Thread: Fish Finder Reading Tips

Best way is to watch YouTube videos to see what to look for then spend time out on the water looking for what was seen. It is best to leave your fishing tackle at home a trip or two and just spend time learning your sonar unit.

this is on a Helix7 10 ft of water



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Start by using a lake map . Pick an area that has some defined features like stump fields,sunken brush,creek channels,timber,and old road bed. Then begin fishing the area slowly paying attention to the depth finder screen. You want to be able to basically learn how to match up what you're seeing with the map. In the process you will see some fish,catch some fish,start to understand how things appear on the screen, understand when its under the boat or behind. Remember you're shooting a pretty small circle with that thing. Look for a specific structure point on the map that's about the size of your boat or so. When you have found it ...then boat off and come back ...then find it again. That will teach you something about your target size and how tricky it can be to find sometimes. If you work at this you will begin to find places to fish,catch some fish, and begin to relate what you're seeing to your intended quarry. Also run over some open water and look for suspended fish and bait schools. You can't always tell white bass from crappie or some other species. But you become proficient with the finder and look at enough fish and catch a few you will figure out what you need to. You either have to put your time in,fish with somebody who already knows or hire a guide.

If you get interested in the learning process ...its a big part of the fun. Heck once you figure it all out and just catch fish all the time whats the fun in that. LOL.

Originally Posted by scrat

Best way is to watch YouTube videos to see what to look for then spend time out on the water looking for what was seen. It is best to leave your fishing tackle at home a trip or two and just spend time learning your sonar unit.

Thank you scrat

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Originally Posted by ozarks ranger

this is on a Helix7 10 ft of water



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That would be a brush pile with a school in the vicinity? Or am I looking at that wrong ..also I find it hard to distinguish baitfish from other types of fishery

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Originally Posted by doggone

Start by using a lake map . Pick an area that has some defined features like stump fields,sunken brush,creek channels,timber,and old road bed. Then begin fishing the area slowly paying attention to the depth finder screen. You want to be able to basically learn how to match up what you're seeing with the map. In the process you will see some fish,catch some fish,start to understand how things appear on the screen, understand when its under the boat or behind. Remember you're shooting a pretty small circle with that thing. Look for a specific structure point on the map that's about the size of your boat or so. When you have found it ...then boat off and come back ...then find it again. That will teach you something about your target size and how tricky it can be to find sometimes. If you work at this you will begin to find places to fish,catch some fish, and begin to relate what you're seeing to your intended quarry. Also run over some open water and look for suspended fish and bait schools. You can't always tell white bass from crappie or some other species. But you become proficient with the finder and look at enough fish and catch a few you will figure out what you need to. You either have to put your time in,fish with somebody who already knows or hire a guide.

If you get interested in the learning process ...its a big part of the fun. Heck once you figure it all out and just catch fish all the time whats the fun in that. LOL.

Awesome response buddy, I just gotta put in the time ..thanks again!

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Originally Posted by jmstoner88

Hello all!

Looking for any tips on reading fish finders to find schools of crappie. I currently have a Lowrance Elite 4x Chirp on my bass tracker.

I have that unit on my trolling motor. Yes, it is a smaller screen, but does a very good job IMO. I use the screen split with sonar on top and DI on the bottom. I have a bigger unit at the console for when in search mode, but use and like the 4X when I'm fishing from the front....which is 99% of the time. The split screen gives me two views to help determine what I am actually seeing. I'm still very much in learning mode, but it gets better each time out.

Originally Posted by ET Fish

I have that unit on my trolling motor. Yes, it is a smaller screen, but does a very good job IMO. I use the screen split with sonar on top and DI on the bottom. I have a bigger unit at the console for when in search mode, but use and like the 4X when I'm fishing from the front....which is 99% of the time. The split screen gives me two views to help determine what I am actually seeing. I'm still very much in learning mode, but it gets better each time out.

Is there any changes to the settings that you recommend? Thanks for your comment

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