Modern fishing with the use of sonar It's a very different thing from peeping, allowing the angler to see what's hidden under the water, and many newcomers to this gadget have a problem: it's on, the screen is shining, but the picture is unclear or blank, and getting the sonar right is the key to finding the fish, not just a beautiful picture on the display.
In this article, we will explore how to use a boat fisherman, based on video instructions and practical experience, learn to distinguish real targets from interference, adjust sensitivity and interpret correctly. echoesUnderstanding these basics will transform your appliance from an expensive toy into an indispensable water assistant.
The main task of the sonar is not just to show the depth, but to detail the structure of the bottom and the objects located there. Lowrance, Garmin or Humminbird So, regardless of the brand, the physics of the process is the same, and the signal goes down and comes back, and it forms a real-time image, and to see the result, you have to fine-tune the signal reception parameters.
Principle of operation and choice of signal frequency
Before you set up the device, you need to understand how it "sees" the fish. sonar It emits a sound wave of a certain frequency that is reflected off solid objects. The higher the frequency, the more detailed the picture, but the less depth of penetration. Standard frequencies range from 83 kHz to 200 kHz and higher in current models.
For fishing from a boat at medium depths, the frequency of 200 kHz is most often used. It gives a narrow cone of the beam, which allows you to accurately determine the location of the fish under the sea. chunkIf you're in shallow water looking for active fish, the high frequency will show even small relief details and individual air bubbles.
⚠️ Attention: Using maximum sensitivity in very shallow water can cause the screen to “noise” when the sounder will draw fish where there is none, due to reflections from the bottom surface.
Modern two-beam sonars allow you to switch between a wide and narrow beam. A wide beam (83 kHz) is good for viewing a large area and finding eyebrows, and a narrow one for studying a specific point in detail. frequency It depends on the fishing conditions and the desired detail.
Primary setting and calibration of the instrument
Once the sensor is installed on the boat and the device is turned on, you need to perform a basic setup. Automation often works incorrectly, especially when changing conditions (depth, boat speed, bottom type), Manual adjustment allows you to adapt the sonar to the current situation.
The first thing you need to do is calibrate the speed of sound in the water, although the standard values are usually good for freshwater bodies. The more important parameter is to set the right depth range. If you're fishing at 5 meters and the range is up to 50 meters, the details will be barely noticeable.
☑️ Primary sounder setting
It is important to set up correctly Colorline This feature colorizes stronger signals into a different color (usually red or yellow), which helps distinguish the hard bottom from soft silt, or highlight large fish against small objects, without which the picture may look flat and uninformed.
Decoding the image on the screen
The sounder screen is not a picture of the underwater world, but a graph that is updated in real time. The vertical axis shows depth, and the horizontal axis shows time. The movement of the tape from left to right means that the old data goes to the left, and the new data appears on the right. The fish on the screen is displayed as arcs.
Why arcs? When a boat goes over a fish, the distance to it first decreases, then becomes minimal (the fish under the sensor), and again increases. On the graph, it looks like an arch. The size of the arc depends on the speed of the boat's wiring and the width of the cone. ray.
- 🐟 Perfect arc. A sign that the fish is in the cone of the beam long enough for the instrument to build a full signal cycle.
- 🪨 Hard bottom. It is displayed in a wide greasy line, often with a "tail" of the second echo, which indicates the density of the soil.
- 🌫️ thermoclin It may appear as a horizontal jamming band or a blurred zone where the signal is sharply degraded.
What is the second echo?
The second echo is a signal that bounces off the bottom, reaches the surface of the water, bounces back down over and over again, and on the screen it looks like a copy of the bottom relief at twice the depth, and the presence of a second echo indicates the transparency of the water and the hardness of the bottom.
Distinguishing between fish and driftwoods is sometimes difficult. Snags are usually irregular and do not create clear arcs when passing. Fish, especially schooling, often stand above the bottom or in the waters, creating characteristic disparate or merging marks.
Sensitivity and noise reduction adjustment
One of the most critical parameters is sensitivity In automatic mode, the sonar picks up this parameter itself, but often makes mistakes, either by hiding small fish or filling the porridge screen of interference.
