~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Northshorefisher ~

That is like saying what is the best pickup truck to buy ! There are die hard consumers and loyal customers for all of the different brands and models.

All of the GPS models you listed will work with my CAPTAIN PAUL’s FISHING EDGE OF GPS WAYPOINTS if you have one of the manufacturers data (waypoints, tracks and routes) transfer programs. The transfer program can be found on their web sites. The Spartan versions are free but they all offer a more advanced program that has many more features than just transferring data.

The models you listed are near the top of the line for the different manufacturers line. Either of those listed should suit you needs very well
WITH THE PROPER MAPPING SOFTWARE.

I suggest that you go to these manufacturers web site and get the physical information on each of different units. Print out the specifications and then go over them item for item. Then check out what maps come installed in the unit. You will find that they all come ONLY with a basic map they call a base map. This is exactly what the name implies, a basic map of most of the U.S. coastline.

To get the most out of any of these units, you will have to get one of the supplemental mapping programs offered by the unit’s manufacturers. I believe that they avoid sticker shock by not including the detailed mapping as a package with the unit, as it would drive up the price $200- $300 dollars more.

Both brands offer aerial photo maps of the area you listed as part of a larger area of coverage. You will find that the detailed maps will be sold in zones or areas, such as from Mobile to Lake Charles or maybe something like Tampa to Galveston.

After you get the specifications you need, visit a stocking dealer, such as West Marine, Cabella’s, Bass Pro or any of the other advertisers in the Sportsman Magazine that sell the unit. Check out the units you narrowed down and get a hands on feel for the unit. Note the size of the screen, the definition of the screen and the ease of moving from one screen or feature to another. In addition price the cost of the supplemental mapping programs you will need to get the most out of the unit.

Let me know how you make out.

~ Captain Paul ~

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Ryansr.

The trash (junk) pile is located around the largest oil-gas platform in Bay Eloi.

This platform is located about 2.1 milles NNW (330° mag) from the remnants of DeadMans Island It is at or about 29° 46.175’N latitude ~ 89°22.701’W. Longitude.

Bring plenty of terminal tackle if you fish on or near the bottom. Use your depth finder to locate the larger pieces of material on the bottom.

Good Luck,
~ Captain Paul ~

~Captain Paul's Response to FishingPhysican~

Yes, you can if you have one of the Garmin transfer programs.

GARMIN data protocol requires that the data come from one of their transfer programs that can recognize a Garmin unit. They offer a FREE transfer program they call BASE CAMP as a download from the GARMIN web site at www.garmin.com. Once there search for BASE CAMP DOWNLOADS. Or they offer their TRIP AND WAYPOINTS MANAGER and their HOME PORT as for sale items as a download or on a CD. Both sell for around $30. The HOME PORT program is the most comprehensive as it lets you view any GARMIN maps you may have on a data card or in your GPS unit.

All of the programs allow you to write the data in GARMIN protocol to your GPS unit via the proper cable or to a memory card via your card reader-writer in your computer.
If you are using the memory card route, you MUST first first place a clean SPARE memory card in your unit while the unit is in an off mode.

Then turn the unit ON and do any function in the unit. Changing viewing screens would do. This causes your GPS unit to write a code which allows the GARMIN transfer program to recognize the card as a GARMIN device. Using the transfer program you then IMPORT and open the EDGE (.gdb) file, view, edit or add to it and write the waypoints to the card.

By then placing the card in your unit and using the menu feature, you can transfer all of the waypoints into the internal memory of your unit.
All Edge waypoints will appear as overlays on whatever map program you may have or use.

Use the spare data card to transfer all of your waypoints to the card and then back up them all in a file in your computer or on a thumb or DVD disk, etc.

Do this after each trip and you will always have a backup of all of your fishing info.

I am sure that you will enjoy and use the EDGE files. They will save you time and fuel getting on the fish.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ No Mo Money ~

There are several commercial programs that can convert Loran A TD’s to a Latitude Longitude format, but the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center had a program they call Position Aid. It is no longer available, but a US government, public domain program is available from the International Loran Association home page at http://www.loran.org/ Go there to download http://www.loran.org/gptotd.zip

It appears to be the old USCG Position Aid program. You can download the program and keep is in your computer as a fail safe conversion program.
You may find others by searching the internet for such a conversion program.

But the easiest way is to let your GPS do the conversion for you.

Almost all modern GPS units have a Grid Format called Loran TD or maybe just TD’s. First turn on your GPS and go to the main menu.
Go to the Configuration or GPS setup menu or what ever your unit’s manufacture calls the configuration setup for the GPS unit.
Find the POSITION FORMAT or in some cases it is called LOCATION.

