Active Target Impression

[RFSims]

Having used my Active target daily for three weeks ....A few thoughts. First I am not comparing AT to Live Scope. Buddy has Live Scope and from the little I have seen, not a lot of difference.

My bow setup is a HDS8 Gen 2 non touch with the screen 75% Navionics mapping and 25% 2D sonar, transducer on trolling motor. LT with HDS Live9 setn100% to Active Target. LT transducer mounted on trolling motor shaft. Forward Range 80', manual contrast 78%. Very easy to see fish, were fish are in water column and relating to cover, bait balls and brush pile shape and size on Forward mode. This mode is a vertical drop-shot and spoon fishing dream.

Don't really care for Down mode.

My buddy with the Livescope turned me on to Scout mode searching for schooling fish. Down mode will do the same thing (kind of), however there is a wider field on Scout mode. Now you can not tell fish depth in water column, but I am looking for the school. Have had success seeing fish on screen and throwing Wapper Plopper over them. When using scout mode (Forward mode to some extent) one must train the brain to see fish, at what degree on the scope are the fish and what direction is the transducer pointing in order to know where to throw.

Might be a negative to some, however when trolling motor is on spot-lock there is side to side viewing as the trolling motor turns to spot-lock.

The greatest negative to AT is there are more fish in the lake than one thinks. Many,many more. Finding the fish does NOT mean they are going to bite. It is super frustrating to see these fish and not get a bite. Drop a lure and see the fish swim to the lure and not take it will make you pull you hair out if you have any, I don't. I become frozen in what to throw at them. Looking at AT and 2D at same time one must adjust their brain as on 2D the right side of the screen is what's under the transducer and AT the left side of the screen is what's under the transducer. All in all doesn't take long to train your brain.

Bottom line is, I am very pleased that I bought AT and will only get better at using it with time. I would recommend that if finances allow that AT or Livescope is a good purchase.

[Jumping Jimmy]

Nice write up.
Thanks

[htbboats]

Enjoyed reading your thoughts and pretty much agree 100%. I’ve used both forward and Scout views and for me just trying to search/ locate fish I’m liking the Scout mode for that. Now if your wanting to pin point them once you’ve found them switching over to forward is the thing to do. I’ve found them a few times while using Scout mode because of the wider viewing angle that I’m not so sure I’d have done with the forward view. I do have my transducer on a motorized pole mount that I’ve made from plans from Jim Reynolds posted on this forum. It’s night and day better then having it on the trolling motor.
I’d sure like to hear from others on there thoughts between Scout and Forward modes.

[SAL321]

Great comments as well. Yes, it makes you more efficient but can drive you bat $hit crazy too. We found a pod of smallies roaming around, we were in down mode and we threw the kitchen sink at them. Only managed to get one but thought that would fire up the rest

This is wy they call if fishing , not catching. That day, for whatever reason, they were eating. We do a ton of drop shotting so we us the down mode most. We've watched some videos and need to give forward more time on the water.

[limit5bass]

Enjoyed reading your thoughts and pretty much agree 100%. I’ve used both forward and Scout views and for me just trying to search/ locate fish I’m liking the Scout mode for that. Now if your wanting to pin point them once you’ve found them switching over to forward is the thing to do. I’ve found them a few times while using Scout mode because of the wider viewing angle that I’m not so sure I’d have done with the forward view. I do have my transducer on a motorized pole mount that I’ve made from plans from Jim Reynolds posted on this forum. It’s night and day better then having it on the trolling motor.
I’d sure like to hear from others on there thoughts between Scout and Forward modes.

Do you have a link?

[htbboats]

Well I’ve searched awhile this morning and have not located that post. I’ve seen it in two places. Maybe you could send Mr Reynolds a direct message? His instructions have all the info to purchase the parts, mostly Amazon other than stuff you can get at Lowe’s or Home Depot. It’s by far the easiest to build by the average guy as it does not require you to have a lot of “tools” to build. The mounting plate/ base is the only part that requires some cutting out depending on material used for it.
The first one I made I used 3/16 aluminum for the mounting plate and I removed too much meat form it, trimming too close and made it a little weak for me. Still worked ok. It was mounted to an Ultrex. I traded over to a Ghost so made one to fit it, used 1/4 aluminum on it but I also got the idea to us aluminum pipe instead of pvc. It’s very ridged, perhaps to much? Be glad to send you some pics if you’d like.

[limit5bass]

Well I’ve searched awhile this morning and have not located that post. I’ve seen it in two places. Maybe you could send Mr Reynolds a direct message? His instructions have all the info to purchase the parts, mostly Amazon other than stuff you can get at Lowe’s or Home Depot. It’s by far the easiest to build by the average guy as it does not require you to have a lot of “tools” to build. The mounting plate/ base is the only part that requires some cutting out depending on material used for it.
The first one I made I used 3/16 aluminum for the mounting plate and I removed too much meat form it, trimming too close and made it a little weak for me. Still worked ok. It was mounted to an Ultrex. I traded over to a Ghost so made one to fit it, used 1/4 aluminum on it but I also got the idea to us aluminum pipe instead of pvc. It’s very ridged, perhaps to much? Be glad to send you some pics if you’d like.

PM sent for pics

[Skeeter Man]

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1137198

Here ya go Limit5bass.

[htbboats]

Thanks, Skeeter Man!

[limit5bass]

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1137198

Here ya go Limit5bass.

Thank you !!!

[Ranger391v]

OP, great write up! This is one of those big purchases I keep holding off on in fear of wasted money. Glad to read an unbiased opinion.

Thanks!
-391v