Fishfinder

[deltakid]

Wow thanks J-Doc that's a great thread..looks like I'm off to Cabellas $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

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54 minutes ago, deltakid said:

Wow thanks J-Doc that's a great thread..looks like I'm off to Cabellas $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Take your phone with you, when you find the one you like check Amazon first never hurts to save $50-$100 for gas later, I even showed a manager at Academy where a reel I wanted was $20 off on their web site one time and she gave me the reel for the online price. When I got my Helix for the front of my boat Wal-mart.com had the best price. 

After you find the unit you are looking for, or two then you can get into where you want the transducer mounted. You can't shoot thru the hull of a tin boat so that takes one location out.

 

[J-Doc]

Actually you can. They make one called the alumaducer.  I've also been told with a good installation, the thru hull works with standard transducer. I have both of mine on a plastic mounting plate on the transom to allow for adjustments. 

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25 minutes ago, J-Doc said:

Actually you can. They make one called the alumaducer.  I've also been told with a good installation, the thru hull works with standard transducer. I have both of mine on a plastic mounting plate on the transom to allow for adjustments. 

Are they both on the back? Now I am confused, you didn't put one on the trolling motor? I thought everyone put the front transducer on the trolling motor? That is how I watch my spoons and drop shots......granted I don't have a 42in HD screen like you do....on the boat anyway.....but I can spoon off to the left and not see the spoon in 30 feet of water, move to the right of the trolling motor and pick up the spoon, how does that work if the transducer is on the back?

[1969Larson]

This brings up a good question... Transducer on the back, spooning off the back... Same spoon, same sonar settings, same water conditions....

Why do I sometimes see the spoon and sometimes not?

[J-Doc]

No no.....

Sonar on back. Side scan (LSS2) transducer on baking also. It's longer than the standard sonar transducer. Both are within 12"of each other so you can overlay structure scan on top of sonar images.  Which I don't. No benefit to me. 

I have a built in transducer on the both trolling motors. I have a Terrova (which I don't like) and a Fortrex (in process of putting back on. I'll probably get universal quick release brackets so I can swap when needed

 Terrova for live bait fishing, Fortrex from everything else. 

 

Now.....spoons. 

The deeper you are, the easier it is to see the spoon due to a larger cone shape for transducer signals. 

 

Remember.....sonar sends signals in the shape of a cone. Deeper you are, the cone diameter increases and shallower you are, the smaller the cone. 

Same settings (auto) or maximum sensitivity depending on your unit) for spoons.  Just run auto settings when possible. 

[1969Larson]

Ok. Deeper water and larger cone makes sense, but what about the same depth?  Without giving away a spot... Let's just say I was fishing in Avoca cove at the last boat dock on the starboard side... You know, where the stripers hang out when the very back of the cove is loaded with shad?  27 f.o.w. I see some fish and I'm jiging a spoon in what looks like a nice sine wave on the  Lowrance.  Pretty much vertical.  Then it's gone.  Then it's back.  Doesn't seem like anything changes. Any thoughts?  Am I the only one that this happens to?

[deltakid]

So after reading everything I went with the helix 5 it seemed to be the best value,I'm going to install it in the morning provided it's not too dang cold.Thanks so much for all the input it was a great help!!!

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Just now, deltakid said:

So after reading everything I went with the helix 5 it seemed to be the best value,I'm going to install it in the morning provided it's not too dang cold.Thanks so much for all the input it was a great help!!!

Yes !!! Another Hummingbird fan !!!

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3 minutes ago, 1969Larson said:

Ok. Deeper water and larger cone makes sense, but what about the same depth?  Without giving away a spot... Let's just say I was fishing in Avoca cove at the last boat dock on the starboard side... You know, where the stripers hang out when the very back of the cove is loaded with shad?  27 f.o.w. I see some fish and I'm jiging a spoon in what looks like a nice sine wave on the  Lowrance.  Pretty much vertical.  Then it's gone.  Then it's back.  Doesn't seem like anything changes. Any thoughts?  Am I the only one that this happens to?

If you zoom in, like 35 feet of water you set the unit for 35 to 25 feet and are watching only 10 feet on the entire screen it should not do that,( if your spoon is where you think it is) doesn't work well if you are drifting through. I do that when setting on tree tops say at 60 feet otherwise I don't see the spoon on my little 5 inch screen.

If the boat is moving even a 1 oz spoon will drift and be out of the cone.