In the Position Format box, Select the 'TD' mode, Then enter the Loran coordinates you want to convert to lat-lon one at a time. Once you have entered the points, go back to the Configuration menu, choose 'Position Format' again and change the format back to your normal 'Latitude-Longitude' setting. All of your waypoints you entered as TDs will now be in the lat-long format.

The Position you stated is in H,DDD,MM.mmm, ie. Hemisphere, Degrees, Minutes and Thousandths of minutes, It is the most common used in GPS units for both land and on the water. A one digit change in the last position of the decimal minutes (.00X) equals about a change of 6.2 feet, which is way below the accuracy of a standard consumer GPS unit.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Harlequin11 ~

Freemason Island is west of the Chandeleur Islands in Chandeleur Sound. It is about 8 miles west of one part of the Chandeleur chain and is about 8 miles WSW, 227°Magnetic from the North Islands. It is between the southern part of the Chandeleur Island barrier chain and Point Chicot. It is about 17.3 miles at a bearing of 74° (magnetic) from the Point Chicot Green # 1 marker/light.

The present Freemason Island is configured in a banana shaped island that has very little vegetation. The only vegetation is by the east end it looks like it is a small clump of mangroves. It presently is about 1.25 miles long in a west ~ east direction. NOAA Marine Chart 11363 of The Chandeleur Sound indicates that the island in now classified as a shoal, but aerial photo maps show the current island as a sliver of sand above the water. Many days the island sometimes is awash with high tides or strong winds.

I keep referring to the current Freemason Island as the original island has migrated to the south west and is now about 2500 feet to the south west of where it was before Katrina.
The east point of the present island is at or about 29° 47.193’ N ~ 88°58.086’W. The western most part of the island is now at or about 29°47.491’N ~ 88° 59.227’W.

Freemason Island was at one time in the shape of a reversed “C” about 1.7 miles in length mainly in a north to south direction. The northern most point was at or about 29° 48.342’ N. Lat. ~ 88° 58.823’ W. Long. The southern most tip was at or about 29° 47.181’ N. Lat. ~ 88° 58.872’ W. long. I mention this because the charts indicate that the water depths around the present Freemason Island vary between ten and two feet. The shallow water evidently is where the island was once located, and should be locations that hold fish.

Before you try to navigate to Freemason Island, sure that you get up to date official NOAA Marine Charts of the area. Depending from your launch point, it looks like you will need NOAA charts # 11363, Chandeleur Is; #11361, Miss. River Delta; 11371 Lake Borgne and Approaches and possibly # 11373, Miss. Sound and Approaches.

All of these approaches to Freemason Island are littered with many, many large and small oil and gas platforms as well as numerous wrecks through out the area. Use caution in the area as the charts show numerous shoals through out the entire Chandeleur Island chain of islands.

Using the remnants of FREEMASON Island as the face of a clock that is about 1.5 miles in diameter, and beginning at the 12 o’clock position, there is a wreck indicated at or about 29°48.403’ N ~ 088° 58.922’ W.
At about the 1 o’clock position one is at or about 29° 48.212 N ~ 088° 58. 386‘ W.

Continuing in a clockwise direction to the 4 o’clock position there is another one at or about 29° 47. 614’ N ~ 088° 58.386’ ~ W.

At the 5 o’ clock position one can be found at or about 29° 47. 337’ N ~ 088° 58.733’ W.

At the 7 o’clock area although a little farther from the center yields a wreck at or about 29° 47. 381’ N ~ 088° 59.707’ W.

Again continuing around the imaginary face to the 11 o’clock position you should find one at or about 29° 48.524’ N ~ 088° 59. 627’ W. These wrecks are listed as having a Position Approximate on the current charts. Any or all of them should offer cover for fish in the area.

You can access Freemason Island or what is left of it from Venice by the way of the canal at the end of Baptiste Collette in Breton Sound, which is about 33 miles @ 37°Magnetic ; from Hopedale via the Old MRGO to Gardner Island then to the Island, about 26 miles @ 74° magnetic, and from the Waveland / Bay St. Louis in Mississippi which is about 42 miles at 152° magnetic.

One of the larger shoals that I call FREEMASON SHOAL is located to the North East of the Island. The rough center of this oval shoal is at or about 29° 48.670´ N LAT ~ 088° 57.393´ W LONG. The charts show water immediately around this shoal as between 1 and two feet.

