the trolling motor down should be an interesting experience if we have some of those big rollers going on

 

Unless Dyson is out there lurking still that is ??

[BillM]

Should have bought the Minn Kota with the built in transducer

 

However, mounting a standard transducer to the Minn Kota is cake.. Ziptie the line up, put it inside in the thick Minn Kota wire then run the wire to your mount.. I run a HB 747c upfront on the Lund, graph pops right off the mount, that's the only thing that's permanent.

 

Edited June 15, 2014 by BillM

[Terry]

why would you want to use a fishfinder/transducer up front if you were trolling with a kicker motor

does the fishfinder at the steering wheel not do the job you want

 

you could use this

http://vexilar.com/products/index.php?prodNum=TB0023AU

[porkpie]

Well, gee that was helpful.

It was not meant to be unhelpful. Just a slice of reality.

[BillM]

why would you want to use a fishfinder/transducer up front if you were trolling with a kicker motor

does the fishfinder at the steering wheel not do the job you want

 

you could use this

http://vexilar.com/products/index.php?prodNum=TB0023AU

 

He's not going to use it when he's trolling with the kicker, lol.

[Terry]

 

. Trolling in the big water with the trolling motor down should be an interesting experience if we have some of those big rollers going on

 

Unless Dyson is out there lurking still that is ??

 

 

He's not going to use it when he's trolling with the kicker, lol.

 

then why did he say that

[spincast]

why would you want to use a fishfinder/transducer up front if you were trolling with a kicker motor

does the fishfinder at the steering wheel not do the job you want

 

you could use this

http://vexilar.com/products/index.php?prodNum=TB0023AU

Now that looks cool..... thanks.

[spincast]

 

. Trolling in the big water with the trolling motor down should be an interesting experience if we have some of those big rollers going on

 

Unless Dyson is out there lurking still that is ??

 

 

then why did he say that

 

Actually, I will with the kicker depending on the water and the winds. On longer trips (like a week away), or windy days I will use the kicker so as to not drain the tm battery down. Heading to Nipigon again this year, and for sure I will be trolling in the bays with the kicker due to the size of the water - one casting up front, one casting off the stern. Be nice to see where to direct the casts, and some of those prop busting rocks that sit all alone, surrounded by 12 fow.. Its also great for adjusting your riggers if you see whats up ahead. By the time the stern ducer tells you this fish is at 50 and your at 80, its too late.

 

Thanks for the pics bill - gives me some ideas.

Maybe these guys will make a V shaped mount?

http://www.sternsaver.com/

[Terry]

glue a couple of small pieces of puck board ,one on either side of the the v of the boat

then screw to the puck board an L bracket on each side and bend straight infront of the boat and add transducer

 

it will not work while up on plane but fine at trolling speeds

[Terry]

[spincast]

Thanks Terry - that's pretty much what I had in mind. Just wondered if anyone had done it before. I figure the ducer will have to be removable

[Terry]

it would be real easy to make it removeable

[John Bacon]

It should be easy to make a bracket the would hold a shaft with a transducer mounted on it. Some of the commercially made transducer brackets may work, or could at least be modified to work. You would probably want to remove it when it is time to put the boat on plane. It may be just as easy to mount it on the motor and leave the motor down while you troll.

[miller]

Does yours have I-pilot installed? If so I'd be using it all the time for trolling, set it down and press north up now no one has to steer. Obviously I know you're not planning to do that on your trips away as you're trying to save battery life it's just a suggestion for fishing closer to home.