Those Proficient with Livescope - Do you bottom fish just as much as before?

[goodman_fishing]

This has been in the back of my head for a while.

I have found that since I've become fairly skilled in livescope that I struggle more so than ever to "slow down" and throw bottom baits (drop-shot, jigs, shaky head, etc.).



Am I the only one? There are certain times I will do it, but it's because I see them on "that" rock pile holding to bottom, but it's not very often. I usually get there after I throw a variety of minnow or swimbait style baits at them first. How has livescope changed your style or approach to fishing?

[Dirtyeggroll]

Yes. I used to drag the lead off a jig every time I went out. Not nearly as often anymore. Catch rates haven’t suffered.

[ncshooter]

I don't even own a live setup but the more I watch it being used the less confident I am slowing down also but it's because I feel like the fish aren't there most of the time. Watching ffs being used showed me how much dead water I fish and has me thinking very differently about my approach. I could imagine agter using it alot, one would struggle to just "fish"

[haftafish22]

Yes! I teach FFS for a living and this is one of my lessons. If I haven’t seen many fish up in the water column, I go fish cover with a jig/shakey head/drop shot. Quit looking for fish if they aren’t up in the water column and focus on objects to throw at. 2 hours max and it’s time to go fishin… and do a lot less lookin

[wicker*man]

There are way more fish on the bottom that you don’t see on the scope.

[Keoweefishing]

At certain times of the year I am throwing bottom related baits. But, I am still scanning out to deeper water while slowing down. Usually pick up a few additional fish every day that way.

[Team9nine]

Oddly, I throw just as much bottom stuff now, if not more, since using it for bass - a complete 180 though on crappie.

[west_tn]

There are way more fish on the bottom that you don’t see on the scope.

This. Go throw something where you know the fish should be at and watch them come up off the bottom to meet your bait.

[bassboat1]

Yes - our fish are usually bottom related and LS doesn't separate them as well as 2D.

Edit: re-read post title - OP was polling those "proficient with LiveScope", so I'll sit back down and shaddup

[BroWhoop]

I use mine to see structure to throw at, except for crappie. Haven't been using it long, but for me it shows me what I want. I still blind cast a lot though, especially on cypress tree lakes.

[jbassman87]

It has not stopped me from fishing on the bottom.

[squib]

My goal is to focus on catchable fish of the quality I need/want. Sometimes I find that combo using FFS and do well. Sometimes I don't find what I am looking for on FFS and I fish the bottom. Mostly it is a combo of both. FFS is not an all or nothing for me and likely not that way for many people. It is a tool.

[Wackyjig]

When the fish are sucked down tight to bottom, you cannot and will not see them unless they come up to chase bait. If you're struggling to slow down because you're not seeing the fish, keep a big glide on the front deck as a locator.
If you throw that glide out over the area you think the fish are, or know they're at from side or down scan but can't see them on live, when you work that glide over their head, 90% of the time they'll come up to take a look at it even if they have no intention to eat it.
I started doing that while targeting smallmouth this winter out of my kayak with only ffs on it. I'd pull to an area I thought they were, throw the glide and when I saw fish come up I'd drop a damiki down and catch them. If I saw no fish come up they either weren't there, or weren't going to eat so I'd move on.

[RangrSkipr]

What haftafish, wicker and Wacky said.

People think that as a FFS user you need to see fish before you cast. You don't always see fish if their bellies are on the bottom or they're hugging a rock. Throw at structure (any structure) and get those fish that you can't see to show themselves. And they will if they are there. I once threw at a totally isolated 3' tall skinny stickup in 13' on bare bottom and no fish showing on the scope. I ended up pulling three nice smallies out of the mud on that one stick up. Isolated cover is best. Most people pass it by. Its amazing what little bit of smallest cover fish will relate too. Doesn't take long to find out if they are there or not.

When I'm in an area I'm not familiar with I will spend whatever time it takes idling around with side imaging and dropping a point on every bit of structure no matter how insignificant it may seem and then go back through scoping. Just my experience of what I've learned with FFS that works for me

[photocycle]

I still work bottom baits equally as much, especially when fishing cover (grass, rocks, etc). Like others have mentioned, if there are known good flats but you're just not seeing any fish, throw some type of reaction bait and swim it fast/erratic as close to the bottom as you can, more often than not you'll see fish materialize from the bottom up (still so weird to see this, gets me every time). On the flip side, we always see suspended fish move down to the bottom and vanish like they were never there to begin with.