GPS Waypoints: Making Sure

No question about it, Global Positioning System (GPS) units are great tools for marking fishing spots. Larry Nixon loves being able to return to his spots with such precision, but warns that from his experience you have to make sure you use your GPS right -- or you might not be marking, or fishing, the hot spot you think you are.

Satellite Tracking Issues

The problem is that when you slow down, the satellites can lose you. "It might just be me," Nixon says, "but if you're fishing slow, that GPS will not track you.

"I've talked to a lot of fishermen about it, and some of them have noticed that when they're fishing the arrow (which shows the direction you're moving) is not pointing in the right direction," he says. "I don't know if that's the nature of the beast, or the government fooling with the satellite, but until you get your boat going a certain speed and that satellite picks you up, you can miss your waypoint pretty easily."

Make Sure

Here's what Nixon recommends doing to make sure your GPS is doing what you think it's doing.

"When you get to where that GPS tells you you are, drop a buoy down," he says. "Notice the direction you're going. If it says your waypoint is 30 feet in front of you, that's where you are.

"If you've been fishing a while and catch a few fish (in a nearby area), drop a buoy." But don't run back and hit the button to save the waypoint, he says. "Crank your engine and make a circle so you know you're being picked up by the satellites. Then idle back by the buoy and hit save."

If you don't do this, the waypoint you save might not be correct. And as all anglers know, if you're off by 30 yards or so "it's like being a mile away if the fish are within a 10-foot section," Nixon says.

On flat, featureless lakes and reservoirs that don't have landmarks or islands, it's particularly critical to have an exact waypoint, he notes. "It's hard to find those spots. And if you miss them, you missed the fish."

Nixon's preferred GPS is the Lowrance LMS-160.