Chris Zaldain often talks about “the cast;” that particular presentation to trigger structure-oriented fish into biting. Now, thanks to Humminbird’s new MEGA Live Imaging, he can not only make that laser-focused presentation, he can observe fish behavior and make the necessary adjustments.
Introduced shortly before the Classic, this new technology offers the clarity and detail of Humminbird’s MEGA Imaging in live action, thereby allowing anglers to see fish and structure in real time.
“In the past we had a good picture of structure with Humminbird 360 and we knew the cast to make within about a 6-foot radius,” Zaldain said. “Now, with MEGA Live Imaging and how direct that beam is, you can almost tell if a fish is swimming right or left, just by panning around.
“In conjunction with Hummingbird MEGA 360, you know the exact cast so its accuracy just went up several clicks. Now, we’re not waiting for a 360-degree rotation, we can pick out objects suspended in the water column and you know the depth and everything.”
Noting that he considers suspended fish the most difficult to target, Zaldain said he can see this new technology directly benefitting his Classic performance. Zaldain’s planning to spend most of his time flipping shallow flooded cover, but should his day take him to the offshore zone, MEGA Live Imaging will assist him in picking out specific targets amid standing timber.
“I’ll see followers that you normally only see on those clear California reservoirs where I grew up fishing,” Zaldain said. “Now, you can fish that big swimbait out of sight and you can see that fish following it live.
“I have a few options there; I can kill it, I can twitch it or I can speed it up and you see the fish’s response. Or, I can put the swimbait down and throw something else in there like a jerkbait or a tube. This new technology helps you make those decisions quicker. This piece completes the whole One Boat Network.