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For the price it works great.Down sides - the watch functions are not very intuitive and it takes a while to get the hang of turning it off and switching between functions. If you understand that and try your smartcast out on a dock where you can actually see the bottom you can get the feel for this pretty quick. the sensor was able to detect quite clearly a submerged 2x4 which was a cross member between the piers of the dock I was fishing on. Plus there is about a 5-10 second lag between the sensor and what you see on your watch.As for finding structure. Its at least in the right ball park.The Smartcast's ability to gauge the contours of the bottom and to locate structure is fairly good though you have to understand how it works.1) the sensor only senses directly underneath it,and not much else. Also the watch sucks up batteries so turn it off unless you are using it.
Its not a practical watch (plus its not exactly fashionable).Testing and pluses - I tested the Smartcasts depth measurements against some readings from a boaters $300-400 fish finder and its accurate to the nearest foot. The temperature gauge seems to be fairly accurate but honestly I haven't tested it against another thermometer. I fish several times a week but don't have a boat and so my wife got me this product for my birthday. Fish finders in this price range generally aren't that useful at detecting actual fish so I wasn't expecting this. You have to realize the the sensor isn't taking a continuous picture of the bottom but is instead taking a series of snap shots every couple seconds. You must compare what you see on your watch to how fast the device is moving. Having tested out my smart cast I tied it to a $10 telescoping rod and reel set I got as a white elephant gift and so the whole thing fits in fishing bag and I don't have to switch my sensor and my lure on and off.Anyrate, I was able to locate a depression just next too one of my favorite fishing holes, so I casted to the new hole and I have been pulling striped bass out of there for the last three days.
SO a sub-surface depression that looks quite gradual could actually be quite steep if the sensor is moving very slowly. Hang on to the user manual, you'll need it. It showed up as a 1 pixel solid vertical blip on the screen as it slowly drifted over the top. 2) the output screen scrolls across the watch face whether or not the device it moving. (and visa versa). The sensor also detected the edge of a 2 foot weed bed quite clearly.As a fish finder, I don't think its too practical, unless a school of fish suspended directly underneath the sensor several feet above the bottom. So I'm happy with it.
It is very convenient, just keep it in your tackle box. This watch fish finder for about a hundred dollars is very good for the price. It shows you fish when it is directly over them, the depth, water temperature, the bottom, weeds, and other obstacles, but does not show how big the fish are. Make sure you have an extra pole, because the wireless part has to be thrown. Other than that, it is great, compared to the finders that are a few hundred dollars.
:-) One tip though: Make sure you shut the unit off whennot in use so you don't kill the battery. I bought this for use mainly in my kayak since I didn'twant to install a permanent ff. And whenyou store the unit, make sure it's not resting onthe on button. I've used thesmartcast about a dozen times so far and am extremelyhappy with it.My brother has a yak and we go fishing together.I have the edge over him in a big way with this ff.It shows bottom contour, depth, water temp, and fish.This thing puts me onto fish and bottom structure that Iotherwise would not know existed. It's easy to learn to use, and it works.in fact itworks every bit as good as the Humminbird Wide I havein my bass boat. (doesn't take much pressure to turn the unit on).So, if you want a completely portable, full featuredff, imo the Rf35 Smartcast is the way to fly. I love mineand never go kayak fishing without it.
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