How much electronics before fishing not sporting?

[zcm_82]

100% agree with you mikez, other than I don't use tipups  I push paper at a desk in front of a computer every day. I fish to get away from people and tech. Mostly people, but still 

Concur with you too, Reb, the surprise is half the fun. From the boat I can tell what I have on the line a lot of the time just from how it feels/what it's doing, but through the ice I never really know what I've hooked until I see it coming up the hole.

[captain54]

I'm an old guy.....but I'd never go old school again......my priority is to catch fish.....My Vex,Marcum, and cam help me do that.....not saying that I didn't catch buckets of fish old school..... But they are great tools to have......I'm a run and gun jiggy  guy perch,crappie and bulls are.my game.

[Rebelss]

100% agree with you mikez, other than I don't use tipups  I push paper at a desk in front of a computer every day. I fish to get away from people and tech. Mostly people, but still 

Concur with you too, Reb, the surprise is half the fun. From the boat I can tell what I have on the line a lot of the time just from how it feels/what it's doing, but through the ice I never really know what I've hooked until I see it coming up the hole.

Agree, I like to get away and relax. Not the race around the ice kinda guy. If I get a bucket of fish, that's the topping on the cake.  And always a good surprise when ya pull out a kitty cat...or an otter pokes his head up. 

[mikez]

One thing I didn't mention is I haven't caught a laker through the ice. Last year was my first ever try and I got blanked. I'm a small water guy who felt overwhelmed on the big lake.
Everything I learn about Lakers suggests electronics is the game changer. If I try again for them I will definitely be following someone with sonar.
At least till I have them figured out.

[Adironzach]

One thing I didn't mention is I haven't caught a laker through the ice. Last year was my first ever try and I got blanked. I'm a small water guy who felt overwhelmed on the big lake.
Everything I learn about Lakers suggests electronics is the game changer. If I try again for them I will definitely be following someone with sonar.
At least till I have them figured out.

Thing with lakers is that you dont know what they're doing that day without the electronics. Imo its not worth it jigging for them without them. Some days theyre hugging the bottom and you need to finesse them off the bottom. Other days its a slow lift with a very light tap. Other days theyre middle of the water column and coming in hot to your bait. Not to mention the chasers. Nothing like watching a fish race up as fast as it can, covering 60+ fow in a few seconds to smash your lure. w/o electronics you dont get that joy. A hot laker bite when theyre chasing all day cant be topped in my mind. I can understand tip ups, dont use them either its faster with my sounder, or panfish where you can figure it out with a few simple jigging techniques, but theyre crucial if you want sustained success when targeting certain species.

[zcm_82]

Agree, I like to get away and relax. Not the race around the ice kinda guy. If I get a bucket of fish, that's the topping on the cake.  And always a good surprise when ya pull out a kitty cat...or an otter pokes his head up. 

Usually, where I poke my first hole is where I sit. I might move once or twice in a day, if the fishing is super slow to the point I'm not actually seeing any fish down the hole. I can see the bottom at most ponds I hit.

One of the ponds I fish had a muskrat poke himself up the hole a few times last season... scared the crap out of me every time. I've fished the same pond a couple times this year, but he hasn't made an appearance yet. I'd never seen it before last season, though, so maybe it moved on.

[Rebelss]

 

[Unclegillhunter]

I remember the first time I dropped the transducer on my vex fl8 Thought it was pretty kool! And started catching gills and after awhile I kind of felt like I was cheating! Didn’t stop me using it or the fl 18 that I bought a few years later, or the HB Helix that I bought a few years later. This is as far as I need to upgrade. To all the folks that want to get the newest tech good for you! I fish mostly the same waters every year. And if I happen to get to the lake and don’t have my electronics I can still catch some panfish. Having said that I would rather have the edge!
Keep it safe! JDL

[stripernut]

