X4D vs Smart-Troll

[dick black]

Getting ready to pull the trigger on a speed, temp, depth unit any help appreciated. Price not really a concern.,  Thanks   Blacky

[Trouthunter]

get a fish Hawk

[TileMan Dan]

More precision with the smart troll system. Pricey though. Thinking about taking the dive myself before spring.

[fishmaster13184]

Just looked on the smart troll website and they're 599 on sale with an extended warranty, I like how the probes are substantially smaller than the fishhawk

[Xxx]

I'm really leaning towards the smart troll myself. Just remember you need to supply your own screen display and it must be of an android, anything in the apple brand won't work, such as an iPad. Amazon has refurbish androids with bigger screens, almost like a iPad size, for $35-65. I thought I could use my daughters older iPads and shell the $600.00. But that's not the case. There is a place that sell the 4XD for 600 bells but I can't think of it right now, maybe someone else could chime in here with the site name?

[Firechief48]

NorthwoodsOutlet had the best price for Fish Hawk last I knew.

[Sk8man]

Dick- My hunch is that you'd be happy with either choice as they both seem to be quality products. I think it may be a matter of just how much you wish to "tune" your trolling program. The Fishawk will measure the general temp and speed environment and at the weight and allow you to set things accordingly while the multiple probe approach of the Smart Troll allows more "flexibility" in following the temps and depths of individual lines and lures basically at the lure level and you can monitor multiple setups individually in nearly real time. I have no idea how the probes of either choice compare in holding up over time though or the "robustness" of the internal components.

 

P.S. If you decide on the X4D make sure it is the newer one (red screen not blue one which is the older model)

Edited October 24, 2016 by Sk8man

[Xxx]

NorthwoodsOutlet had the best price for Fish Hawk last I knew.

Yea, that's it!! Thanks Firechief48.

[Firechief48]

You're quite welcome Pap

[TyeeTanic]

My buddy has the fish hawk which we use all the time. I had a smart troll (until I recently sold my boat).

 

Both are good units, no doubt.

 

In my opinion, smart troll has the edge, as you can put more than one probe at once, and you can put the probe on lines (not just on the rigger cable).

 

This is relevant for at least 2 reasons:

 

1) It's good to understand the breadth of the temperature zone ... we like to know at what depth is 42F and where is say 52F.  This basically tells you what your highest line should be at, and lowest line ... and you can spread inbetween those depths.

 

2) It's good to understand the depth you're actually getting on your wire line rods, copper rods, leadcore, etc.  You may not need to have a probe on those lines all the time, but rather try it a few times, note the depths with different tackle on (the depth changes dramatically if you are using just a spoon vs. a 11" paddle and meat rig).  Once you get a sense of what each line will each with various tackle on, you can more accurately deploy on future trips.

 

The other thing I noticed is the smart troll refreshes much more frequently (like every 2 seconds). 

[Xxx]

My buddy has the fish hawk which we use all the time. I had a smart troll (until I recently sold my boat).

 

Both are good units, no doubt.

 

In my opinion, smart troll has the edge, as you can put more than one probe at once, and you can put the probe on lines (not just on the rigger cable).

 

This is relevant for at least 2 reasons:

 

1) It's good to understand the breadth of the temperature zone ... we like to know at what depth is 42F and where is say 52F.  This basically tells you what your highest line should be at, and lowest line ... and you can spread inbetween those depths.

 

2) It's good to understand the depth you're actually getting on your wire line rods, copper rods, leadcore, etc.  You may not need to have a probe on those lines all the time, but rather try it a few times, note the depths with different tackle on (the depth changes dramatically if you are using just a spoon vs. a 11" paddle and meat rig).  Once you get a sense of what each line will each with various tackle on, you can more accurately deploy on future trips.

 

The other thing I noticed is the smart troll refreshes much more frequently (like every 2 seconds).

Tyee Tanic, thanks for the hands on info. I had a long and in depth conversation with the owner of the smart troll, but his gig was all good as any sales person would speak, usually there are pro and cons to every system, I would say having to get your own display is a little inconvenient, but for a couple hundred bucks less I can deal with that, and the learning curve that comes with any device is a little inconvenient. You really had no bad talk about the smart troll which is a good thing and knowing were in the water colum your snap weights are or dipsys at such a speed, seem to me it clears up a lot of grey areas. Now it's going to happen, losing a probe vs. a x4d probe, how does this compare if you get bit off good bye smart probe, how often will this happen compared to a probe attached to the rigger cable? I need to act soon as this sale won't last forever.

[TyeeTanic]

I don't clip my probes on in line. I clip them on using OR16 clips to the main line ahead of all my tackle. If a break happens yes you lose the tackle as always, but the probe stays with the mainline (wire). For copper and leadcore applications I normally just run short tests. You can even take the hooks off so there's no risk of a snap off. But I do know guys that fish constantly with the probes on copper and they aren't worried.

One probe will also always be on the rigger cable and connects just like the fish hawk.

