For tournament angler Max Wilson, one of the best ways to productively cover big water is to high speed graph. Transitioning into late summer means fish begin to move off of structure and instead relate to deep basins in search of bait. It can be overwhelming to try to find these suspended fish on larger bodies of water, so that’s where high speed graphing comes in.
High speed graphing is simple but does require the right equipment and sonar settings. Whether it’s Lowrance, Humminbird, or Garmin, it’s important to have a high-speed transducer. The other key is to have the sonar scroll speed set faster which allows for a clearer picture and better return at higher speeds.
As for boat speed, the goal is to be slow enough to get a clear picture but fast enough to actually cover water. For Max, this ideal speed is often around 20 mph. It’s fast enough for him to cover ground while getting a clear picture without much interference.
Next, it’s important to pay attention to the graph when idling. The fish will generally show on classic 2D sonar as clear arcs and act as a reference for identifying marks when high speed graphing. Then once sped up, these arcs become condensed. The picture will be a bit less clear but the fish locations are evident. In Max’s example in the video above, he shows the relation between the traditional arcs and the condensed arcs shown at high speeds. Not only does high speed graphing tell him that there are fish in the area, but also where the fish are holding, which allows him to know exactly where to set his planar boards and line.
High-speed graphing is a great way to cover ground and find fish when targeting summer basin walleye.
