depth raider

[coast2coast]

depth raider- is this one of the better brands for checking your depth speed or is there a better one out there? i noticed the posting was locked for the qeustion about the black box and i was intrested in this as well. also, what is the earliest i can book a charter to go salmon fishing out of palaski? or is it better to go out of oswego? i was told to go out on a charter to learn how to do this on my own boat. do charter boat captins mind when people do this? in other words is it alright to ask questions when your out on a charter? i bought a 19' starcraft last year, it has two walker electic downriggers it has a temp. probe on each rigger but nothing for depth speed. it has lowrance depth finder fish finder with gps. i bought 4 downrigger poles. i spent 6days out on lake O fishing with the riggers and nothing. i tryed differt depths, speeds, flys,spoons, spin doctors and stayed along side of charter boats to check my speed. and strike 2. so i put the boat up and went to the river. don't get me wrong i'm not crying i enjoyed every minute of it, but i'm very eager to hook up with one of these bad boys out on the lake. i have no problem in salmon river. i landed 14 kings,2 stealheads and one brown last year. i think i just need to get some good advice and alot more practice in. any input on this would be greatly appreciated. thanks

[Shade]

You will here pros and cons on speed and temp probes but I would say 50/50 are either depth raider which gets its signal through the rigger cable or Fish hawk which needs a transducer mounted. I prefer the Fish hawk not to say the Deth Raider works well also. This web site is full of experience, so do not be afraid to ask specific questions. Here is my advise to start.

Keep in mind what I believe are some important areas to start when fishing on the O. You need to find the proper water temp,color and bait fish. Then you need to know your down speed and exacute proper presentation of you bait. This is accomplished with getting out on the water and trying different programs. Next go to www.attheoak.com and look through the reports and techniques and read the fishing reports here on LOU. Look through the threads that are posted here as well as past threads by doing a search.

Going on a charter will help, most of the captains that are on this web site are very knowledgeable and will answer any questions you have. Another great way to see and learn is to volunteer to be an Observer during a pro/am.

All i can say is ask, thats how I learned and I still am learning.

Shade

[Iceman]

Fishawk X-4, the best out there!

[Tim Bromund]

Go with the Depth Raider, it is awesome.

Tim

[Shade]

See, told you..

Shade

[Mick]

To answer your question coast to coast I'm sure many captains would have no problem running a learning charter and you would learn a lot. Volunteering as an observer at one of the Pro ams will give you a chance to also go out on a different boat and learn how others fish. The earliest salmon fishing usually is down at the west end of the lake near the niagara river, and seems to pick up at other ports as the season goes on. Good luck out there. I don't have an opinion on speed/temp probes yet as I'll also be adding that to the arsenal this year.

[GAMBLER]

Fishawk X-4, the best out there!

I'll second that. No coated cable to deal with.

[Tim Bromund]

Fishawk X-4, the best out there!

I'll second that. No coated cable to deal with.

yeah, you've just got to drill 3 more holes in your transom below the waterline to mount another transducer. I'll take the coated cable, thanks.

disclaimer: I had an old Fish Hawk 840 for years and it was such an unreliable, battery devouring piece of crap, I finally gave up on it and got the Depth Raider and I couldn't be happier with it. The X4 may be a fine unit, but I'll never know since my previous experiance left such a bad taste in my mouth I'll never own another fish hawl product.

Tim

[Iceman]

Waaa, Waaa Waa!!!!

[Tim Bromund]

so I should be happy that my fish hawk was a piece of crap?

[seasquirrel]

Love my depth raider. I know the old Hawks used to eat a battery a day. I use one a season. Coated cable gets beat up a bit but it is easily cut back or replaced.

[GAMBLER]

Tim,

When you purchased your FishHawk, what other brands were out there? I will be one of the first to admit, it WAS a pain in the but. It has now evolved into a great product. You have to give it to the company. They made the new probe compatible with the old unit. Most companies would have discontinued the old and made an entirely new product. Every one would have to purchase a brand new one. Watch and see, Depth Raider , and Moor will be coming out with a wireless unit in the future. When they do, lets see if they make it compatible with the current models.

[Legacy]

Heres the top 3 to take a look at:

Moor Sub-Troll:

http://www.moorelectronics.com/fishing/fishing.html

Depth Raider:

http://www.kelloutdoors.com/Depth%20Rai ... onitor.htm

FishHawk X4:

http://store.fishhawkelectronics.com/Pr ... ta-System/

These three units are (in my opinion, of course) the top 3 units out there and are the most popular. I personally I run a Moor Sub-Troll and love it. The coated cable isnt a big deal at all.

