Advanced Waypoint Management Part 1

Session 5
Advanced Waypoint Management Part 1

Waypoints are the most important functions of a GPS (Global Positioning System), changing navigation methods immensely. Before waypoints I kept a notebook of shore markings to establish my position on structure. Frequently fished spots were easy to remember but personal memory is not the best navigational tool for multiple fishing spots. Shore markings for navigation can place you as close as 10 foot from your spot if they are ideal and there is no fog!

Waypoints are saved positions in a GPS allowing you to return to that position with any GPS, which means no more wet notebooks, forgotten landmarks, or a favorite tree going down in a storm. I have found many uses of waypoints besides getting back to my fishing hole, morel mushroom patch, or the boat launch.
I mark points, humps, and hazards on LakeMaster software maps and transfer the waypoints to my Lowrance GPS to see how they relate to structure. My other mapping software is Fugawi and I can perform the same functions with it. LakeMaster and Fugawi can also import my Lowrance waypoints for viewing on their maps. It is amazing to see how your waypoints relate to structure. This ability to transfer data from LakeMaster and Fugawi has helped me many times as I prepare for my Professional Walleye Trail tournaments. I can import them into my Lowrance GPS and view them on the plotter screen to have a clearer understanding of what I am fishing. LakeMaster and Fugawi also transfer waypoints to other GPS manufacturers. I can transfer as many waypoints as I chose since my GPS can display 1000 waypoints.

Examples 1-3 will help you visualize these concepts: example 1 is LakeMaster with my waypoints added; example 2 is Fugawi aerial photo with the same waypoints; and example 3 is what they look like on my GPS.

Hazardous areas can be saved as waypoints and loaded to your GPS. I travel to new lakes every year participating in the Professional Walleye Trail, so I use every tool available for safe navigation. Lower unit and stainless steel prop repair would cut into my minnow money fund.

To safeguard the fishermen and women who have their GPS full of valuable waypoints, we need to back them up with a foolproof system. Writing down each waypoint is too time consuming. I recommend learning how to save them to your computer. You will breathe easier knowing that if your GPS is lost or damaged you can put your waypoints into a new GPS.

Many GPS models can connect to your computer with a serial or USB connector. My Lowrance uses a USB card reader to transfer waypoints. At first the steps appear difficult but the path becomes easy the more you use it. Review your owners’s manual or call customer service if your GPS isn’t a Lowrance.

A stepwise instruction for saving/transferring your waypoints follows.

1. Place a blank MMC/SD card in your Lowrance GPS.
2. Press the menu button twice and select system setup.
3. Select transfer my data and you will see example 4.
4. Press enter and example 5 appears.
5. Next use the down arrow to select save data. Press enter and the file is saved as data.usr.

I usually select File Name and rename them so they are easy to organize. Now you have your first waypoint backup as your waypoints are now in two places (your GPS and the card). Your card makes a great backup if you don’t have a computer. In this situation I would recommend you purchase another card so you have one card designated specifically for waypoint backup.

You can attach the USB card reader to your computer, insert this card, and transfer the waypoints to your computer for a third copy. Amazing, three separate copies of your waypoints in 10 minutes! Teach your friends and the repetition will make it easier for you to remember.

In my next session you will learn how to manage the waypoint file on your computer, edit the waypoints in Lowrance’s MapCreate program, and other useful tools.

If you want to learn more about your Lowrance go to www.hightechfishing.com for information on Lowrance Instructional DVDs and Lowrance Schools.

For technical support with the mapping technology call or check out their websites companies.

Lowrance Electronics www.lowrance.com 800-324-1356

Fugawi www.greatplainsmapping.com

LakeMaster www.lakemaps.com 800-540-5747

Maps for Fugawi Warren Parsons Maps 651-982-1401