Can you guys help me identify what I'm looking at?

[JDH85]

Link to album with screen shots

Can you guys take a look at these and tell me what you think? The first one is of my GPS/Map not showing me accurate info...the rest are side scan images. It's a Lowrance HDS 8 gen 1.

Thanks,

Jason

[gulfcaptain]

Looks like an underwater point with a hard bottom, I'd say gravel but based on your location it could be mussels of some sort.  As for your gps, had you just come off plane and slowed down or were you already traveling that slow?  I'm assuming you're wondering about the depth reading.

[JDH85]

I was already going that slow. That really bothers me because what if I was on plane thinking I'm in deep water but all of the sudden I'm in a foot and a half. 

So the structure (I'm guessing) is rock/gravel. At least that was what was up on the shoreline. And all that commotion in the water column...is that bait or what?

[gulfcaptain]

How it's reading you may be getting some cavitation around your transducer causing you to get that false reading.  Check and see if it's in a spot where that may be occuring.

[JDH85]

I'm almost certain it's not cavitation. I idled for a mile with nothing like this going on, just bare water column and little changes in bottom. Then at this point there was stuff everywhere!

[gulfcaptain]

What's the color picture(standard up/down) look like?  I'd like to see the 200k pic and could better tell you.

[JDH85]

You mean the regular sonar? Unfortunately, I wasn't running that screen at the time, just StructureScan. Next time, I'll make another pass with both going if that will help. 

[gulfcaptain]

yes, your regular color up and down.  May see how that picks up and what it looks like.  Was the water really muddy? That can sometimes cause false readings if the gain is too high.

[JDH85]

The water was pretty muddy today. I had the sensitiviy at like -11% though to eliminate the constant interference. I don't know man, It seems too weird to me that I would only see this in one spot? I wasn't doing anything differently than I was for the rest of the mile that I idled before it. And the stain in the water was the same everwhere...if anything it was slightly less dirty in this particular spot as it is closer to the main channel.

[gulfcaptain]

Well if it's a shallow point off of a river with current hitting it, then it could be silt coming off the point.  Without really looking at where you were in real time it's tough to see.  Another question, how many units are you running?  Do you have 2 transducers running two units?  

[JDH85]

One transducer, two units networked.

[gulfcaptain]

PM Wayne P and see what he thinks, he's pretty good with the electronics.  Look around at some of his posts and replies, he may be able to give you some other insight I'm missing or overlooked.

[JDH85]

It's in the middle 1/3rd of the biggest creek. Not much silt on this lake (Old Hickory Lake) but IDK. It seems like whatever it is, you are pretty certain it's not bait. If that's right, can you tell me why you don't think it's baitfish?

[gulfcaptain]

That's why I'd like to see the up and down color meter screen.  It might be bait, but I can't say that for sure without seeing a up and down pic.

[JDH85]

Thanks for your insight! I'll PM WayneP and see what he says. And next time, I'll get the regular color sonar shots too.

[gulfcaptain]

If you have two units together, run one on side scan/down scan and the other on GPS and regular up/down.  Then you have all the info you need on both screens (if they are both in the cockpit.)

[JDH85]

Right now, I just have the HDS 8 at the cockpit and an HDS 5 at the bow. But your advice is making me think real hard about adding a 2nd HDS 8 at the helm 

[gulfcaptain]

you can find an HDS 7 since you have the older units.  I have a HDS 5 and a 7 in my cockpit.  Use the 5 for GPS and the 7 for up and down right now, just haven't gotten the upgrade sonar box to add DSI/SSI to them.  Then I'l add another 7" HDS to the bow to go with the 7" Elite Chrip I have up there.  When I have the money to do so though, just not right now.

[Bass newb]

I'm no expert but I'd bet money some of that is bait. Too much "coherent" pattern movement and all too different to be completely particulate in the current.

[JDH85]

7 hours ago, Bass newb said:

I'm no expert but I'd bet money some of that is bait. Too much "coherent" pattern movement and all too different to be completely particulate in the current.

I think you're right. After sharing the same album with some guys on the local forum, they confirmed they were finding schools of bait very similar all over the area.