So, what I am not understanding is if you are fishing a flat in open water and you can see the fish you are casting too, is that cheating, less skilled, or less fun? Because the new electronics are just letting you see where to "cast", just like fishing a sand flat for stripers or a rising trout in a stream, if that is cheating, then I am a cheater... If fishing blind makes it more fun, why don't anglers do it blindfolded? Yes I can fish blind and do well, but I don't need to, so I don't. If you don't want to look at a screen, I can understand that, but the good news is you don't have to. Each time a new tech comes along, someone will say it is cheating or not fair, but fishing is about having fun (maybe with some fillets included) and each of us finds a different part of fishing to be the most fun. For some, it is the social aspect, or the getting away from others, for me it is that moment of the bite, that tug with its endless possibility. Electronics help in saving time and can make it even more fun (as said, tough to beat a hot laker bite on a good sounder for excitement). If the tech starts catching fish for you, then I will be right beside you, saying that not really fishing... Until then it is still plenty sporting...

This reminds me of how often you hear people say "Kids Today" and then go on about the demise of Western Civilization, because of those very kids... You know who else spent a lot of time thinking that the "kids Today" will be the end of mankind; Socrates, that Greek philosopher that was born in 470 BC, and yet we are still here...

[zcm_82]

What is this seeing fish in open water you speak of? I don't understand. This is the land of chocolate milk. 

[lowaccord66]

For me electronics are a window into the advance study of fish behaviour. One of the reasons I love fishing is the ability to learn and adapt accordingly.  I habe had days where the electronics made the day and days where I stare endlessly into a blank screen.  End of the day the deciding factor is effort and time spent.  I know plenty of guys that do just fine jigging blind.  I was one of them. 

[stripernut]

What is this seeing fish in open water you speak of? I don't understand. This is the land of chocolate milk.

You have my sympathy... This is what electronics can do for you with your mud that you fishing (well a little like it);

[kpd145]

I have limited time to fish, if there is a tool I can use to help me take better advantage of that time. why not??

Years I spent with no flasher, sure I caught fish and enjoyed every minute on the ice. But I evolved along with the technology for fishing, now I am much more open to new ideas and tech.

Flashers let me see what's going on and to confirm what is working and what isnt.

I also tend agree with Jon, I have learned a lot about fish behavior just by simply looking at my graph to see how different species of fish react to different baits under different conditions. It feel that is what makes it fun for me. Its a constant game of cat and mouse. What can I do with the data I am seeing or not seeing that can help me have a productive day on the ice.

[Laststandard]

For me electronics are a window into the advance study of fish behaviour.

This right here.  I got a livescope setup this year, and I have almost as much fun just seeing how the fish behave as I do catching them. 

[bigfoot86]

Livescope is a killer of intuition to a certain point. 

[zcm_82]

You have my sympathy... This is what electronics can do for you with your mud that you fishing (well a little like it);

We get by 

[Rebelss]

 

[Arctic Addict]

I won't  bother fishing without electronics.  I use my Vex, Garmin and the camera all the time.  I strictly ice fish for lake trout, the bigger the better. 

I also know that all the electronics don't  make the fish bite.  I like being able to watch their reaction to different jigging techniques and learning more efficiently how to trigger a bite. 

My electronics help me eliminate bi-catch as I'm not interested in cookie cutter fish.  I also learned when to leave a group of fish that were not actively feeding.  Not sure I would of learned that without electronics.

[Baetis62]

When I got my first fish finder (Buddy) years ago it was a big upgrade for Lakers. Fishing to fish or move and picking off suspended fish were the primary game changers for me.

[FreshwaterPhil]

I always use a flasher when jigging. Have both the base models Humminbird ice 35, and Marcum M1. Makes the game way more fun and productive.

I don't plan on upgrading to live view style, price is way too much for my liking, and also more cumbersome to haul around, as I trekk on foot.

[Iceassin]

Use what you want. I've come full circle. Started with a bucket, spud, sounder and "line on a sick" to using a Livescope this season. At my age I want all the help I can get. I have the time to find 'em but not the stealth I used to.

[Walks on Water]

I saw a Schick video a while back where he was in a mini-competition with his boat-mate.

The other guy was just fishing while Clayton played video games(Livescope). The other guy was slaying. Eventually CS started just fishing too and quickly caught up.

