Thanks to all of your suggestions. We have decided to go to the Alexandria area and have booked a day with fishing guide Joe Scegura. I can hardly wait!
Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.

Sticks

I couldn’t take it anymore! I just sent Joe from the Alexandria area a private message about his availability! Thanks for all the suggestions, we really appreciate it and all your input!

Sticks

FryDog, Thank you, I will defiantly try that!

I gotta ask, because I don’t know, when is it usually?

Wow! All terrific suggestions! Thank you very much! I am leaning towards LOTW.

I’ve only been on this lake on the ice, so I’m asking because I don’t know. We will be in an 18′ Crestliner that has a 150 Yamaha. It is a wide boat, with a drivers console only. My question is for that time of year (late October) do any of you who have fished that lake, anticipate us heading way out? Or would we be more likely fishing closer to shore?

Thanks again,

Grubson, what is “the right situation”??? I have always wondered.

Ha! Love it!

I’ve installed my share of the stuff! The composit decking from Menards is ok, it really fades in color after a year, so be prepared for that. Definitely go with the solid material!

I am a bit confused as what “the mood of the fish” is.

Opener I pitch a jig and minnow in a few areas, I’ve tried jigging raps, I haven’t tried a slip-bobber just yet, but nothing I’ve tried is anything I’d call consistently working. I get 1-2 Walleyes per year! I have heard of people driving around and looking for fish before they wet a line. I have an locator with side imaging, I am comfortable using it.
I guess my that in my head I always thought that at certain times of the year you should be using, say a jig, but then switch to pulling spinners, and then over to cranks, and then to whatever… I kind of thought that water temp and or the time of year dictated what you’d use and when, but it sounds more like it is a matter of:
A) find the fish first
B) let the wind/weather tell you what to use
C) be versatile

Am I missing anything?

Let me first say that this is exactly why I asked this question. Yes it was purposely vague, but I didn’t want to get just one answer. So thank you to all whom responded, this was what I was looking for.
Let me fill in some of the blanks. I primarily fish on the Whitfish Chain of lakes north of Brainerd. I’m my 12 years of being up there (we have a permanent campsite), I can honestly say that I have only a handful of spots that I’ve caught only a few fish. I am NOT looking for someone to tell me specifically where to catch Walleye on this chain. I believe in putting the time in for the reward. But the lakes are so loaded with structure, that it is always a wonder where I should even begin.
I usually pull spinners that I make along with Lindy rigs to “look for fish”

Thanks, I did just get 2 matching 12v deep cycle Road Runners from Fleet farm, so they match now. I did cave into a closeout dual purpose battery from Menards, but it is only a group 24. Looks like I could have easily fit a group 27 battery into the holder in the boat as space isn’t really an issue for me. Not sure if I should return it or wait and see.

Just an update on this post:
I got what was a 12v trolling motor wiring system converted to opperate the new 24v Terrova. I updated the 798ci HD with the latest software. I now have the Ipilot link connected, and the Humminbird recognized it.
I have the new Lakemaster chip installed, although I haven’t been able to understand the simulation mode. I thought it would be like a display at one of the stores, but maybe not? Any help would be great on that.
Last thing I did was pare the heading sensor to the Terrova, but without the boat in the water, I obviously can’t calibrate the offset.
I also have not turned on the Ipilot remote yet, but I will today!

Thanks again for the help and support! I very much appreciate it.

Thanks, to everyone replying to this post. The last few questions I have on this subject was in regards to me switching from a Navionics card over to a Lakemaster card. I purchased the latest Lakemaster card (7.0), but I don’t have the boat here at home just yet, so I am also wondering if it is possible to power up my Humminbird from my computer just to verify (ok to play around a bit) it is all working.
Last question is how do I know if the Terrova and Link have the latest updates on them already?

All great info guys, thank you all very much! I am glad that I asked! I assumed that the Terrova transducer used the Lake bottom (along with the Lakemaster chip) to follow the contoured of the lake. It never occurred to me that the gps would be the big component to the puzzle. I have to wonder, why one would even bother with the US2 transducer?

Dave maze wrote:

The contour feature has nothing to do with the actual depth. It follows the lines on the contour chip. I would use your side imaging transducer that came with your graph.

Ok, thanks! How does the Hummingbird communicate with the Terrova? I assume a networking cable? If so, any recommendations as to where to get one?

Thanks again,

That was cool! Love it! It is such a rush when those big one come up and smack it!

Ok, cool! Is their an advantage to using the bow transducer?