[Jason_B]

I can replace this quick reply with more of a step by step “how to” when I’m able to get my unit and computer in the same room and remind myself of the steps. I’ve been thinking of typing one up as a quick guide for myself but have never got around to it.

But the quick version is that I did some research on this a while back and found what works for my unit. I have the ECHOMAP HD 94sv. Apparently, Garmin has some units that like .gpx files and some that like .adm files. Basically, all of the online resources say use .gpx, but of course mine likes to read and write .adm. I use the desktop app from garmin called BaseCamp to convert .kml to .adm and .adm to .kml on my transfers. .gpx files are not involved in my process. Download it here: Download BaseCamp | Garmin. Worth a try in case your unit likes the same file types as mine.

Editing to add the step-by-step:

Exporting a Google Earth Folder to a Garmin ECHOMAP Using BaseCamp Step 1 – Prepare the Garmin SD Card

1. Insert a Garmin-compatible SD card into your computer.
2. Verify the SD card has previously been used in the Garmin chartplotter and is recognized by Garmin BaseCamp as an associated device.
3. Open Garmin BaseCamp and confirm the Garmin device appears under Devices in the Library pane.

Note: If BaseCamp does not recognize the SD card as a Garmin device, insert the card into the chartplotter first and allow the chartplotter to create the Garmin folder structure on the card. Then reinsert the SD card into the computer and restart BaseCamp if necessary.

<hr>

Step 2 – Export the Google Earth Folder as a KML File

1. Open Google Earth Pro.
2. In the Places pane, locate the folder containing the waypoints and routes you want to transfer.
3. Right-click the folder and select Save Place As…
4. Browse to the desired output location.
5. Enter a file name.
6. Verify Save as type is set to KML (*.kml).
7. Select Save.

Google Earth Pro creates a KML file containing all waypoints and routes stored within the selected folder.

<hr>

Step 3 – Import the KML File into Garmin BaseCamp and Send to the Garmin SD Card

1. Open Garmin BaseCamp.
2. Select File → Import into ‘My Collection’…
3. Browse to the location of the KML file created in Step 2.
4. Select the KML file.
5. Select Open.
6. In the Library pane, locate the newly imported KML list.
7. Right-click the newly imported KML list and select Send To…
8. In the Select Destination window:
   • Verify the Garmin SD card appears under Devices.
   • Select the Garmin device associated with the SD card.
   • Select OK.
9. In the Specify an ADM file dialog:
   • Select Create a new ADM file with name: to create a new ADM file, or
   • Select Choose an existing ADM file: to add the data to an existing ADM file.
10. Enter or verify the ADM file name.
11. Select OK.

BaseCamp writes the imported waypoints and routes to the ADM file on the Garmin SD card.

<hr>

Step 4 – Import the ADM File into the Garmin

1. Insert the SD card into the Garmin chartplotter.
2. Follow the on-screen prompts to import the user data from the SD card.
3. When prompted, select Upload User Data.
4. If desired, you may select Replace From Card to replace the existing user data on the chartplotter with the data contained in the ADM file.

Note: Before using Replace From Card, consider creating a backup of all existing user data on the chartplotter. This provides a recovery option in case the imported ADM file does not contain all expected waypoints, routes, or tracks.

The imported waypoints and routes will then be available on the Garmin chartplotter.

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by  Jason_B.

[Jason_B]

That graph image is bonkers. That’s shrimp?

[Jason_B]

It’s got flow lines and eddies like silt on a falling tide. Could just be a chalkier colored soil in those areas. Imagery dates rule out algae blooms. Odd looking for sure. Coordinates suggest you’re over near cocodrie – maybe someone knows that area well enough to say.

[Jason_B]

What time did you see the birds? My south shore shrimper contact is pushing off the dock right now. I also have a telescope out of one of those tall building off the causeway if I need to corroborate anything… I had eyes on that blue hulled shrimp boat you saw 2 miles off the south shore going west to east.

[Jason_B]

“yacht club beach and flat south heading south”

The ol’ afterschool special – a gulfport classic. Used to pair that with the catwalk that used to behind the old grand casino before they expanded the port.

[Jason_B]

I usually don’t respond even when I could be helpful knowing you’ll give a better answer within 24 hours. Will change that approach though. I enjoy reading whenever I get a break but now know to be quicker to reply. Will try not to insert crazy theories that come to me in the night though.

I’m sure others have had the ‘waiting on Devin’ mentality to validate what they thought the answer should be. Might be a new dynamic you have to manage

Good luck on the boat.

