Tips for using SONAR "Fish Finders"

bassadict69 · February 03, 2006, 03:55:23 PM

Quote from: Ouachita on February 03, 2006, 01:44:16 PM

I recommend a SanDisc card, 128 MB, no more than 512 MB. Before buying the reader consider getting MapCreate with the LEI card reader. If you have a Fishing HotSpot Elite map card for your area you can read your high detail map with lake contours into MapCreate, make a custom map over it, then save the custom part back to that or another MMC or SD card. The map detail follows the Elite or Navionics card. You can upload your custom route and waypoint files made in MapCreate into the head unit. Then when you insert the Elite map in the unit your custom data displays over the detailed lake map held on the card.

I really enjoy talking this stuff, so there's a lot more to come. We've barely scratched the surface. I'm glad someone is enjoying it.

Jim

I bought a Sandisk 128mb Sd card at lunch. I can't afford the MapCreate package right now so a cheap reader will have to do me for now.

I plan to use it this weekend with the Lowrance Sonar Viewer software.

Ouachita · February 03, 2006, 05:21:18 PM

Try the Emulator program too, 2 items up from the Sonar Log Viewer link. It's there for anyone wanting to see the unit work as though out on the lake, for practice or just shopping for a GPS sounder. You have full control of what it does, how to display it, settings. You can mess with it and see what all kind of setting combinations work best. I keep it running for a reference while helping folks online with their 332c, and keep a set of other emulators in case some other unit question comes up.

When you log a sonar session you are given a chance to make it shorter but higher resolution, or most all day at low resolution. Taking the long hours option gives poor results. Taking the shortest gives the best view. The time periods are calculated on the basis of available card memory, so the larger the memory the more hours you can log at high res. If you see something interesting click on it and write the coordinates down. You can put those in the unit then go revisit the spot.

Jim

Ouachita · February 04, 2006, 10:03:06 PM

Be sure to set your local time on the clock then go to the Sun/Moon rise & set calculator. Put in your location . Then it will display sunset/sunrise and moon data for that spot to the minute. That's in the GPS section.

Jim

Mike Cork · February 11, 2006, 06:43:51 PM

Quote from: Ouachita on December 03, 2005, 12:26:07 PM
I'd like for everyone interested to first do a little reading so we can get the basics covered, then we can get into particulars not covered in the following article I think is one of the best introductions out there. It's a downloadable document that has tested virus free.

http://webpages.charter.net/abshire5078/Chart%20tutorial.doc

Jim

This is an excellent read, really gives you a better understanding that you are actually looking at a three D world threw a flat screen. I highly recommend even someone that works well with sonar take a few minutes and read this

J10B · February 15, 2006, 10:51:49 AM

SO is the middle of the sonar whats directly under the transducer and the right is the right of the screen and left the left?

How do you figure the range of a sonar? I have a 320C eagle on the trolling motor. I'd like to find out what is the distance from the left to the right of the screen. I know on the side imaging its upwards of 300 feet. Thanks

Ouachita · February 15, 2006, 11:57:57 AM

The middle of your display screen is history. What pops onto the screen on the extreme right side is fresh, directly under the tducer. Your speed determines how current the image is. If you are sitting still whatever is on screen is fairly current, updated at the right edge. Your sonar is "lighting up" a spot on bottom about the diameter of 1/3 the depth. IOW, if bottom is at 30 feet, your sonar is looking at a spot 10 feet wide.

Now think about this. You shine a powerful flashlight on a distant wall. The light forms a light cone, 2" wide at the flashlight, 20 feet wide on the wall. Bugs fly into the light cone. Some are in the center axis of the cone, lit up brightly. Some are in the fringe area, barely lit up. Sonar sound works the same way. What shows up on screen isn't necessarily what is directly beneath the tducer.

Jim

bassindude · February 15, 2006, 03:01:14 PM

This is awesome stuff Ouachita. I just printed out the origional info in the link to read tonight. Will this help even though I have a cheap Hummingbird unit? I have a wide side tducer as well as the standard and I flip back and forth, but I've never been sure whats what.

Ouachita · February 15, 2006, 03:31:48 PM

That tutorial has the basics for sonar in general, though uses color and high resolution for examples. It all applies to your Humminbird images. I got to thinking about a way to study screen shots here. We could use Microsoft Photo Paint and add labels, numbering them, then discuss individual objects by number. I just don't like having to take the time messing with posting pictures.....

If I had my camera back I might have more incentive. Anyway, ya'll post and we'll have something to study.

Jim

J10B · February 15, 2006, 11:37:29 PM

so how will i be able to define what is the structure? Also i have never seen my lure let alone fish streaks... looks likes it time to take it off auto

Ouachita · February 16, 2006, 01:36:21 AM

Experiment over clear water if you can find it. See a stump down there then observe how it looks on the display. Observe vegetation, rocks, etc. doing the same. Turn off the Fish ID to see your lure fall under a tducer and you'll also be able to sort fish from debris better if you have good enough screen resolution, at least 320 pixels, preferably 480 or more. Use the Zoom to look closer at structure.

Jim

J10B · February 17, 2006, 06:57:09 AM

I have a 320c eagle in the front so that should be good? I can almost never see arches on the sonar... i'll see one, then if i put it on Fish ID I can see fish. The transducer is trolling mounted. Do i have may sensitivity to low? Its currently in auto. Im going to up it a lot.

Ouachita · February 17, 2006, 04:52:26 PM

The screen resolution is moderate, not good enough to display a true fish arch for every fish it detects. But even high resolution displays will let us down some. Classic arches are really tough to get compared to little slices and partial upside-down check marks. I watch for what appears to be fingernail clippings and angled lines. If you get lines looking like spaghetti in a bowl you could have a school actively chasing shad under the boat.

Run the sensitivity up as high as you can while not so high as to get excess clutter. Too high and you'll see every piece of debris floating down there. Too low and you'll only see bottom and heavy structure. Slow way down to trolling speed to see arches better. TURN OFF FISH ID. I have yet to find value in that feature. If I believed it I'd be convinced there are several hundred fish under the boat at any given moment. The only time I use it is at night when hunting fish to take advantage of the fish alarm, but I run the sensitivity way down. That way when fish enter the cone I'm alerted. Once I locate fish the sonar gets turned off.

I do know some guys who are very noisy boaters, and they never see fish on their sonar.

Jim

Mike Cork · August 04, 2009, 07:55:57 PM

We have had several folks ask about sonar lately and I thought we could dig this thread back up. Does anyone have some Frey inputs?

blake711 · August 05, 2009, 08:47:57 PM

Man I miss Ouachita he had some great posts.

Mike Cork · August 05, 2009, 08:56:18 PM

He definately knows sonar!!