Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Hello all,<br />I just bought my first boat. It was a fish finder on the console and one up on the bow. The one at the console had gotten water into it before I got it and the display it garbage. What kind of features should I look for and what are some of your opinons on brands. I don't want to spend anymore than $300 if I can avoid it but at the same time I don't want to buy crap.<br /><br />Also how do I interpret what I am seeing on the screen? What I mean is, the image scrolls right to left even when I am not moving I do see fish images moving across the screen. It seems hard to believe that the fish always travel across the transducer's range from right to left. Also the contour of the bottom changes. I am anchorred and I know I am not moving in relation to the shorline. does this indicate that the fish finder or transducer is faulty? I should mention this is the finder up on the bow that appears to be in working order.<br /><br />both are by Ealge. I don't know the model number, I'm at work right now, I will port the model numbers later if you want that info.<br /><br />Thanks

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

The unit might be in demonstration mode if it has one. Go through your menu to see if it is. <br /><br />Buttanic

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

The display moves from right to left no matter if your sitting still or running. What you see at the very right is what's going on under your boat right now. The rest to the left that is scrolling by is what you have already passed by or has already passed you by. In other words, it's history. When sitting still, if a fish passes in the "Cone" that your fishfinder picks up, it will be at the far right of the screen. If you see fish in the middle or left side of the screen, they have already passed by out of the cone. In other words, they are long gone. The fish do not always pass the cone right to left, it just appears that way because that's the direction the screen is moving. It takes time and practice to interpret reading on a fishfinder. Many times what you see are not fish, but debris and other objects under the water. This is where the experience comes in so that you can distinguish between what is real and what is not. You will get the hang of it quickly!

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Rick has it right, only thing under tranducer is what you see to the far right. Every thing left of the far right is history. You may like to check out the tutorial on Lowrances web site. It is a good basic starting point as to how fish finder works.<br /><br /> http://www.lowrance.com/Tutorials/Sonar/sonar_tutorial_01.asp

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Thank you all. That is a good tutorial.<br />In looking for a replacement for the console finder, what features should I look for?

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Thank you all. That is a good tutorial.<br />In looking for a replacement for the console finder, what features should I look for?

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Almost all the fishfinders sold now will provide you with the infomation you need to see fish and bottom structure. Only if you are in deep water(Ocean), will you want to get one with lots of power. Some finders also offer duel cone reading, which comes in handy if you fish relatively shallow water. You can switch on the fly to a different view are of the water and bottom. When fishing shallow waters(Under 20-30') will you want a wide area cone. Other things to consider are speed and temp readouts. They sometimes come with the accessories for this or you can buy them individually. I like having the water temp reading, as it's an important part of the fishes habit to move to warmer or colder water, depending on the season, and I can see this change in water temp at a glance. For example, in the fall, a protected cove may be 5 degrees warmer than the main lake and this can make the difference in catching a fish or not. Also good for finding out if you want to jump in for a swim when the water temp is questionable! My finder is dead on with my GPS as far as speed readout goes. It has the paddlewheel type pickup. I would never be without one! You can also set a depth alarm to any depth to go off when you get into shallow water. Also valueble! I always have mine set at 3'. Almost any finder in the $200.00 range will do what you want. Check around now for good end of the season deals. Most people prefer Eagle and I have had them, too. Good units! Right now I run a 200 DX Humminbird, with speed and temp, that has served me well. It has a 20° (narrow beam) setting and a Wide Baem 53° setting. Although it only has 300 Watts (RMS), it reads down to 200' with no problem. Also, you want to look for the highest pixel reading you can get for the price. This is important, as it shows detail on the screen much better with higher pixels. Mine has 128 high x 64 wide pixels, which is not the best, but it works.each pixel represents a certain area of the water and the more pixels, the tighter the view will be. I would look for double that reading if I was buying a new one. Good Luck on your purchase!<br /><br />If you want to spend a couple hundred bucks and get a real good finder, I would get this one:<br /><br /> web page<br /><br />Many also praise this one at a lower cost. Has all the basic features you need!<br /><br /> web page<br /><br />For $50.00 more, I would have to get the first one!! You would not regret it! Money well spent and you only have to do it once in a great while. (Remember, powerful and high pixel count is good, plus it has temp sensor included, which might cost the extra $50.00 to get for the other one! And they have FREE shipping)

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Boatist <br /><br />Great Link!!

