Larry Hopper checks out the “latest” mid-1980s offering from Bagley, the Bass N Shad crank. Here’s a look into a tackle box containing a likely 1980s collection.
Jefferson or Humminbird flashers became permanently mounted in dash or above the console or on the forward deck, they still re- quired a practiced eye to detect subtle dif- ferences in the flashing, circular light path on the screen. And yet, as late as the 1990s companies were offering digital sonar that mimicked the look of the old flashers. I guess they realized that some of us were slow to change.
The Lowrance paper graph was a marvel when it arrived—wasn’t that in the early 1980’s? It was the best, but Humminbird made a game effort at the time, even though national fishermen did not embrace the technology as the Westerners. On the down- side, the Lowrance X-15 required you be nimble in taping one end of the paper to the spool, but the screen, target separation and beautiful “arches” were something to behold
— and changed the face of structure fishing. In fact, I recall the the paper graph was so critical to Arizona’s John Murray, he had one mounted on the bow as well as the console. And we see that same kind of reliance on technology today with the color “laptops” mounted on deck, complete with their GPS, satellite weather and sideview supplements. But we know the truth. It all started back in the day.
July 2011 _ SILVER EAGLES 39