What do y’all think of this idea? I sent this inquiry to Garmin via their product support web page and will hopefully hear back within a few days. Maybe something like this already exists on other GPS/Sonar units and I just don’t know about it.
I have an Echomap 74SV and my idea for a software enhancement is to add a fishing log capability. Something where the fisherman can select an entry function then enter the species, weight and length and number of fish caught at that location. The unit would record that information along with the time, GPS location, stage of tide, water temperature etc. It would also automatically transfer the data to a cell phone and download to a home computer when the unit was back into range of the home Wi-Fi. There would be an app on the computer or cell phone that would allow the user to view and manipulate the log and transfer data to an Excel spreadsheet.
I think every inshore fishing seminar I’ve been to they tell you to keep a book and log all fish caught with tide, time and moon phase. I’ve never once done it, but then I just fish for fun and a nice meal from time to time.
I know certain spots that 2 hours before incoming a shrimp under a cork will more than likely get me a few spot tail, I know another few spots that 2 hours after high tide the same shrimp under a cork will get me trout. Some areas an artificial thrown into the grass on full flood tide will get me an assortment of spot tail, trout, or lady fish, dead low in other areas with a small piece of peeled shrimp, fiddler, or wrapped on oyster will produce sheep head. And yesterday… no matter the tide you could not shake the little black tips. It’s that time of year again.
Not being a smart aleck I just have never seen the point in keeping a journal on fishing. I guess if I were a guide doing it for a living maybe.
Besides in a heavy bite situation are you really going to be punching in fish identifications in a gps?
I fish freshwater, mostly lake Murray, year ‘round. I kept a logbook, of sorts, for years. Once in a while I still refer to it.
I think up here the seasons are more important than tides as far as where the fish are located. We catch fish, as shallow as 1’ to as deep as 85’ or more, depending mostly on water temps. When we check our waypoints we can pretty much tell which ones we need to go to depending on the current water temps.
I do think you have a very good idea. It would be very useful to most fishermen.
FlickerFisher, your idea may work, but it seems too complicated to me. I have kept a log for many years. I keep it on my word processor now, and I try to log the important details as soon as possible after a fishing trip.
I used to fish several times per week. The log was useful for only a limited time, as last year’s catches would often “work” at the same time this year. But, I have found that my success is limited these days, even with the help of the log, because I cannot get on the water much.
I think the most important factor is TOW (Time On the Water). Things change in the river, and a hot hole last year may still be hot this year, but a hole that was #1 ten or twenty years ago may be fished out or just unproductive now. Keeping a log is good, but getting on the water often is the key to consistent success.
Great idea. Garmin units already have the capability of keeping a log, and there is so much more they can do with it.
Every time you mark a waypoint you can add custom notes. Also, you can save a screenshot of your sonar. Both will log date and time.
Whenever I get back from a trip I save all the data to a card and edit it in Garmin homeport, then reload the card back onto the Garmin. I also have a fishing/boating log so I can keep track of my days on the water.
Your idea I think would be a great for a third party app for tablets and smartphones.
(Keep it to yourself and develop it, then sell it back to Garmin)
Reality is the interface it to clunky to efficiently add details to a way point on the machines.
The solution is to transfer the waypoint information to a computer.
Advanced models have blue tooth and wifi. What’s really needed is a powerful application that draws in all the information from multiple sources (weather/waypoints/water temp/tide/time/etc.) which can create the log for you. Your input would be limited to bait, presentation, what is caught or not caught.
There are lots of fishing apps but I have yet to find one that can actually draw in the correct information to establish a useful log.
I’ve been thinking about making a phone\tablet app to do this since most phones are GPS capable nowadays. My only hesitation is that I don’t know the market size and what people will pay for it.
Reality is the interface it to clunky to efficiently add details to a way point on the machines.
The solution is to transfer the waypoint information to a computer.
Advanced models have blue tooth and wifi. What’s really needed is a powerful application that draws in all the information from multiple sources (weather/waypoints/water temp/tide/time/etc.) which can create the log for you. Your input would be limited to bait, presentation, what is caught or not caught.
There are lots of fishing apps but I have yet to find one that can actually draw in the correct information to establish a useful log.
That is what I was thinking about doing. If you press a “caught fish” button, the tablet can automatically record the lat\lon and the TIME. If you have that information, then once you get back to the inlet on a wifi, the software can automatically look up tide data, moon phase, etc.
Reality is the interface it to clunky to efficiently add details to a way point on the machines.
The solution is to transfer the waypoint information to a computer.
Advanced models have blue tooth and wifi. What’s really needed is a powerful application that draws in all the information from multiple sources (weather/waypoints/water temp/tide/time/etc.) which can create the log for you. Your input would be limited to bait, presentation, what is caught or not caught.
There are lots of fishing apps but I have yet to find one that can actually draw in the correct information to establish a useful log.
That is what I was thinking about doing. If you press a “caught fish” button, the tablet can automatically record the lat\lon and the TIME. If you have that information, then once you get back to the inlet on a wifi, the software can automatically look up tide data, moon phase, etc.
You guys are talking about exactly what I had in mind. My new Garmin already has all of the data in it ready to go (location, water temp, tide stage, etc. - don’t know about weather). I was thinking a button you press to start an entry and give it the type of fish, size and weight and have the unit match it with its data and store it for download later.
You can do that with Garmin’s BlueChart mobile app. I’m not sure what format you could use to extract the data, but you can input all of that data. It will record weather data if it’s available (connected to the internet).