By increasing sensitivity, you start to see smaller details and fainter signals. However, over-magnification leads to noise that masks useful information. Optimal adjustment is achieved when there is a slight "noise" on the screen on the surface, which disappears with a slight decrease in the parameter.
⚠️ Warning: When fishing at high speeds (more than 10 km / h), you need to increase the speed of updating the screen, otherwise the image will stretch and become unreadable.
Parameter Noise Rejection You should use it carefully, and if you put it too high, the sonar will start ignoring the weak but important signals from the small fish, and you'd better keep it to a minimum and adjust the overall sensitivity.
Search for fish: tactics and techniques
Knowing how to use a sonar, you can use a variety of search tactics, and one of the most effective is to move across a brow or a dump, and in this mode, you can clearly see the change in depth and the reaction of the fish to the depth difference. Fish often stand at the edge of the depths or at the dump itself.
If you find a fish (boiler) you don't want to drop anchor right away, you first need to look at the structure of the bottom under the boiler, if there's a trough or a sharp drop, the fish can be passive, and if there's a clean bottom or soft silt under the fish, the chances of pecking are higher.
- 🚣 drift The boat is moving slowly, and the sonar shows a detailed picture without distortion from speed.
- ⚓ Stuttering It allows you to observe the behavior of fish in statics, but requires re-search if the bite has stopped.
- 🔄 Circuit passage - allows you to determine the boundaries of the fish pack and its migration routes at a particular site.
If you see a fish on the screen, it's right under your boat, and you need to throw the gear, given the wind or current, so that the bait is in the visible cluster area.
Comparison of scanning technologies
Modern sonars offer different scanning technologies besides the standard 2D. DownVision, SideScan and StructureScan allow you to obtain photorealistic images. Understanding the difference between them will help you choose the right tool for specific conditions.
| Technology | Review | Details | Best application |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D Sonar | Cone under the boat | Medium (arcs) | Finding fish, determining depth |
| DownVision | Underboat strip | Tall (photo) | Bottom structure study, snags |
| SideScan | Fan on the sides | High. | Search for fish and relief on the sides |
| LiveScope | Real time. | Maximum | Observing the reaction of fish to bait |
For a beginner, you need to master basic 2D mode and possibly DownVision. Side scanning requires more sophisticated skills in interpreting an image, as the picture there is distorted by perspective.
Typical Beginner Mistakes
Many anglers make the same mistakes that negate all the benefits of sounder, the most common being the expectation that the instrument will find the fish and show its name, and the sounder is just an instrument that requires constant analysis.
Another mistake is that the sensor is not installed properly, so if it's too deep, it creates too much resistance and noise, if it's too high, it loses contact with water on the wave, and it's also important that the sensor is strictly horizontal, otherwise the picture will be skewed.
⚠️ Warning: Never leave the sounder on without the sensor submerged for a long time. The emitter may overheat and fail as the water cools it when it is running.
Ignoring the boat speed also leads to errors. At high speed, the sensor can pop up, losing the signal, or there are " plumes" that distort the real picture. For detailed study, always slow down.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the sonar show the fish, even though it's there?
It may be that the fish is outside the beam cone (between the boat and the bottom, but not under the sensor), or that the fish may be too sensitive or have a thermocline that blocks the signal, try slowing the boat down and experimenting with frequency.
Do you see a squirrel or a squirrel on the sounder?
Yes, modern sonars with high frequency (200 kHz and above) and good detail can show large lures, especially if they are made of metal.
Can a sonar scare a fish?
There are studies showing that some fish species can respond to sonar sound waves, especially at low frequencies and in clear water, but for most fish species, the impact of sonar is minimal compared to motor noise or splashing oars.
How to distinguish a pike from a perch on the screen?
You can't tell the exact species of fish from the sounder, you can only guess from the size of the mark, the depth of the position and the behavior (single or pack), a large single arc at the bottom can be a pike, and a scatter of small ones can be a perch.
Do I need to lubricate the sounder sensor?
Yes, before the season, it is recommended to lubricate the emitter with a special silicone lubricant (not petroleum!) This prevents algae from fouling and improves signal transmission, especially at high speeds.