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PSA: I was dead wrong about using a GPS on the dredge, now I won't run without it
For like 5 years I ran my rig on the Klamath River relying purely on marker buoys and memory. Thought GPS units were just extra screens to get saltwater on and bust. Then last fall after some heavy rains I came back to a site where half my markers had shifted or washed away. Spent a whole day redredging spots I already hit and jacked up my production schedule. A buddy finally talked me into borrowing his Lowrance unit for a week and I swear the difference was night and day. I could see exactly where I cut at 12 feet deep versus 8 feet and never double back. Now I got a used unit in my cab and I'm kicking myself for being stubborn. Anyone else here run purely on landmarks or did I just learn the hard way?
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faith68418d ago
You're telling me, I fought this exact same battle for way too long on the Trinity River. I was dead set that marker buoys and my own memory were good enough, thought GPS was just another gadget for the weekenders. Then I lost a whole season of paydirt because I couldn't tell where my old cuts were after the water dropped six feet. Now I've got a Lowrance mounted right there in my cab and I won't even think about launching the dredge without it. It's honestly embarrassing how much time and fuel I wasted double-backing over spots I already worked clean.
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daniel_lane3018d agoTop Commenter
Wish I'd learned that lesson before I burned through three seasons of gas.
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