Get a current version of NOAA chart 11363 if you want to see the remnants of the Island, as the shown on the chart. USGS Topographical map titled Freemason Island will give you a decent rendition of how the island once looked. If you want to actually see the island, you better hurry as it is slowly disappearing.

Unless otherwise specified, all positions are stated as H,DDD,MM.mmm and were determined using WGS 84 DATUM. All Headings/bearings/courses are stated in statute miles and Magnetic Degrees.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ BORN2HUNT ~

Unfortunately to avoid sticker price shock, many manufacturers only provide a BASEMAP in their units. These maps allow the user to use the unit as is, but they do not offer a lot of detail on the displayed map. Base maps typically show only major bodies of water, major roads and cities. Small towns, many bayous, canals, lagoons, bays, and small lakes are not shown on the map.

Naturally, if you want to have your position shown on a competent map of the area where you are traveling, you will have to purchase an additional accessory mapping program.

Lowrance offers their INSIGHT and INSIGHT HD mapping programs for $99.00 and $149.99.

In addition, there are several Navionics mapping programs that will work in the unit.

Check out the Lowrance web site at http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/Mapping/ to get a better understanding of the available mapping for your unit.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ PaPaYakker ~ Emcgurk ~

I am not quite sure what program or device you are looking to purchase for your Lowrance Mark 4, other than getting an easy to understand instruction manual for it.

The Lowrance site that offers free owner’s manuals is at http://www.lowrance.com/Root/Lowrance-Documents/US/MARK-ELITE_SONAR-COMBO_OM_EN_988-10161-001_w.pdf

I suggest that you access the site and download and PRINT out the instructions. That way you can make notes, etc on the pages without damaging the original manual that came with the device.

If you were to contact me, I could give you some instructions via the telephone or if you are interested, I provide seminars on the “Why” and “How to” on GPS. I ask that those attending bring their GPS unit and batteries or a means to connect their unit to a 12 volt DC power supply. A spare cable with a 12 volt male cigarette lighter plug that connects to the unit will normally do, as I provide several 110 volt AC to 12VDC converters in the class room.

I normally give three to five such seminars per year at various businesses, meeting rooms or KC, VFW, American Legion halls in the metro area. These seminars are limited to about 25 attendees. However, because of health reasons, I have had to curtail these larger gatherings. I do however offer a limited attendance for one, two, or three attendees at a mutually agreed location.

If you are interested, I am in the Slidell, Louisiana area right off of I-10 by the Oak Harbor exit.

Captain Paul
Captainpaultgps@gmail.com
985-847-0536

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Fishpuncher ~

You are right. I have a copy of the Garmin US Waterways and Lights, and I would not part with it.

Although some of the older well heads man no longer be at the indicated location, there is usually debris around the sites. And, in some cases the site was “Cleared” by removing the structure to a certain depth below the water level. A substructure may be 30 or 50 feet below the water.

The bottom line is all of the sites are decent fishing locations. Use your Depth finder and scan the area around the indicated site for any type of structure. If you find any, fish it. That would include irregularities on the sea floor.

Log in the sites and transfer them to the internal waypoints in your unit and then back them up. You have a very valuable fishing tool.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Big Moroo~

Thanks for the kind words. It is my goal to try and assist our readers to understand and use their GPS equipment for their many fishing and hunting endeavors.

As for your question, the Garmin GPSMap 541 comes loaded with Garmin “Coastal Maps” and the GPSMAP 421 does NOT come with preloaded maps. Both units can accommodate the Garmin Blue Chart g2 and the Blue Chart g2 Vision via a memory card that is inserted in the Secure Digital (SD) card slot.
Many manufactures to avoid sticker shock on the total price only include a basemap in their units. This map at least gets their customers out and using their units. However the base map is what the name implies, a basic map. This basic map may cover the entire U.S. coastline. These base maps do not show the detail that their accessory maps have. Base maps do not usually show the many small bayous, rivers, lagoons, lakes and canals that make up the coastal Louisiana marches.

Ultimately their customers upgrade their mapping by purchasing one of the many outstanding maps that are available for the units. Garmin’s top map at this time is their Blue Chart g2 and their BlueChart g2 Vision. The g2 Vision includes corrected aerial images that can be viewed as a map in some of their units. I believe that both of the units you listed can use the BlueChart g2 and g2 Vision mapping offered by Garmin.

So, if one unit has only Coastal Maps and the other has a BlueChart g2 or g2 Vision program installed in the SD card slot, they obviously will not display the same map images on the two separate units, However with the both having the same g2 program, the images would be NEARLY the same.