[Sk8man]

I believe the probes are about $250 each if multiples are needed it might be cheaper buying the fish at Wegmans

[dick black]

Thank you all for the quick and positive responses. I apologize for taking so long to get back here, busy work day. One of my major concerns is using a probe system of some kind with diode is. I just don't have much faith with in them because I just don't know where they are at. I have read all the books and articles and charts I can get my hands on and there are just to many variables. I was looking for something that would help me zero in on these things. Every time I put one of these things in the water. I tell my fishing partner, if we catch a fish on that thing, it's just pure luck!

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[dick black]

Scratch diode and insert dipsey, wow, where did that come from

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[Sk8man]

Dick if is purely a matter of locating the dipsey depth/temp you can get a very good approximation by using the Fishawk TD which you can get for a little over $100 new. It can attach to your line ahead of the dipsey and after turning it on and then you let out the dipsey to say 250ft  on your line counter and then retrieve it and it will display the temp and depth at the depth it was running within 5 ft intervals at that amount of line out and you aren't risking a $250 probe if it is just for that.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Sk8man

[Xxx]

Scratch diode and insert dipsey, wow, where did that come from

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But the smart troll will tell you where your dipsy is in depth/temp& speed, wich is why I'm leaning on the ST with today's lines out there, mono, hybrid lines, braids, and who knows what's next.I have every book Mark Romanack ever published, but there are situations where your on your own, trial & error mostly error. This is the areas I'd like to clear up. Marks books and app is this depth, at this speed, with this style diver but, with a probe on that line, it's telling you with whatever conglomeration you got going on, your lure/bait is this deep and at that speed. The way I see it, it will eliminate all grey areas in my peanut size brain!!

[TyeeTanic]

Dick if is purely a matter of locating the dipsey depth/temp you can get a very good approximation by using the Fishawk TD which you can get for a little over $100 new. It can attach to your line ahead of the dipsey and after turning it on and then you let out the dipsey to say 250ft  on your line counter and then retrieve it and it will display the temp and depth at the depth it was running within 5 ft intervals at that amount of line out and you aren't risking a $250 probe if it is just for that.

 

I started with the TD, it's a good device. But for clarity, we should state that it isn't live info. You have to put the probe down (while trolling) and retrieve it, then scan through the temp/depth readings.  So you find yourself with that probe on a seperate rod, loaded with 1 lb of weight (to get it down while trolling) and retrieving say every 15 minutes, to get an idea of the temp.  If you change location, you need a new reading. And I've managed to lose a TD probe to Lake Ontario as well (on a hang up).  So it's not a slam dunk decision.

 

On the other hand, the way I attach the ST probes there's very little chance of losing it, even if the leader were to break. The trick is to NOT put it in line, and rather offline using two OR16 clips attached to the main steel line.

[Sk8man]

Good points to consider about the TD and the use of the Offshore clips as well. My main use of the TD has been on the downrigger and on coppers so the 1 lb weight hasn't been necessary (or desirable). I use it more as a general device too. For example I run it down 100 ft on the downrigger and then review the data and I record it on a data sheet  with a grease pencil  the temp info for each 5 ft interval and determine where the thermocline is and then set my thermocline  (Seth Green) rigs accordingly so I don't have to be "exact" as I straddle the temp range of the thermocline and above and below it. It does however give good starting information about the t-cline for downrigger lure placement. It is a somewhat "limited" device but it is much better than nothing and much less expensive than the other options and especially when considering probe replacement. Most of my friends have sacrificed probes on the Fishawk Xd models by the way despite the high quality of the unit itself .  I beefed up the plastic attachment gizmo of the TD with an additional metal clip and have never had any problems or losses despite hundreds of hours of use over the years.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Sk8man

[dick black]

Thanks for all the info fellas! I am interested to know how reliable the smart troll is. July 3rd last summer we fished aboard the Yankee troller with Rick and Chris Hijecki. I am sure they were using a smart troll, sit the honest truth was we were so darned busy catching fish, I didn't have much time for questions

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[Xxx]

Thanks for all the info fellas! I am interested to know how reliable the smart troll is. July 3rd last summer we fished aboard the Yankee troller with Rick and Chris Hijecki. I am sure they were using a smart troll, sit the honest truth was we were so darned busy catching fish, I didn't have much time for questions

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LOL don't ya just hate when that happens!! Best of luck to you, which ever way you choose to go. Your friend PAP!

[dick black]

Ok, I will close this topic by saying thanks to all my friends for your help, I am in the middle of a new project at this moment. Watch for a report, I'm sure you will find it interesting! Tight lines, Blacky...

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[Yankee Troller]

Guys, I have a nice write up on the Smart Troll coming out soon. If diver depth is something you;re looking for you'll be amazed at what you'll find. Still working on the write up, so be patient.

[Yankee Troller]

Thanks for all the info fellas! I am interested to know how reliable the smart troll is. July 3rd last summer we fished aboard the Yankee troller with Rick and Chris Hijecki. I am sure they were using a smart troll, sit the honest truth was we were so darned busy catching fish, I didn't have much time for questions

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Most likely I had the speed probe down with my MOOR as I'm trying to see where the ST is when we're in the zone on the MOOR. However, when fishing is what you experienced accuracy isn't all that important. Getting lures in the water is! lol

[dick black]

Rick,

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