Humminbird Helix 7 DI/SI

[Djamesbond3]

Hey guys. I just got a new Humminbird Helix 7 for Christmas with Side Imaging and was wondering if anyone had tips on how to determine what is fish and what isn’t. I’ve done a little offshore fishing for bass with some success but I had a lot of times where I was just guessing where fish would be. Our old unit had arches pop up everywhere but I don’t feel that they were all really fish. I was just wondering if y’all had screenshots or tips for interpreting fish.

[A-Jay]

Check out Doug's YT channel - he's got it covered and then some.

https://www.youtube.com/user/imonbass/search?query=helix+7

 

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

X2 on Doug's channel.

[Yumeya]

Upgrade the transducer?

[Further North]

X3 on Doug's channel.

 

...but basically, any strong return that does not have a shadow that connects directly to the bottom is something that is suspended in the water column.

 

In this picture

 

 

You can clearly see two strong white shapes just outside the weed line with shadows that are not connected to them.  Those are fish, likely musky or big pike.  If you look just below and a tiny bit to the left of the bottom fish, you will see a white dot, and roughly the same distance to the right as the other shadows, you will see a black dot.  That's another fish, species unknown.

 

Now take a look at the weed line...about half way between the large and medium fish (we called 'em papa fish and mama fish) there are two parallel lines that run directly to a sort of point on the weed line...those are shadows of something that starts on the bottom of the lake and goes up into the water column.

 

EDIT: The GPS Coordinates have been messed with, don't bother trying to find the spot.

[RenegadeBassin]

In the meantime you can use your DI/SI to find structure that could potentially hold fish and then switch over to sonar which is easier to see fish on when you are first learning like I am, then the more you use them you the more you will be able to read them like @Further North can. 

 

Edit: Also if you can split the screen on the helix 7 you could put sonar and DI side by side and that may help you determine what fish look like on DI when you can see them on Sonar

[Further North]

10 hours ago, RenegadeBassin said:

In the meantime you can use your DI/SI to find structure that could potentially hold fish and then switch over to sonar which is easier to see fish on when you are first learning like I am, then the more you use them you the more you will be able to read them like @Further North can. 

 

Edit: Also if you can split the screen on the helix 7 you could put sonar and DI side by side and that may help you determine what fish look like on DI when you can see them on Sonar

Good advice.