Thread: Discussion on Lowrance Elite 5 DSI/Chartplotter ....

I was out just yesterday testing my motor for some ongoing fuel mix issues and while I was idling around a heavily forested area with submerged trees, I thought I'd play with the sonar.

Here are some strange findings I found just by turning the surface clarity from "LOW" to "OFF". I found it really odd that it dramatically increased what I was picking up below the surface and not just "cleaning up the screen".

I have problems using 800khz because I usually don't pickup bottom or anything at all. Here are some shots using these setings:
- 800khz
- Contrast 80%
- Surface Clarity OFF
- Color (White Background)
- Depth (Auto)


Here are two comparison shots using 455khz (what I typically use due to the wider sonar zone vs. the narrow 800khz

The first image Surface Clarity "LOW". The second image shows Surface Clarity "OFF"
In my mind, there is a dramatic difference in just those two settings. If I turned it to "MED", I wouldn't even get as much as I was getting on "LOW".

Depth range also plays a big factor in this. The deeper the water, the less surface clarity you need. If I did this in 20ft of water, I'd probably have a very busy screen and just pick up a lot of debris and such thus the "LOW" setting is preferred depending on water clarity.

Settings were:
- 455khz
- Contrast 68%
- Surface Clarity OFF
- Color (White Background)
- Depth (Auto)

Surface Clarity "LOW"


Surface Clarity "OFF"

I don't think image 6 is showing your "line" ... but, it may be showing your bait or a large sinker being pulled back in

The last image is likely the thermocline ... it's at about the right depth for this time of year.

Nice images !!

I'm assuming the contours are from the base map, as I've seen those 7/17/27 foot contours at Taylorsville ..... what lake were these taken at ??

You do know that you can zoom down closer to your waypoints than 150' .... and I gotta ask : "Did you catch any of those fish showing in your screenshots ??"

... cp

Originally Posted by crappiepappy

I don't think image 6 is showing your "line" ... but, it may be showing your bait or a large sinker being pulled back in

The last image is likely the thermocline ... it's at about the right depth for this time of year.

Nice images !!

Pappy, I just assumed because the line was straight instead of an arc, that it was line. That being said, Ive read this whole thread and remember the discussion on the geometry of the beam, and fan width and so on...way over my head : ) I think your probably right. Either way, I think its very cool and dont regret this purchas one bit.
...

Didn't do that quote thing right... did I ?

Originally Posted by davidw

Didn't do that quote thing right... did I ?

... yeah, you left off the [/quote] at the end of my words ... no biggie, I fixed it.

... cp