The Baron Posted July 4, 2022 Posted July 4, 2022 I’ve been trying to figure out the smallmouth (and deeper largemouth) on Weslemkoon Lake in central Ontario. I fished it a fair bit last year with disappointing results on smallmouth. I basically gave up on them and started flipping soft plastics around cover and my average size largemouth is steadily increasing, but I’ve yet to find a smallmouth over about a pound in all my efforts. I researched that the main forage in the lake are Cisco, and that the big smallmouth are likely suspended chasing those. I was totally blind last year, so I bought an old Humminbird 535 for this year (yes, it’s laughable against todays tech, but I’m happy to have some clue what’s going on below). I was on the lake this weekend and marked several fish in an area just off a submerged point, that ends with a large boulder just at the surface and drops very steeply into 40ft of water. They were lined up just off the bottom at about 33ft. at about 6pm. As far as I can tell, it’s a hard bottom here. I tried dropshotting with zero bites, but it’s very hard to say if I was right on them or not as I have no experience in reading electronics. I also have no trolling motor, so am at the mercy of the wind. At about 8pm, I was back over the general area and marked several fish again, but they were coming up more shallow. My Q is, do you folks think these might be bass sitting deep during the day and moving up more shallow to feed in the late evening? There are also lake trout in the lake, but I’d think 35ft. is too shallow for lakers? 1 Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted July 5, 2022 Super User Posted July 5, 2022 If you can turn off the fish symbols start with that. a blob or arch will give you a better idea as to what you are looking at. I doubt those are bass, or even fish. 2 Quote
The Baron Posted July 5, 2022 Author Posted July 5, 2022 8 hours ago, Deleted account said: If you can turn off the fish symbols start with that. a blob or arch will give you a better idea as to what you are looking at. I doubt those are bass, or even fish. I wondered if the "fish" lined up on the bottom could be rocks, until I came back over the same spot and marked fish at several shallower depths. Those were not there earlier when I passed that same spot. Also, the "fish" on the bottom were gone, which makes me think those were fish who had now moved up shallow. Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted July 5, 2022 Super User Posted July 5, 2022 1 hour ago, The Baron said: I wondered if the "fish" lined up on the bottom could be rocks, until I came back over the same spot and marked fish at several shallower depths. Those were not there earlier when I passed that same spot. Also, the "fish" on the bottom were gone, which makes me think those were fish who had now moved up shallow. Fish finders with fish symbols are notorious for seeing fish everywhere. 1 Quote
The Baron Posted July 5, 2022 Author Posted July 5, 2022 Ah, ok. I’ll see if I can turn off the fish symbols and maybe play with the sensitivity a little. This “high tech” is all new to me. lol 1 Quote
Super User scaleface Posted July 5, 2022 Super User Posted July 5, 2022 Get some marker buoys . When you see a spot that gets your attention , drop a buoy close by . This will give you a reference point . I use buoys all the time . . My depth finder is an old single color one too . So what . I locate and catch bass frequently with it . A trolling motor would be a big asset . My favorite lure for smallmouths on points are tubes . 1 Quote
MAN Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 I miss my old monochrome fishfinder. I just bought a Hummingbird Helix 7 and I still can't get that thing to function correctly. I need to find a website/someone's post that says " here is how you set up every single thing in the menu option for best proven performance. 1 Quote
Reel Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 With water temperature at 71 degrees, I doubt these are smallmouth. Where I fish, (another province) the water is at that temperature and most of the smallmouth are between 4 and 10 feet deep. 1 Quote
RDB Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 1 hour ago, MAN said: I miss my old monochrome fishfinder. I just bought a Hummingbird Helix 7 and I still can't get that thing to function correctly. I need to find a website/someone's post that says " here is how you set up every single thing in the menu option for best proven performance. I have a Helix and they don’t require a ton of fine tuning. Most Humminbird factory settings default to what they consider a general purpose optimal level. You will find that many of the factory settings will remain at default most of the time. There are definitely things you can fine tune. Here are a few videos I had in my library. I haven’t looked at them in quite a while. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwqWKthWbbI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGcrFaQo9oU Also, I don’t know what you’re referring to when you say not working correctly but an out of box Helix installed properly should have a solid image. You may want to check your transducer. Quote
MAN Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 1 hour ago, RDB said: I have a Helix and they don’t require a ton of fine tuning. Most Humminbird factory settings default to what they consider a general purpose optimal level. You will find that many of the factory settings will remain at default most of the time. There are definitely things you can fine tune. Here are a few videos I had in my library. I haven’t looked at them in quite a while. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwqWKthWbbI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGcrFaQo9oU Also, I don’t know what you’re referring to when you say not working correctly but an out of box Helix installed properly should have a solid image. You may want to check your transducer. Thanks RDB I will check out the youtube video's as well as figure out out to reset the unit back to factory settings. Not working correctly: I am not picking up on ANY fish both arches/icons and appears to be a lot of noise its picking up on. I am sure it is something I did fiddling around with the buttons. I didn't mean to say the unit itself is bad. Thanks again for the reply and help 1 Quote
Fallser Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 Another possibility, if they are fish could be walleye. They tend to hang near the bottom. Quote
Super User WRB Posted July 5, 2022 Super User Posted July 5, 2022 Sonar basics used to locate fish: 1. The displayed sonar returns of fish are air/gas in the swim bladder, not the fish. 2. Everything displayed on the screen is the history of what you have already passed over. Current real-time data is displayed on the 1/4” wide far right edge of your screen. 3. Learn to use your sonar unit in manual settings to optimize returns. Suggest buying Don Iovino Paper Back book Finesse Bass Fishing and the Sonar Connection. Dated but but good info on how to use your sonar unit. Tom 1 Quote
The Baron Posted July 5, 2022 Author Posted July 5, 2022 1 hour ago, WRB said: … Suggest buying Don Iovino Paper Back book Finesse Bass Fishing and the Sonar Connection. Dated but but good info on how to use your sonar unit. Tom Thanks, Tom. I’ll look into that book. It may be dated, but so is my sonar… and the operator. lol 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.