Thread: Where are the fish actually located with sonar?

Impossible to know, standard sonar doesnt orientate like that. Side imaging and 360 scan is the only way to know exactly where the fish are

Originally Posted by Kevin22

Impossible to know, standard sonar doesnt orientate like that. Side imaging and 360 scan is the only way to know exactly where the fish are

I kind of figured that but I am a newby at this and have a lot to learn. Thanks for the comment.

When a dot (arch, line, whatever) first appears on your screen is the most accurate reading you'll get when crossing over something or when a fish swims under your boat. Everything else you see is just history.

Originally Posted by gabowman

When a dot (arch, line, whatever) first appears on your screen is the most accurate reading you'll get when crossing over something or when a fish swims under your boat. Everything else you see is just history.

Would that be directly under the transducer or would it be from anywhere in the circle of the 20 degree cone angle? Thanks for your comment.

You probably won't have an arch. You are anchored, so a fish entering the sonar cone will appear as a thick line. You drop a jig or minnow into the cone and watch it on your screen until it is just above the line. Jig a few times and see if the line comes up and smacks the lure.

Originally Posted by vic n

You probably won't have an arch. You are anchored, so a fish entering the sonar cone will appear as a thick line. You drop a jig or minnow into the cone and watch it on your screen until it is just above the line. Jig a few times and see if the line comes up and smacks the lure.

Thanks. I will try that. Just bought the Lowrance Hook 5x and haven't spent much time using it yet.

Originally Posted by tnsandlapper

Would that be directly under the transducer or would it be from anywhere in the circle of the 20 degree cone angle? Thanks for your comment.

If you are moving forward, the left edge of the arch is where the fish first sent enough signal back for the transducer to see the echo. That's going to be generally in front of the boat as long as the fish isn't moving toward you from the side.

It's important to understand how the "cone" works. The stated angle isn't like a solid cut-off, but it's the point where the sonar is about half as sensitive as it is in the middle. You still get signal out past the limits, it's just lower strength than it is at the edge or center of the "cone". Imagine shining a cheap flashlight straight down as you fly over the ground. There is a central section where there is more light than out at the edge, but there is still plenty of light to see outside that center section. Same way the sonar works.

The reduced power and sensitivity away from the center is the reason the ends of the arch are thinner than the center. The return was capture further away from the center of the transducer beam.

Originally Posted by CatFan

If you are moving forward, the left edge of the arch is where the fish first sent enough signal back for the transducer to see the echo. That's going to be generally in front of the boat as long as the fish isn't moving toward you from the side.

It's important to understand how the "cone" works. The stated angle isn't like a solid cut-off, but it's the point where the sonar is about half as sensitive as it is in the middle. You still get signal out past the limits, it's just lower strength than it is at the edge or center of the "cone". Imagine shining a cheap flashlight straight down as you fly over the ground. There is a central section where there is more light than out at the edge, but there is still plenty of light to see outside that center section. Same way the sonar works.

The reduced power and sensitivity away from the center is the reason the ends of the arch are thinner than the center. The return was capture further away from the center of the transducer beam.

That's interesting. I just need to spend more time on the water using the Hook 5x. Thanks for your comment.