I say nearly because the GPSMAP 541 has a 5.0 inch diagonal screen with 234x320 pixels and the GPSMAP 421 has a 4.0 inch diagonal screen with 240x320 pixels. That means that the smaller unit will have more pixels and would produce smoother images on its screen. Most users would not even notice the difference, but there is a difference.

So the bottom line is if they both have the same map program installed, they should display nearly an identical image of the maps.

The BlueChart g2 and g2 Vision are sold by regions. One g2 Vision Region covers from Mobile Bay to Lake Charles and lists for $321.42. You can check it out at the Garmin web site at https://my.garmin.com/mapCoverage/coverage.faces?line=BlueChart+G2+Vision+Cards&country=en_US

A standard g2 chart covers all of the US and lists for about $160.70 from the Garmin web site at https://my.garmin.com/mapCoverage/coverage.faces?country=en_US

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ RANDAL ~
Thanks for the Kudos, and thanks again for letting our readers know that one of the prime advertisers in the LOUISIANA SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE, SEA-TRAC repairs certain problems in GPS units.

SEA-TRAC is located at 114 Hickory Ave, New Orleans (Harahan) LA 70123, telephone 504-737-0591, 1-800-899-0591.

I strongly suggest that you consult them before trashing your unit as it may be repairable. At least give them a call to see if they could help.

Thanks again Randal, I am glad that the repair worked out for you. Now don’t forget to back up all of your data.

~ Captain Paul ~

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Mike the Tigre ~

Try the official site for all Louisiana Inshore artificial Reefs, The Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries,
Louisiana Artificial Reef Program,
Inshore Reefs

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_fishing/32430-Artificial%20Reef%20Program/ldwf_inshore_reefs.pdf

It should have all the coordinates that you need.

Captain Paul

By the time you read this response, you should have received your Captain Paul’s Fishing Edge of GPS Waypoints. It was sent to your email address listed at 10:42 Am. Records indicate that the order was placed on Thursday, March 14, 2013.

I am sure that you will enjoy using the Fishing waypoints for the Lake Calcasieu area.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ ADAM LATHROP ~

I checked my records and I do not have your order for a CAPTAIN PAUL’S FISHING EDGE OF GPS WAYPOINT program.

I will check with the LOUISIANA SPORTSMAN office Monday morning to see what the problem is.

The orders are not immediately processed. Normally they are processed within five working days as specified in the order infomation. Most times the orders are processed sooner, but sometimes such as those ordered on a Thursday evening or during the day Friday, may not get processed until the following Monday.

Either way, I will let you know as soon as I get the information.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Craig Perilloux ~

The CAPTAIN PAUL'S FISHING EDGE OF GPS WAYPOINTS Programs are sold exclusively on the LOUISIANA SPORTSMAN WEB SITE. The link is located in the OUTDOOR STORE under the WAYPOINTS link.

The Outdoor store click on is located in the banner at the top of the Home Page on the extreme right side.

From time to time on a random interval, the CAPTAIN PAUL’S FISHING EDGE link is between the various reports.

You can click on it there or on the aforementioned OUTDOOR STORE link.
You may also enter the following URL to bring up the site:
http://www.shopsportsmanstore.com/collections/captain-pauls-fishing-edge-waypoints

~Captain Paul ~

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Radman68 ~

The conversion they are speaking about is the Data meaning the waypoints, Tracks, and routes from one format to another. It DOES NOT convert the actual map images from one format to another.

Certainly the site you find will do this data conversion for you. I have used it on many occasions, but I prefer the GPS BABEL program. Babel has a free download and can be found at http://www.gpsbabel.org/

The Babel program can be installed in your computer so that you don’t have to have an internet connection to make it work. In addition, it can convert the data from most common GPS formats to a variety of different formats.

Remember that some of the Google Earth images are NOT ortho corrected images and as such they may not coincide with a properly corrected map. Note that there is NO datum indicated for the image.

Certainly, use the program and refine the position when actually on site with your GPS unit.

The Captain Paul’s Fishing Edge of GPS Waypoint, is data that is loaded into the internal memory of the GPS unit. That means that they appear as an overlay on what ever mapping system is in your unit.

As such they remain in the internal memory of your GPS unit until you specifically delete them.

Be sure to back up ALL of your waypoint files, BEFORE trying to convert them from one format to another.

Call me if needed and I will gladly offer my thoughts on the matter.
Captain Paul
985-847-0536

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Martys ~

Unfortunately there is no set standard for how the connections are designed for both the power and the transducers cables.

I believe that the Black and Red power lines would be the same, but the connectors to the unit would be different. So you could use the present power supply cable to power up the new unit by connecting the new cable to the existing power supply.

