First Time Using Fish Finder On Kayak

[hoosierbass07]

  Man, I don't know about this fish finder thing.  lol.  I hooked up my Garmin Echo 200 (black and white) to my Ride 115 today and paddled around a strip pit.  It was fun looking at it and looking a the depth.  I turned on the function that shows fish symbols when it sees fish and it showed me some fish on the screen, but I'm not sure there were actually fish down there.  I didn't have any rods with me, I was only there to try out my fish finder and make sure it worked and the batteries wouldn't catch on fire and sink my kayak.  lol.  

 

 Can anybody give me some basic advice on reading these things?  I tried looking for that upside down V symbol but didn't really see any, at least I don't think I did.  

 

 Thanks!

[buzzed bait]

first, maybe the mods will move this to the electronics section where you will maybe bump into Wayne P who is a fish finder guru. 

aside from that, my only advice with that model is turn the fish ID mode off... that thing is useless.  start learning how to see the fish from the arcs on the screen and it will be far more useful than the fish ID mode. 

 

only other thing is to ask how/where you have the transducer mounted?

[Wayne P.]

Go to the Lowrnace web site and select the Sonar Tutorial. That will explain how sonar works and how fish arches are created.

 

FishID works very well with Humminbird units, not so much with other brands.

[hoosierbass07]

  Here's a video I made with me using my fish finder for the first time.  You can see how I have it mounted.  

 

 https://youtu.be/Ui8ZluDpymc

[hoosierbass07]

   What are those vines/vertical things that hang down from the top of the screen and goes down?  I've seen then on fishing TV shows and I saw them on my screen.  Is that sediment or little fish?  I did not see any fish with my eyes swimming around.  

[tater555]

I know exactly what you mean hoosierbass, I just got my first unit. (lowrance elite 4x) I know how to interpret what is on the screen as far as structure, fish, trees, etc. But the problem I have is trying to figure out exactly where this stuff is. I know the right side of the screen shows what is right up under the transducer, but how can you tell how far behind the boat something is that's in the middle or left side of the screen?

[Comfortably Numb]

Make sure the transducer is low enough in the water (in the water at ALL times). It cant come out when you lean or it will leave a verticle line. Maybe that is what you are seeing?

[Darren.]

Yeah...I'm still working on the Garmin unit

I've got on my yak. Don't take it with me 

much anymore but still want to learn to read

the unit better.

 

Use it more for contour. And during the fall

when the shad were running under my yak 

I was able to understand a bit more of what

I was physically seeing with what the finder

was seeing.

 

Interesting stuff.

[hoosierbass07]

Make sure the transducer is low enough in the water (in the water at ALL times). It cant come out when you lean or it will leave a verticle line. Maybe that is what you are seeing?

 

 That's interesting.  Next time I go out I will try to lean some and see if it happens.  

 

 

 OK, now I'm looking at my whole video again and maybe you are right.  Next time go out I'll make sure I put that transducer a little deeper in the water.  

[EdRitchie]

Should the transducer be deeper than whats in hoosierbass07 video? Or just to the bottom of the kayak

Ed

[Wayne P.]

Should the transducer be deeper than whats in hoosierbass07 video? Or just to the bottom of the kayak

Ed

 

It is quite basic. The transducer has to be submerged to work.  

[Mr. Hunter_90]

Never used fish finder i like fishing without electronic

[flyfisher]

Or depending on the unit, you can mount it thru hull....that is how i do mine with plumbers putty and it works great with no discernible differences from when i had it on a transducer arm and way less to do when getting ready or launching the yak.

[DogBone_384]

I know exactly what you mean hoosierbass, I just got my first unit. (lowrance elite 4x) I know how to interpret what is on the screen as far as structure, fish, trees, etc. But the problem I have is trying to figure out exactly where this stuff is. I know the right side of the screen shows what is right up under the transducer, but how can you tell how far behind the boat something is that's in the middle or left side of the screen?

 

X2  I've had a tough time figuring out if I should back up or paddle slowly then turn around to hit my targets from the kayak.  I figure my casts are 30 - 50', plus or minus.  I'm sure that'll improve my catch ratio.

 

Good luck figuring it out.