Why You Should Use a GPS Unit

As one of those old-school guys who doesn't like change, I admit to having been reluctant to put a GPS unit on my boat. I've always believed in my own man-reading ability to find fish and structure, so a new gadget seemed to be something that would only get in the way of my traditional thinking.

But that was a few years ago. After Garmin signed on as a new sponsor for my television show, I felt it was necessary for me to sit down and learn the new equipment that had been installed on my boat. Man, were my eyes opened. What a tremendous aid to anglers, especially for those of us who fish big waters.

As most everyone knows, GPS stands for Globe Positioning System. With a receiver and antenna installed on a boat, you can receive signals from satellites that enable you to pinpoint your exact location or a destination. The navigational uses and applications are endless for boaters, anglers, hunters and hikers.

The technology is growing and becoming extremely affordable. Boat owners would be wise to purchase a combo GPS/sonar unit that displays both types of information on one screen. You can navigate to a honey-hole and watch the depth and bottom structure simultaneously.

GPS units also are becoming easier to use for those of us with limited computer skills. There is a learning curve and you will have to spend some time becoming accustomed to it, but that time will be well spent. You'll save time on the water and become far more efficient.

For example, a few months ago I was headed to Lake Erie to fish a section that I had never seen before. On my laptop computer I have installed MapSource, which is a CD-Rom mapping program that offers topographic maps of several major lakes. I pulled up the Lake Erie map and looked for interesting features I wanted to fish. It was like prefishing for a tournament without leaving home.

I found a shipwreck that I thought would hold bass, jotted down the coordinates and plugged them into the GPS on my boat. The next day I drove right to that spot and began catching fish.

Today, many units offer map chips that can be installed in the GPS and provide specific lake information. With a lake map on the screen, you'll see where you are in relation to the shore and can drive directly to a specific structure or even a landmark such as a marina. This is invaluable when you're unfamiliar with a lake or if fog rolls in and you need to find your way back.

GPS can even eliminate the need to use marker buoys to mark a structure, which often alerts other anglers you're fishing something special. You can simply mark the spot on the GPS and follow your track on the screen to stay in position or to work a drop-off or offshore structure. If you catch fish on that structure, you can push a button and save the precise spot so that you can return to it at any time.

These are just a few of the nifty features that GPS offers anglers. You can also monitor boat speed more accurately than with most speedometers on boats and know how far it is to specific landmarks. With mapping programs installed, you'll also know where the major boat launches and marinas are located.

I never would have guessed that an ol' fuddy duddy like me could grasp or recommend using high-tech equipment, but I am. And if I can do it, so can you.

BASSIN' Magazine Fall 2004