[adamg]

I also got an Arclab setup based on Joek's recommendations here. I attach/detach the base from a Cannon downrigger track. Works great. The standard setup does not include that locking mechanism pictured on his that keeps the pole attached the base--thats an additional add-on they call Hercules handcuff or some. Its not required but would certainly help in rough water, otherwise its just relying the leverage of the ram mount to keep it in place.

Still haven't received it. Tracking says it's stuck in Winnipeg. ArcLab won't respond to my emails. Getting frustrated.

I ordered the handcuff add-on last month and it is also stuck in Winnipeg. I got a pretty quick reply from Owen @ Arclab when I reached out. Sounds like every package they try to ship to the states gets held by customs and requires them to submit paperwork for the product's aluminum and beyond that is in US customs control. Sounds like they're completely choked and theres not much they can do.

 

[adamg]

Probably the biggest thing though is just knowing whether I was in an area with no fish and therefore wasting my time. I got a much better idea of which places in the fishery were holding fish and which weren't. Far better than arcs on a standard sonar screen, which are really of limited value in relatively shallow depths.

What I've learned in the last few weeks fishing with my LS is that there are fish that on the move and have no interest in your bait, and then those that will turn, look, follow even charge it. Focus on those fish that show interest. If they are in a defined area that allows it and you can find them, run laps on them and change up speed, lures, bumper length, scents till you get them to commit.

 

[adamg]

One thing LS taught me is that my Garmin Echomap with its standard GT56UHD transducer is useless and I was fishing blind previously. Ive been on top of large pods of salmon, either swimming in the opposite direction or matched speed and swimming upstream with me, meanwhile the traditional sonar is totally blank. Other times, I see what appear to be and what I previously would have thought to be large pods of fish on the traditional sonar that are nowhere to be found searching around on the LS. So, after dropping all that money on the new LS, I will probably also need to shell out for a nicer Raymarine sonar unit 💰