Fish hawk TD

[scentblocker]

I would like to know if the Fish Hawk TD can be a good product to purchase if i go only 3-4 week-end per season on the lake Ontario. Unfortunately I dont have the budget for the X4 so that's why i'm looking for this small unit.

 

Thanks

[Sk8man]

The two units serve different purposes aside from the money issue. The Fishawk X4D gives you nearly "real time" information about temp at depth as well as your speed at the weight, and offers some information (interpreted) about the current direction and strength. The information is therefore much more detailed than a TD which takes a sample of temp and depth at 5 ft. intervals which you can then review afterward. I have used the TD since about the time it came out, and it has its place and is certainly better in all cases than nothing at all. It has one aspect that is actually more flexible than the X4D (which I also have) and that is that you can attach it to your lines to gather temperature and approximate depth information near where the lure is actually running. A major advantage for me prior to the addition of the X4D was using the TD to figure out the thermocline when starting out fishing and especially when using Seth green rigs. Basically I was interested in the first 100 ft. so I attached it to the downrigger and slowly ran it down to 100 ft with the motor off etc. and then recorded the temps at the 5 ft intervals so I could then troll above, within, and below the thermocline depending on targeted species. On the Finger Lakes the thermocline is usually a little more stable than on Lake O so it helps a lot especially in determining where to start out depth-wise in the summer months. The TD is worth what you pay for it in my opinion and often comes in handy out there.

Edited November 29, 2018 by Sk8man

[scentblocker]

Thanks for the info Sk8man. i appreciate. for salmon and steelhead, what will be the best temp to target?

[Sk8man]

I know there are a lot of charts available printed and on the Internet as far as temperature "preferences but there are also a lot of variables involved such as time of the year, spawning status, matures vs. teens and where the baitfish are located. Chinooks for example may prefer the warmest water they can find early on and then water in the fifties at some points in the season and then 42 or 43 degrees down 125 ft at another point. No totally reliable exact answer in my view. Steelies move all over the lake as well as within the thermocline, The presence of bait (or the particular species of bait they are feeding on) can move any of them out of their so-called "preferred" temperature as will spawning cycle. The charts of preferred temps also vary somewhat but they can serve as a starting point until you can get the particular species figured out at the time you are fishing but don't take the specific values or even ranges as "gospel".

Edited November 29, 2018 by Sk8man