I've seen guys spend hours on a lake without ever wetting a line, just cruising around looking at the screen, and they call that fishing.
To each their own, but I'd much rather pick some structure and drop a line. I use a little striker 4 to see what is below me. Being able to pan around and see a 200 foot circle in sharp detail doesn't seem quite right. Now that tournaments are starting to ban the that tech means at least some others agree.

[DR.SPECKLER]

I think if your a good fisherman to begin with the less electronics is need to catch fish.jmo

[Iceassin]

What's clear is that the prospect of simpley being lost and overly intimidated by the use of electronics has forced some old school anglers to disparage the use of them by others.

That can happen when you fish the same two bodies of water for 40 years straight.

I'm 67 and ready to put the Livescope to use this season...with no intimidation factor.

What's clear is you ...or anyone else...making assumptions with little to no actual knowledge about ones audience. That is ignorance by any definition.

Now I think I will go play with my Abacus.

[bigfoot86]

Started off my ice fishing with nothing but a rod and an auger.  Eventually got my first flasher which was definitely a game changer.  I now had the opportunity to use the livescope that one of my fishing partners purchased a couple years back, not mine.  As much as the technology was amazing I will admit it wasn’t fun at all.  I knew all I was doin was cheating and as I targeted more fish, I found a lot of followers out on the hardwater watching.  Yea there’s no two ways about, you’ll automatically catch more with a livescope but it takes out the ‘hunting’ part of fishing.  I’ll stick with the flasher. 

[RyanW]

I mean, who cares? Honestly. As long as one is following their states laws and regulations, just enjoy your time on the water. If that’s means thousands in electronic gear, do it up. If it means a lantern box and a schooley, do it up… I enjoy fishing. I enjoy modern technology. It was only a matter of time (and finances) before the two intertwined. I was born in the 90’s so all of this “new” tech is still new to me. Having said that, I have a couple of cheaper Marcum’s that do everything I need; depth marking and monitoring fish activity. The rest is up to me.

Just go fishing, man.

[filetandrelease]

 If you can afford the toys you want and stay within your laws go for it , even with all these electronic wonders 1 still needs to put a lure down a hole and entice a fish to bite
 Good luck to all this winter

[Walks on Water]

What's clear is that the prospect of simpley being lost and overly intimidated by the use of electronics has forced some old school anglers to disparage the use of them by others.

That can happen when you fish the same two bodies of water for 40 years straight.

Needs more strawman. Not quite enough assumptions and logical fallacy. Nice gaslighting in your follow-up post, though.

[Rebelss]

IMO, for me anyway, too many electronics just takes away from the "fun/suspense of the hunt"....and I love electronics. I use a locater and mini-cam, but after I'm done scouting it out, I just use the locater. I usually fish the lakes I know really well, and the structures and spots that support what I'm after. Too much makes it like, pardon the pun, shooting fish in a barrel. I like a little suspense, I don't want to know what's in every xmas present before I open 'em. There's a lot more to it to me than just yanking out as many fish as you can with a 100% success rate. Using your wits and knowledge of the area just makes the catch all that much sweeter.Kinda like that first girlfriend, the chase is half the fun, then comes the reward.  Guess that's middle of the road old school/new tech, that works for me. But whatever works for anyone, go for it. You're out there to enjoy it however you do it.

[skifisher]

IMO, for me anyway, too many electronics just takes away from the "fun/suspense of the hunt"....and I love electronics. I use a locater and mini-cam, but after I'm done scouting it out, I just use the locater. I usually fish the lakes I know really well, and the structures and spots that support what I'm after. Too much makes it like, pardon the pun, shooting fish in a barrel. I like a little suspense, I don't want to know what's in every xmas present before I open 'em. There's a lot more to it to me than just yanking out as many fish as you can with a 100% success rate. Using your wits and knowledge of the area just makes the catch all that much sweeter.Kinda like that first girlfriend, the chase is half the fun, then comes the reward.  Guess that's middle of the road old school/new tech, that works for me. But whatever works for anyone, go for it. You're out there to enjoy it however you do it.

X2!