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

I agree with all Rick said.<br />Alot depends on what type boat you have and what you like to catch. My quess is you have a Bass boat. Fishing for bass I usually fish between 10 and 50 feet. At that depth Power and resolution not a big factor. Resolution (pixel count top to bottom, vertical) is very important. Pixel count for width really gives you no more information, just longer history of what you went over. Still if you troll and you are back with quest and watching rods long history may make a difference. You could troll over a school of Salmon at 40 feet down while you are fishing down 25 feet and by the time you look back at the fish finder fish may have scrolled off the screen. For smaller fish and deeper water you want a pixel count at lease 240. <br /><br />If you do any trolling get a unit with paddle wheel speed sensor. GPS will give you your over ground speed but not your water speed. Correct speed can be the difference in catching lots of fish or very few. <br /><br />Get one that has a temp sensor. Good to help find the fish but also when finding a place for the ladies to take a swim.<br /><br />Dual Frequency like the first one Rick suggested has a couple of advantages. 200khz better for seeing fish in a school or right on the bottom, but will have a cone angle between 8 and 20 degrees. 50 khz a must for deep water or salt water. Also the 50khz cone angle normal cone angle is from 36 to 45 drgrees so you see more of the bottom.<br /><br />If you do any deep salt water fishing then you need power. For example my unit is 375 watts RMS or 3000 watts peak to peak and Resoultion is 192. I can see Rock fish or bottom fish down to 200 feet with the standard 20 degree transducer. Down to 350 feet with a 8 degree transducer. Deeper all I see is bottom, no fish.<br /><br />Brands I like. For shallow water Eagle has all the feathers at a lower power and a good price. Lowrance almost the same as Eagle but with more power. Lowrance and Eagle are the same company.<br /><br />For deep water over 200 feet of salt water I like Furuno or Garmin. About 80 percent of the commerical boats out here have Furuno Fish Finders.<br /><br />If you do not leave your units out in the hot summer sun they will last a very long time. Take them indoors even better. <br /><br />One more thing on a 19 foot boat with a transducer up front near the trolling motor and one near the stern they will interfeer with each other. The deeper the water the more they interfear with each other. Must turn one off.<br />Tell us what you pick.

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Boatist,<br /><br />I always thought my GPS gave me true speed in space/time and therefore the speed of my lure in the water. My paddle wheel is subject to surface currents and therefore not as consistent. I troll in rivers and large lakes where the fetch can push surface water windward after a day or two. Am I looking at this all wrong?

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

boatist, You are correct it's a 17' bass boat. I have one transducer on the bottom of the trolling motor and one on the transom. I can't have them both on at the same time? That would make sense. Sometimes on or the other will freak out and I have to turn it of then on to fix it. That is one thing that prompted me to think about a new one.<br /><br />Most of my fishing will be done on no more than 40' of fresh water. Mostly dammed up river resevoirs. My main target is bass but I imagine I will branch out into other types of fish.<br /><br />Thank you all for the great information. I am leaning towards another Eagle. Not sure on a model yet though.

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

Neil<br />Yes your GPS does give you true speed over the ground. In most lakes have very little current unless you are up near where the river comes in so both should be very close. <br /><br />If you were to fish the spring Salmon run just inside San Francisco's Golden Gate GPS will not help you at all. On the EBB tide with the spring run off currents can hit 6 mph, if you set your speed with GPS at 3.3 mph you would now be doing 9.3 mph thru the water and I will tell you that you will not catch a fish. Use a paddle wheel and run 3.3 mph and you are now back trolling and the best way to catch fish. It is true the water at the bottom can be slower and in some locations even run in a different direction than the surface but most time in water with currents paddle wheel will be better than GPS.

Re: Info for a newbie on Fish Finders and buying a new one

bxrluvr<br />I fish a lot with a Friend who has a 19 foot bass boat, on his boat when fishing Shallow 10 to 15 feet we are able to use both fish finders with out problems. In winter and hot summer days where we fish 30 feet or more the cone angle of the two fish finders will overlap and interfeer. Just as a general rule we use the transom one when the main motor is on and the one on the bow while useing the trolling motor. I agree Eagle a good choice for your use. Go to a dealer that has all the units set up on display so you can see the difference. Also you may want to go to Eagle web site and down load their EMULATOR for the unit you are thinking about. This will give you a chance see what all the controles do. They have done a good job of letting you try it on your pc. Boat shows or fishing expo another place to see most of the units. Before you buy check the prices here on this site.<br /><br />Try downloading one of the Emulators from the site below.<br /><br /> http://www.eaglegps.com/Downloads/Emulators/default.htm