Getting a solid livescope transducer mount for trolling motor setups will be usually the 1st thing within the listing after you drop a couple of grand on a brand-new Garmin system. It's one of these things where a person realize pretty rapidly that the tech is only mainly because good as the way in which you've got it pointed. If your own mount is loosely or positioned weirdly, you're just going to be looking at a screen full of expensive blur. Most individuals want to jump right in and begin seeing fish, but taking an additional 20 minutes to consider how that transducer sits on your motor will save you a massive headache when you're really out on the particular water.
Why the trolling motor is the first choice spot
Nearly all guys choose the trolling motor for their Livescope because it's just user-friendly. You're already making use of the motor in order to steer the vessel and find places, so it can make sense that your "eyes" under the drinking water follow the same direction. When you've got a livescope transducer mount for trolling motor use, you're basically turning your motor go to a directional pointer. You discover a stump on the screen, a person point the motor at it, and also you know exactly exactly where to cast.
But generally there is a slight trade-off that nobody informs you about until you're mid-lake. When you're using "Spot-Lock" or any type of electronic anchoring, your motor is definitely going to be twitching and turning on its personal to maintain you in place. In case your Livescope is mounted straight to the base, your view will likely be spinning all over the place as the motor tries in order to fight the wind flow. It's not a dealbreaker for everybody, but it's something you've got to keep in mind when you do a lot of stationary fishing within breezy conditions.
Different styles of mounts you'll run into
When you open the box, you're usually likely to see the regular hardware Garmin gives you. It's good, but it's certainly not the only way to perform things. Most people start with the basic shaft mount. It's basic, it's sturdy, and it puts the transducer right exactly where it needs to be. You just grip it on, tighten up the bolts, plus you're ready in order to go.
Then there's the perspective mode mount . In case you haven't seen this yet, it's a bracket that enables you to flip the transducer sideways. Instead of looking in the narrow slice within front of or even below the motorboat, it offers you a top-down view associated with the shallow water. It's killer for flats fishing or looking for bed frames in the springtime. A lot of the aftermarket livescope transducer mount for trolling motor options on the market now are designed to make switching between these modes much quicker, which means you aren't fumbling with a wrench whilst the fish are usually biting.
Barrel vs. Shaft installing
You've generally got two areas on the motor to pick from: the barrel (the motor part at the very bottom) or the shaft (the long pole).
Installing to the barrel is a bit of the old-school move. It keeps the transducer as deep as possible, which can help with surface mess or air bubbles. However, this also puts the most costly section of your consumer electronics right in the particular "impact zone. " If you hit a rock or a submerged log, the transducer is taking hit first.
Most people stick to the shaft mount. It's tucked away a bit even more, and it's simpler to adjust the depth. You are able to glide it up if you're fishing actually shallow or slide it down in order to obtain a clearer picture. Just be sure you don't mount it so high that this hits the mounting brackets when you draw the motor out of the drinking water to stow it.
The headaches of cable administration
I can't stress this more than enough: how you run your own cable is just as important since the mount itself. A livescope transducer mount for trolling motor setup involves a pretty thick, expensive wire that doesn't such as being pinched. If you just zip-tie it tight to the shaft and call it per day, you're probably going to snap a wire the first time you deploy the particular motor.
A person need to depart what we call a "service loop. " This really is just a bit of extra slack near the top where the motor rotates. You want enough play so that the motor can spin 360 degrees without yanking on the connection. I've seen men use electrical recording, specialized cable clips, or even those plastic spiral wraps. Whatever you use, just make sure it's not so tight that it's pressuring the rubber housing of the wire.
Aftermarket mounts vs. factory hardware
The stuff that comes in the Garmin box is fine for starters, but a lot of serious anglers finish up upgrading to something a bit even more "pro. " Right now there are companies available that make light weight aluminum mounts that are usually way tougher than the factory plastic material ones. These are great if you're an electrical fisherman that spends a great deal of time in heavy timber or rocky areas.
Some of these aftermarket livescope transducer mount for trolling motor designs also provide a "0-degree" offset. The manufacturing plant Garmin mount generally has a slight angle to it (usually eight degrees) to help the beam crystal clear the trolling motor barrel. While that's helpful for several, a lot associated with guys find that a 0-degree mount makes it simpler to track their attraction because the beam is perfectly up and down. It's a small detail, nevertheless you're trying to visit a tiny jig within 20 feet associated with water, every little bit of accuracy helps.
Avoiding interference issues
One thing that drives people crazy is "ghosting" or interference on their screen. Sometimes this originates from the trolling motor by itself. Since your livescope transducer mount for trolling motor is correct next to the high-powered electric motor, it may pick up some electronic sound.
In case you start seeing weird lines every time you step on the pedal, inspect wiring. You want to keep the sonar strength cables as much away from your motor power cables because possible. Some guys even use the dedicated battery simply for their consumer electronics to keep the power "clean. " It's an extra bit of weight within the boat, yet for the clarity you get, it's usually worth the trade.
Maintaining things aligned
Once you've got your livescope transducer mount for trolling motor installed, you've have got to make certain it's actually pointed where you think it is. It sounds stupid, but it's simple to get it somewhat crooked. I suggest taking the boat out on the calm day, finding a bridge piling or a buoy, and practicing aiming at it.
If you stage the trolling motor dead ahead plus the piling shows up on the left side of your screen, your own mount is rotated and balanced too far. Simply loosen it up, give it a tiny nudge, and examine again. You need this so that when your foot pedal will be straight, your light beam is looking where the boat is going.
Final ideas around the setup
At the end of the day, there isn't one "perfect" method to set this particular up because everybody fishes differently. Some guys like the simplicity of the stock mount, while others won't hit the particular water with no custom-machined aluminum bracket. The particular main thing will be to make sure that your livescope transducer mount for trolling motor is secure, your cables are secure, and your alignment is usually true.
Don't be afraid in order to tweak it right after your first several trips. You may find that you want it a few inches increased, or you might realize you require that perspective setting bracket after all. It's a bit of a learning contour, but once you've got that see dialed in, it's like fishing along with the lights turned on. Just take your time using the set up, don't overtighten the plastic bits, and keep those cables free enough to proceed. You'll be selecting fish off all those brush piles in no time.