Using Depth/Fish finder

[Rfong]

I have to admit I have never caught fish that showed up on a Depth/Fish finder. It occurred to me I may be using this electronic aid incorrectly.

When the boat, using a trolling motor cruises over an area and the Depth/Fish finder shows a fish, say at 16 ft on a 20 ft bottom, where to you cast? My Depth finder is located at the stern of my boat. So do you cast off the back assuming the boat has pasted over the indicated fish? It takes some time for the lure to sink so should you actually cast in front of the boat allowing sink time?

[roadwarriorsvt]

Good question R. I'm a boating newbie myself. Looking forward to the answers also!

[Stan Wright]

I mostly use mine to see if there are fish and schools of shad around when they are not busting on the surface. And to find drop offs and submerged islands. It's easy to see which side of a point the fish are hanging out on.

A school of shad shows up like a dark cloud and the peacock bass can be seen around them as little fish icons on my screen.

The fish haven't been schooling for a month or so, but I have been able to locate them at places where they normally hang out.... now catching those fish is another story.