Introduction
Welcome to Dave’s Sonar. This will be a quick tour of our website and overview of the products and services offered by Dave’s Sonar. We will be discussing all things fishing. Specifically, fish-finding – utilizing the latest technologies and innovations in marine electronics.
Dave who?
I fished my first bass tournament in 1979. I continued competitive bass fishing through the mid-1990s. Since then, with the advancements in electronics, my passion has been more toward studying and observing fish as opposed to catching. This later evolved into teaching and outfitting guides and other enthusiasts.
I am currently semi-retired and consider this a hobby. Dave’s Sonar is just an extension of this hobby. I am an authorized dealer for most major brand marine electronics. I also provide demos and training. The proceeds of these help offset the costs of doing what I would be doing anyway. Otherwise, I do not receive compensation from any manufacturer for promoting their products. The opinions I give are my own and may evolve with new innovations or enlightenment.
If you are serious about improving your fish-finding skills or thinking about added new technologies to your boat, I would be honored to help. My first advice would be to expose yourself to ALL the latest innovations that are available first. Then, identify the technologies that will enhance your fishing style or goals. Finally, make sure that any new items you add are compatible with your current system and long-term goals.
Most of us cannot afford to outfit our dream boat all at once. However, it is important to make sure that the investments that we make today are building on our long-term objectives. There is also a lot of value in learning to get the most out of the equipment we already own.
This is why I do not sell products directly from our website. I feel it is important to discuss your needs, fishing style, and long-term objectives before making a purchase. It is also important to shop around and find the best value. I am a small dealer and cannot make offers like some of the big-box dealers can. However, the best value may not always be the lowest price. One must consider who to call when the inevitable dumb question or problem arises.
Let me know how I can help,
David Oliver
[email protected]
Quick Tour
At the top of each page, the menu items provide links to our content.
HOME, as you would expect, will return you to the home page.
Articles is a link to a page that lists all our articles. These articles cover a variety of topics but are all related to techniques in finding or catching fish. The primary purpose of our articles is to sharing tips, tricks, and new innovations. However, this is a 2-way street, we encourage you to share your ideas and techniques as well. I also try to interview anglers who catch records, trophies or win tournaments in order to share their techniques. It is my hope that this free exchange of ideas will benefits us all.
Technologies is a link to the page that breaks technologies into groups, such as Mapping, Traditional Sonar, Side Imaging, Live Sonar, etc. We explain the technology in detail including the different manufactures that offer the technology. We also show the specific models that we use on our boats and why.
Demos is a link to a page that outlines Dave’s Innovations 101 demo course and provides access to resources related to the course. This is a one-day class that gives you a hands-on demonstration of ALL of the latest technologies. Beginning in the classroom with mapping and other pre-fishing strategies that builds a plan for the day. You leave there with software and other free resources that will greatly improve your performance on the water. Also, in the classroom you will get hands-on work with the equipment we will be using once we are on the lake. Finally, we will take these strategies to the lake and use them to locate fish.
Contact is a link to our contact information.
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Finally, at the bottom of each page is an important set of Quick Links. The following is a brief description of these.
RIDE-ALONG Each week, I spend time on the lake doing research for articles, testing, and surveying. You can ride-along for the day and participate in whatever the objective may be. This gives you the opportunity to get more hands-on experience, ask questions, and enjoy the day on the water.
BROWNWOOD LAKE LEVEL This link shows the current water level of the lake. The spreadsheet goes back to 1999 and allows you to scroll back through time to see the water level. My hope is that when you read this — the lake is full. As I write this – not so much.
CERTIFIED SCALES We have certified scales that can be used to officially weigh fish for lake or state records. There are also many Parks and Wildlife resources worth checking out on this page.
AREA FISHING GUIDES offers links to interviews and information about some of our area fishing guides. These pros contribute to many of our articles here and are a great resource to expand your knowledge and have a lot of fun.
PARTNERS Links to other tackle/equipment dealers, boat dealers, boat and motor service, etc. in the area.
MARKETPLACE A place to buy or sell used equipment.
DAVE’S HOTSPOTS We periodically highlight a specific fishing spot on our lake. Usually complete with waypoints, underwater sonar view of what is there, type of fish that would likely be present, and a strategy for catching them.