The transducer unit connections and requirements vary with different models made by the same manufacturer, so I would NOT take a chance of harming your unit by using an unauthorized connected transducer. Doing so would probably void the manufacturer’s warranty. Do not try to splice the new cable to the existing cable as the transducer cable should be a solid, unbroken cable from the unit to the transducer. To have it in two pieces joined together, can allow interference to enter the system and prohibit or destroy the signals.

If it were my rig, I would use the new cables for both the power and the transducer connections.

~ Captain Paul ~

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ DAVID JENKINS ~

I have 21 CAPTAIN PAUL’S FISHING EDGE OF GPS WAYPOINTS one of which is BARATARIA BAY. The Edge program for Barataria Bay contains over 130 waypoints. I also have companion Edge programs for Lafitte, to the north of Barataria Bay, Myrtle Grove to the north east, Port Sulphur to the east and Leeville East to the west of the bay.

They all work in a Lowrance HDS 7 Gen 2 system.

All are for sale at the LOUISIANA SPORTSMAN WEB site in the OUTDOOR STORE. Be sure to specify that the EDGE is for a Lowrance or Eagle unit.

Contact me if there is any additional information you may need.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Randal Girouard ~

Sorry Randal,
The only people that I know of that repair Garmin units are GARMIN. The same thing holds true to almost all other GPS manufactures.
The units are now made with sealed cases and use Garmin propriety parts that they don’t sell or distribute outside of the Garmin company.

If they can’t help you I don’t know of any one else who could.

You said that two of your friends had the same unit. This may be so, but sometimes there is a manufacturers update in the same model number without giving it a different number. It is possible that your unit is an older unit than your friends. So before sending it to the trash can, try this suggestion.

Get a spare data card that meets the requirements of your unit. Be sure to look in the owner’s manual and in the Specification page. Note the type of card that is REQUIRED by the manufacturer. I say this because many of the newer Secure Digital (SD) cards are now High Capacity and High Speed, and Extreme,( HC, HC, EXT) These newer technology type cards MAY not be able to be read by a older unit that reads older vintage technology cards. Find a standard SD card that your unit was initially designed to read. With the unit OFF place the new standard SD card not a HC SD, or HS-SD or Extreme SD card in the card slot of the unit and then turn the unit ON. This is necessary, as the unit MUST write coded info to the card so that the unit will later recognize it as a Garmin Card / unit.

Then, using the MENU feature in the unit, transfer any data, such as routes, tracks or waypoint data to the new card by giving it a unique name and writing it to the card. With the unit off, remove the card and place it in the card reader of your computer and see if you can read the data file that was transferred. Unless you have the Garmin Trip and Waypoint Manager, the Base Camp, or their MapSource 2005 topo installed on your computer you will not be able to actually read the information, but you should see a file with under 150KB on the card.

If this is successful, then it is not a default in the unit’s card reader, it is that the unit cannot read and write to more modern cards.
If the file name was NOT written to the new card, then the internal card reader of the GPS unit is defective.

If the file is on the older technology SD card, try to copy the Topo SD card data onto the older SD card and see if the unit will recognize the mapping.

If this all fails, then it is time to start shopping for a new unit. I suggest that you stay with the Garmin line as the TOPO Mapping software and other accessories may work with the newer unit.

~ Captain Paul ~

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ Bart One ~

The same instructions should work in the new HDS Gen 2 unit as in older LCX unit. If you have the MapCreate 6 or the GDM-6 data transfer program, either should work with transferring the data.

Transfer them from your unit to the memory card and then save the data to a file in your computer, then transfer (copy) the files to the memory card.

Evidently they don’t market the mapping software and the unit together as the sticker shock would stop many users.
The Navionics and the Lowrance INSIGHT are ortho corrected mapping programs that could set you back another $200- $300 and even higher. So be careful when ordering any of these programs as there is no return on software items.

Go to a stocking Lowrance dealer and ask to view the different mapping programs that are available for the unit. Find you fishing area and zoom in on a particular location. Compare one to another. This will give you the necessary knowledge to make an intelligent decision.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~ MOFISHING ~

Give me a call at 985-847-0536. I have something that may interest you.

Captain Paul

~ Captain Paul's response to: ~Jeremy ~

The two orders that you ordered were sent to an email address of allman. . . .@aol.com that appeared on the order form.

I have resent the orders to you again, at your above listed email address.

Please contact me if you have not received the two Captain Paul Paul’s Fishing orders.

~ Captain Paul ~
captainpaultgps@gmail.com

985-847-0536