Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 38
Hidden
Treasures
by Jeff Knapp
photos by the author
During a mild sunny morning this past spring, I eased my
boat alongside a steep drop-off within the sandy shelf that rims
much of the northern edge of Presque Isle Bay, Erie County.
The map on my chartplotter showed the edge as did the side
imaging on the sonar screen. Moments later, my boat partner,
Sid Brown, caught a 5-pound, Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass. We
went on to catch many more along the edge of the hole.
Finding the spot was no accident, nor was it time
consuming. Before the trip, I closely examined Presque Isle
Bay's underwater structure on a phone app-one that matches
the same program found on my boat's chartplotter.
Recent evolution of marine electronics has put tools in the
hands of anglers that aid greatly in discovering underwater
treasures with the potential to hold gamefish, at a price more
anglers can afford. Among these "treasures" are submerged
foundations, roadbeds, bridges, culverts, rocks and stumps.
Add to the list habitat enhancement cover introduced by
the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), which
includes various sized porcupine cribs and rock/rubble reefs.
And, of course, natural cover and structure such as deep
submerged weed beds and character-rich structure that exist
far below a lake's surface.
Electronic tools to better lead one to such treasures include
side imaging, down imaging, detailed electronic charts (for
both chartplotters and apps) and the ability to create your
own maps.
38
Side imaging
Unlike traditional 2-D sonar, which shoots a cone-shaped
image directly under the boat, side imaging projects razorthin beams off to each side of the boat. How far the beams
"look" depends on user settings. It is practical to search out to
200 feet or more on each side of the boat, giving you at least
400 feet of coverage.
You can examine much broader areas with side imaging
than traditional sonar. And, since you are looking at objects
from the side, you get a much better perspective on what
you are seeing. Items that stand up off the bottom, like an
old foundation, cast a shadow that indicate its identity. Old
roadbeds, which are typically harder than the surrounding
lake bottom, show up as brighter returns. With bridges and
culverts, expect to see a dark cut where the old creek channel
went under the roadbed. Look for abutments, headwalls, piers
and bridge decks when examining possible bridge locations.
Here is a look at an underwater culvert via side imaging. The
dark, rectangular cut is the old creek channel, where it meets the
culvert/road.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2019
www.gonefishingpa.com
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 32
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 34
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 54
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 56
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 57
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 63
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover4
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