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Hey guys just happened to stop by and saw this question.  Hope everyone is doing well, hard to believe I have been back in Michigan almost 5 years now.  Anyway back to the subject at hand.

Way back in my early years I worked as a mate for a charter captain out of Frankfort we had the first speed temp probe out of Frankfort to field test it.  Back then it was cool and a new toy but didn't take us long to figure out that there sometimes are very big differences in current.  Now we didn't have GPS and some of the other cool stuff like planner boards, dipsey divers, and so on but it became a very handy tool in no time once we understood how to read and use it to our advantage.  I think the prices are high especially for the fish hawk so I have a depth raider.  It's a little less I have seen them on eBay, craigslist, etc for very reasonable prices.  I have a graph which tells me surface speed and temp so don't need the fish hawk added functions for that.  That would be my suggestion on buying a temp speed probe.  I can't say that I need Bluetooth or watch it on my phone since I can just tell the big jerk standing in front of it to move out of the way and save a few hundred bucks.

Ok second part of the answer does it help me catch more fish, absolutely.  Can I catch fish without it, yes but do I outfish people on a regular basis no matter what port I am fishing out of, I truly believe that is a yes.  Since moving back up to Mi I have been fishing some new ports and making new friends (yep you heard it I have a couple friends now).  I have taken guys out on my boat with probe also fished in there boats without probe and we always catch more fish on my boat.  Several of the guys have went and bought probes or have them in their wish list for this year.  I might be in the minority for this thread and like I said I have and do catch fish without them but I feel more comfortable knowing what my ball speed is trip after trip due to the extremes I have seen over the years in underwater currents in this lake.

One last thing.  If you walk down on the docks and look at all the charter boats count how many have them and how many don't.  They rely on putting fish in the boat to keep the customers coming back and talking about the experience.  If it wasn't an improvement they would't have them.

It was the Depth Raider I was looking at as I can't justify $1000 for it, but didnt mention is because I didnt want the thread to turn into Depth Raider VS Fish Hawk.    That is what keeps running through my head is how much am I missing because I am reading the current at the ball wrong.   Decisions Decisions LOL .  If I was in a bigger boat or Lake Michigan wasn't such a bear the last few years with Waves and weather, it would have been a much easier decision. 

I have a depth raider speed and temp unit at the ball that was working when I removed it from my boat. I believe everything is there including the coated downrigger cable, power cord, monitor, sending unit and antennae. You are welcome to it you want it for free Ed. I noticed the downrigger cable at the connector is kinked so will need to be cut and reattached before using. I also found the original box complete with all instructions.

StormJunkie wrote:

I have a depth raider speed and temp unit at the ball that was working when I removed it from my boat. I believe everything is there including the coated downrigger cable, power cord, monitor, sending unit and antennae. You are welcome to it you want it for free Ed. I noticed the downrigger cable at the connector is kinked so will need to be cut and reattached before using. I also found the original box complete with all instructions.

PM Sent,  I am speechless at the offer.