[Tim Bromund]

Brian,

The Moor Subtroll was out there when I got the fish hawk, I know guys that have had Subtrolls since 1987. It's old technology, but it just flat out works. Depth Raider uses the same technology as the Moor and it also, just flat out works, every time. I use 1 battery a season and it has sent a solid, reliable signal as deep as I've ever had to run a rigger (160' last summer)

In any case, like I said, I'll never know about the X4, I sold the old one and have no plans on ever going back.

Tim

[Shade]

I have to agree with Gambler here. I purchased a Cannon S&T and it was a good unit for about 2 months. I liked it becuse it not only speed and tempature but the actual depth of the ball. I sent the probe back 3 times before they fixed it and while I was waiting I purchased an X4. I could not get the Raider becuse they were out of stock. I am not sorry becuse it works great and I have yet to change the battery or loose a singnal as deep as 200'. The dicks at Cannon made a new unit with a probe that is not compadable with the old unit. That PO"S me bad. Very unperfessional and a very poor technical support group as well.

Shade

[Iceman]

Tim;

I respect your opinion on your temp & speed unit(s) past & present, but there is no reason for you to bash the new X-4 because of problems you had with an older unit that is now no longer made, so knock off your comments about the new Fishawk X-4, especially since you have zero experience with it. By the way the transducer bracket requires four screws to secure it, not 3 as you stated. Maybe thats why you had so much trouble with the old unit.

[Tim Bromund]

Tim;

I respect your opinion on your temp & speed unit(s) past & present, but there is no reason for you to bash the new X-4 because of problems you had with an older unit that is now no longer made, so knock off your comments about the new Fishawk X-4, especially since you have zero experience with it. By the way the transducer bracket requires four screws to secure it, not 3 as you stated. Maybe thats why you had so much trouble with the old unit.

Show me anywhere that I bashed the X4. You can't, because I didn't. Just because I disagree with you that it is indisputably the best unit out there doesn't mean I'm bashing it. I have and will continue to bash the heck out fo the 840 because it WAS a piece of crap.

Tim

[Iceman]

Tim;

Your comment about drilling holes in the boat below the water line, that IS bashing the X-4! but, I know you probably don't think it is.

We have gone down this road before, you can mount the transducer to a board fastened above the water line, so no holes below the water line, so you have no point here.

That unit is no longer available (FH-840), so why obsess about it for ever.

By now, I would bet the whole world knows that you really, really, really hated your old FH 840. So we get it, OK!

[Tim Bromund]

Tim;

Your comment about drilling holes in the boat below the water line, that IS bashing the X-4! but, I know you probably don't think it is.

We have gone down this road before, you can mount the transducer to a board fastened above the water line, so no holes below the water line, so you have no point here.

That unit is no longer available (FH-840), so why obsess about it for ever.

By now, I would bet the whole world knows that you really, really, really hated your old FH 840. So we get it, OK!

No, that's the simple truth. sure you CAN install a separate mounting board, but most people don't, so that means drilling more holes in the transom in a location prone to leaks and resultant structural rot if not done properly.

If that's bashing, then what do you call the constant whining about the complete and utter non issue that is the coated cable?

I'm not obsessing, I'm just happy I replaced it with a superior unit and I'm not going back to that company.

I'm done with this.

Tim

[Iceman]

Tim says uncle, I guess!!!

[Tall Tails]

I run the raider on my boat. I borrowed a boat last yr while mine was in shop that had the new X-4 on it, It seems the X-4 tracks to the current more than I am used to with the raider.

I would run the raider after being able to compare them both. The coated cable is the way to go!

[Diversion]

SUBTROLL

Can see the big orange needle from anywhere in the boat, know at a glance if I'm at the right speed, or if I need to yell at Farley.

"You have to drill holes in the transom" - - - still not sure how that is bashing, looks like a piece of information to me

[Trolling82]

I'll be picking up a speed n temp unit here in the next couple weeks as well. From what I have seen on lou, they all seem to work pretty well. Everyone loves the one they have (besides the 840 ). I think I will probably be going with the sub troll as that is what a friend has. Also, I think I would be more apt to go with a coated cable. Yes it is not as convenient but I believe more reliable than signal. I was an electronics aviation specialist in the military. When you are sending a signal wirelessly, there is always the chance of running into interference in any of a million ways. I would feel more comfortable if that signal was just from the transom to the cabin than through 100' of water. Just a personal preference. Plus I have more than enough riggers for my use so I can run one just for the unit and probably save some wear n tear on the cable.

[seasquirrel]

trolling 82, save yourself the money and time and just go Depth raider. I know people who were die hard Subtroll fans and they went to a Depth Raider eventually too. Sub trolls are supposed to be a great unit, I just dont care for the analog needle myself. Good luck in your decision. I know when I got my down speed unit my catch rate went WAY up.

[711skwerlz]

DFoes the coated cable have additional blowback. I have synthetic cable on my big jon w/13 lb torpedo and has way to much blowback now. Dunno how heavy to go dont want to hurt the rigger.