Side scan sonar or down scan imaging sonor

[Hilltop123]

Has anyone here acually seen one in use, or taken the plunge and bought one? Any thoughts, opinions or observations?

[Hilltop123]

bump

[fishcrazy]

I've wanted one of the side scanners. The more you can see below the boat the better you can target the fish you are after. IMHO

Kris

[jackelope]

My friend has one on his Skeeter and it's dang cool...I think it's the side scan. My neighbor just put the side scan in his Luxor. Definitely about as cool as it gets. One of them is a member on here, I'll see if I can get him to post something.

[Wacenturion]

I'm in the process of installing two new Humminbird fishfinders on my boat.  One is an 1157c, which is a 10 1/2 inch screen without side imaging and the other a 798c si, a five inch screen with side imaging.  Nice thing is I can go to my account on Humminbird where I registered both units and download DI (down imaging) on the smaller unit with SI for free.  Free is good.  That way I have both.  In addition the large unit has Quadbeam which gives me double the depth I'm in 2D view coverage.

Have not used either yet....almost finished setting everything up.  Linking everything together with some accessories....Weatherwise, GPS sharing through Interlink etc.

[cohoho]

The Lowrance system in either HDS or DSI is great.  I am installing the DSI down scanning as soon as possible (next week).  I won't utilize all the features on the HDS system ever (at least till I get an ocean boat), is why I am going strictly for the scan down capabilities of the DSI for almost exclusively for Sturgeon.  From my understanding and I am still researching it a bit, to ensure that is what I want, the HDS allows all the additional up grades; as in side imaging and link to the motors and gauges.  The DSI is stand alone almost picture quality of the bottom, without the additional capabilities to add the extras...  Instead of 1,200 to start with the HDS; the DSI is 649...

[Panic Minnow]

I have had the 797 c2Si (humminbird) for about 2 years. The first year I was all over it on Lake Washington driving around and sidescanning for rock piles, logs, ect. Went back in winter fishing and actually caught fish off some of those areas. It is amazing to see some of the stuff that you would always miss, like we found a bunch of square looking blocks in Moses Lake up by the airmans beach arm across from the boat launch. I know it just has to be some manmade structure, because there is no way these were placed every 20 to 40 ft by accident. Those kind of items are just amazing when you can find them. Has it helped my fishing much? Well, not really because I have not been fishing as much. They are amazing though!

[Hilltop123]

Is the picture clarity, as good as the advertisements? And are these unit anymore complicated than a regular FF to set up?

[Panic Minnow]

The picture is very clear, and yes you do see the logs and bridges and stumps and rocks and weedlines and on and on and on.......The small unit that I have has a smaller picture, so you kinda gotta be able to look at it a bit closer with the unit set at 125 feeet out each side. I must say that I use it for water that is 50' and shallower with the sidescan. I am primarily a bass fisherman.
You can also save your trails and waypoints and download them to google earth, and then zoom into the real map on the computer.

As far as mounting the transducers, I have mine mounted outside the hull on one of the fiberglass steps on the back of my transom. When I get on a plane I lose the  depth, but I have my graph on front with the depth showing, and that one has the transducer mounted in the hull. I will try and download some screenshots.

[LndShrk]

My friend has one on his Skeeter and it's dang cool...I think it's the side scan. My neighbor just put the side scan in his Luxor. Definitely about as cool as it gets. One of them is a member on here, I'll see if I can get him to post something.

Now two of them are..  

I have the Lowrance DSS1 Side and bottom scan unit.
IMO it is everything it is cracked up to be.   I am still "learning" to use it. But it is very cool to see the bottom like that.