First Fish Finder

[GAangler23]

Hey I just recently purchased my first fish finder. It's nothing special Its just a single beam Hummingbird 110. My question is Is it possible to locate schools of bait fish on my fish finder? It's not a color screen, pretty much all I can make out is where the bottom is and geography changes on the bottom.

[Wayne P.]

Yes it is if you pass over them and watch the display. 

All sonar units function the same no matter if they have a color display or gray scale display.

The sonar records sonar echos, fish produce echos, the bottom produces echos, trees produce echos, etc.

[GAangler23]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind. I was beginning to wonder I've been around my local reservoir numerous times, and I seldom see anything on than the bottom. I was thinking I had the settings wrong or something like that.

[basshole8190]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind. I was beginning to wonder I've been around my local reservoir numerous times, and I seldom see anything on than the bottom. I was thinking I had the settings wrong or something like that.

what resovoir are you fishing? If its a smaller lake (less than 35 acres) you may not have shad or other schooling forage. probably mostly minnows and bream are what bass are eating. the minnows tend to form small schools but rarely leave grass or other cover which protects them. bream school but tend to form loose school which will be small arches distributed across your screen. schooling bait like shad or herring will appear as a dark cloud over the bottom.

[GAangler23]

it's called the B.T. Brown Reaervoir and it's 300+ acre. Iim not 100 percent sure what they are eating but I've never seen anything on my fish finder but the occasional fish and the bottom. I didn't know that though i'll keep that in mind

[WIGuide]

You might also want to go into your options and turn you sensitivity up if it's not up already. It could be too low to pick that up. Also, because it's a single beam transducer, you'll have to be directly over the school because the beam is fairly narrow. 

[GAangler23]

Yeah I just figured that out about the sensitivity it was on 5 you think that would be enough but I turned it up anyway we will see what happens next time I get out there

Thanks

[Wayne P.]

The amout of bottom coverage with that unit is about 1/2 the depth

[GAangler23]

The amout of bottom coverage with that unit is about 1/2 the depth

Huh? Lol

[Wayne P.]

Evidently you don't understand sonar, or how it works.

 

The sonar pulse (sound) that emits from the bottom of the "pole" is somewhat shaped like an inverted cone.

The deeper the water is, the more bottom is covered.

With your unit, if you are in 20' of water, the sonar coverge is about a 10' circle.

If you are in 5' if water the bottom coverage is about a  2 1/2'.circle.