[Jason_B]

Re: Venice

Pretty much all my time on the water is geared towards getting my son on fish. So, every trip is either with him or scouting for our next trip together. If I run to venice solo and have a good time, then good for me. But that puts me behind the 8-ball for the following weekend when I try to get him on a few out of Delacroix. I’ve caught my fish and shot my things… it’s his turn now. He’s not quite suited to be away from home that long, drive too much, or boat too much in a row. But if I mix up truck time and boat time I can string together a run from Delacroix to PLH (the drive to Beshel’s last year was too much).

How does PLH sit for the “river fishing” this fall? I’ve got a .kml cooking already. And I already know where I am going to be told to go instead when I post it.

[Jason_B]

I think garmin rebranded it from navionics to “active captain”.

https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/Map

• This reply was modified 2 months, 1 week ago by  Jason_B.

[Jason_B]

Nice. I’m jealous of how you spend your free time vs how I’ve been spending mine. As I find myself becoming a geek with a trolling motor and a graph some of yall have been inspiring me to get back into wade fishing which is where this whole spotted sea trout thing began for me.

[Jason_B]

No problem. It was something I had been meaning to get on paper anyways so I can pin it to the wall in my office. On the topic of AI, all I really did was let Claude watch me do it one time then asked it to write a user manual style how-to of what I did. The only thing I didn’t recreate was the how to format the card or setup a new device in BaseCamp. Those are more first-time use things that I forgot how to do, but I think the help menu in the BaseCamp app can get you there. Also, this may not work for your Garmin at all, lol. Seems like they develop a new system every so often – which was part of my struggle in finding a procedure that works for my unit and not the bajillion other garmin models out there that each want to be fed data differently.

[Jason_B]

“Also, I recommend using ChatGPT in voice mode (or text if that works). Just talk to it like a normal human being.”

I built an agent with a base knowledge of my boat, motor, all equipment on it, and all user manuals for all of it. It’s been a game changer. I can even FaceTime it with my phone to do things like hunt down the right fuse, read a multimeter with me or find the right graph menu prompts to change a setting.

Edit: I plan to use it to watch me transfer a .kml to my garmin to write a set of instructions for Barnabas when I get a minute.

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by  Jason_B.

[Jason_B]

“Ranger Intracoastal”

Saw one of those on consignment recently. Such a perfect machine.

I don’t have the budget for the adult diapers I would need to run 72 though.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 1 week ago by  Jason_B.

[Jason_B]

We have more availability to fish than we will have attention span (bringing the youngest). I remember one of the fall modules specifically referencing tide that had “been falling for a while” and considered a later in the day trip but figured things might kick up sooner with the big range. Also, the storms have been tending to kick up around noon so at least wanted to be pointed back to the launch around then. My first iteration of this .kml had me returning on the twin pipeline canal to go hit 1 & 2 again to see the difference between a tide that had just started falling vs. one that had been falling for a while. You may have just talked me into reverting back to that file for the sake of science but would likely lead me to skip some time at those spots past 10.

Roger on checking for contours and moving on if they aren’t there. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve picked a “scoop” on navionics only to find a pancake bottom.

Thanks for bringing up white trout, I needed that nudge because I get so darned focused on the target species. But having that idea in my head could save the day if the bite is slow. Kids don’t care about the speckle pattern as much as we adults do.

[Jason_B]

Those tide plots are a bit of an eye trick because there is no scale, water elevations labeled for high/low or tide range displayed. So, the amount of water moving is not clear. But one big hint is that when you have 2 highs, 2 lows, or 2 of both within a 24 hour period we are looking at a neap tide forecast. Which means it’s barely moving. Gravitational forces from the sun and moon are cancelling each other out. About a week later those forces will work together and produce a big tide range. You’ll get to that in 101. Until then check out the monthly plots from noaa: Tide Predictions – NOAA Tides & Currents. When you look at a whole month on the same scale it helps you visualize how the tide range cycles.

[Jason_B]

If you have a yeti, ritc or something similar these are nice and cheap: https://www.amazon.com/Omoojee-Fishing-Mounted-Compatible-Accessory/dp/B0FST7ZR63

I like to have more vertical rod holders than rods as I’m usually fishing with kids that don’t care about stepping on thing laying horizontal. Nice to have a holster within arms reach anywhere on the boat.

As to your dude with the rod, that’s some deer camp type stuff.