Fish Finder Training – Screenshots & Interpretations

[Guest]

Im getting the Bird 899 SI combo this year,

This will be my first experience with a SI unit. Cant wait to try it out.

[PigSooner]

So I went out and made some recordings yesterday... still playing, and learning...

Because I don’t have a SI unit, I was told that I can mount the Transducer as shoot through hull (manual even states this), but when I look at things like standing timber I don’t see the clear "trees" like I see in other's screenshots (last Image) Would mounting outside hull really improve clarity that much, or am I asking expecting too much from this unit (788ci HD DI)

I found plenty of fish, they didn’t mind getting their picture taken, but they didn’t cooperate in visiting the boat. (middle pic)

And lastly ran into some very large groups of shad, even confirmed it by snagging a couple with a jigging spoon! (first pic)

I've got some thoughts on what I was seeing, but always appreciate comments or interpretations.

[Feathers and Fins]

Bottom looks like tree's probably cedar by the returns

Top is shad

Middle picture is cloudy but probably shad as well maybe small bass but hard to tell.

[PigSooner]

Middle picture is cloudy but probably shad as well maybe small bass but hard to tell.

That is interesting, I was thinking of shad as bait balls / clouds. I guess bigger shad (gizzard) may show up as individual fish... good to know, thanks!

[J-Doc]

I'd say yes. Outside could offer clarity. Won't k ow till you try. And...only do it if it's important to you. If you're like me and really want clear images and rely on sonar a lot, I'd move it and see. Otherwise be happy with it. You can see what's going on.

[Haris122]

Hope this is one of the proper threads to ask for help, but I bought a Humminbird Piranhamax 143 about a year back, and only recently installed it on my kayak. I've taken it on 4 prior trips where I was pretty happy with the way it worked. It doesn't chart anything more shallow than 3 feet but that was stated in the manual and even though I'd prefer it to be able to plot even shallower I can live with that. However, this latest trip that I took my kayak with fish finder on a lake, it started out plotting like usual maybe the first minute or two, and then afterwards the bottom structure portion went blank like it was in water less than 3 feet with the screen still on, even though checking depth with the paddle, showed the kayak was clearly deep enough that the fish finder should've been able to plot depth. I normally put it on the black bottom setting seeing how at this early point I feel that helps me understand the information best. Anyways anyone know what might be the cause of the depth finder segment of it not reading accurately? Does low battery charge first have an effect on the transducer's depth readings and then the actual display screen, or what else might explain this?

[J-Doc]

This is for interpretation of screenshots and understanding what you're seeing on the graph.

Your issue sounds like something you call the manufacturer about and have them help troubleshoot it. Could be several things. I had a transducer go bad and it created issues like that. A pinched wire inside the black wrapped wire can create havoc. Could he the unit itself but I doubt it. If you know someone with a similar unit, connect to their transducer and see.

Hope that helps for what it's worth. These can be hard issues to trace. Sometimes, cleaning the transducer helps, a restart of the unit, etc.

[edm812]

Great information! Always wanting to learn more. Thanks.

I was surfing fishing sites about a week ago and ran across a gentlemen that was explaining of the aspects of using electronics in fishfinders. He broke it down into 9 segments. He also advertised his CD/DVD sets that explained using electronics more thoroughly.

I failed to save the website that I found it in. Can anyone direct to that site?

Thanks in advance.

[J-Doc]

My guess would be the Dr Sonar DVDs. I've got two of them and they are pretty good. Doc is a good fella and always replies to my comments or questions on Facebook. His DVDs are helpful.

[WeekendWarrior]

Would this image be just a bunch of shad throughout water column that are not grouped up? This was at LOZ in a cove I was fishing and screen was lit up like this in most of cove.