TOPIC:

Kicking around the idea of getting a speed/temp prob system.  I am on the fence since they are a pretty hefty cost and the last couple years I have had a hard time getting out on LM for salmon due to winds/waves.   So here are my questions:

1) Do they really make the night and day difference in catching Salmon as people advertise?
2) Are they of any use for Lake Erie and Walleye and has anyone run them on Erie?
3) anyone use them for different species on other lakes?

it would be easier to justify in my mind if they are just as good (or close to as good) for other lakes and if it really is the bees knees for Salmon.

Thanks

1) fish finder
2) setups to fish the water columns
3) speed n temp

You still need to find bait to catch fish so a good fish finder Does this and some can find the thermocline to.
Then you need the rod and reel setup to put a spread through out the water column. The fish will tell you where they are active by what rods are being hit. Current and speed can be found by watching you down rigger cables. i fished many years before spending money on a speed n temp unit and put fish in the boat. I use it cause i have it but i don't need it to catch fish. My advise would be putting money on rod reels and tackle to help with presentation and water location then speed n temp. Mike

I second this, I've never used one constantly on my boat and caught plenty of fish. I do plan on getting one though to have as another tool.

I have a Fish Hawk on my boat, and really only use it offshore once the lake warms up in the summer. It does help but not a magic
device. I think that they are overpriced for what they do and probably won't replace it when it fails. 
 That being said, I was surprised to see the speed difference due to currents after weather on the big lake.

all the above. Good Sonar makes everything better and confirms what intel you read from site like this, hear on radio or chat at ramp/dock. Reading downrigger cables for following or head on currents. That being said my brother bought one so if fish aren't biting and its not deployed thats the reason were not catching. Sometimes it makes for lively debate. 

I had  a Fishhwak X4 on my boat.  I think it’s a good tool but not mandatory.  It’s nice to see the temp break and sometimes it’s surprising how much the speed can vary too to bottom.  I never used it down on the bottom targeting Lakers and cannot imagine it would be that helpful plus I didn’t want to snag something and lose an expensive probe. I have fished Erie several times (western basin) and I cannot see where a probe be very beneficial.  That being said down riggers aren’t even needed in the Western Basin.

Thanks all.   I do have plenty of rods and tackle to cover the spread but just have seen some videos that guys say it makes all the difference.  I often fish St Joe where there are crazy currents so i'm sure I would be surprised sometimes with the speed difference top to bottom.   That said we have been getting better at watching rigger lines and other clues.  Sounds like I will most likely hold off from getting it since the consensus here is that it does not make that big of a difference.  I have a few months before it would be time to use it, so time for me to make a final decision.

Ed, when I had my bigger boat, I was asking just like you. It was hard to justify the $$ per the trips I could use one. I opted to buy the fishhawk TD sensor. It's a clip on device you attach to a rod with a weight, or I suppose a downrigger ball and lower to the bottom. You then bring it back up and it tells temp at every 5' increment. It worked very well for us and coupled with the buoy, always at least gave us a place to start. We always used our eyes and ears pole watching when trying to figure out speed coupled with the graph Might be something you can look into, I just looked them up and see they're around $180 at Fish USA. Quite a bit more than I paid 8 or so years ago, but still considerably cheaper than the x4 unit. 

Fish Tales and Tackle sales Feb 25th at Laporte County fairgrounds. Maybe used Fishhawks for sale there?

reel wrote:

Ed, when I had my bigger boat, I was asking just like you. It was hard to justify the $$ per the trips I could use one. I opted to buy the fishhawk TD sensor. It's a clip on device you attach to a rod with a weight, or I suppose a downrigger ball and lower to the bottom. You then bring it back up and it tells temp at every 5' increment. It worked very well for us and coupled with the buoy, always at least gave us a place to start. We always used our eyes and ears pole watching when trying to figure out speed coupled with the graph Might be something you can look into, I just looked them up and see they're around $180 at Fish USA. Quite a bit more than I paid 8 or so years ago, but still considerably cheaper than the x4 unit. 
 

Thank you, I actually had one of those given to me and do use that for temp starting point.   I was more curious about the speed with the way the currents can get.  But it seems I am best off just sticking with what I have for now and just keep watching lines and riggers for how they are behaving.   Thank you