Getting the best out of old equipment???

My finders are to say the least a bit "outdated". I have the old Eagle FishMark 640C on the bow and a FishEasy 320C at the back (which is another issue within itself I will post about later). I will admit I do not know very many of the "ins and outs" of how to use them correctly but I guess that will just take some time. I also know that unless this Mega Millions ticket in my pocket is a winner I will have to be happy with them for quite a few more years!! Would love to be able to use some of the new stuff out there with the incredible imaging but just a bit too pricey for me.

I guess my question is...with the older model electronics what do I need to "look" for or use the most"? My front finder seems to mark all kinds of fish no matter where I am, but I have a hard time believing what it is showing. I am pretty sure I have some details to work out with the sensitivity maybe? I don't have a home lake and often will be in areas that I have no idea where to fish so I will need to rely on them somewhat to at least put me in a spot that looks decent. I have a hard time knowing what I am actually looking at and it gets a bit frustrating. I fished many years with other people that had the equipment so I didn't have to be the one "looking" but now that its my setup I would like any advise you can give (to steal a movie title)....a 40 year old virgin (of fish finders that is!!). Let the advise....and jokes begin!! Thanks as always,

Nothing wrong with those finders. Go to YouTube and serch for fish finder operating videos. Several on there on how to use older finders. I found on using one on the front it will pick up some interference some times. It shows up as fish. When in doubt look at rear unit as you move along. Should see basically the same thing. Both of those are pretty good units. Main thing is learning how to find structure or cover on the bottom and learning how to interpret that.

All of us has had those type units,and we caught fish so my advice is to learn all u can of your unit and to learn the type fish u looking for and the season and the lake,i have 998 but found most brush with 2d going 10 to 15 miles hour with a marker in my hand

What I find, I find by accident. I don't go in search of it.

Great advice guys.....I preach patience to my 16 yr old all the time but I guess I probably need to take some of my own advice and work at learning to use what I have. I don't get to fish very often so I tend to want to "get right on the fish" when I do get the chance to go out.

that 640c has as much resolution as anything. set it up and learn it. It is like a 5000 reel. Old but will do about everything.

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Originally Posted by Bluesraider

Great advice guys.....I preach patience to my 16 yr old all the time but I guess I probably need to take some of my own advice and work at learning to use what I have. I don't get to fish very often so I tend to want to "get right on the fish" when I do get the chance to go out.

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Somewhere (maybe here?) I read an article about learning your equipment. It suggested attaching three balloons on five foot intervals on a long line and adjusting them so the bottom one is five feet from the anchor. So, it goes like:

anchor...5'...balloon...5'...balloon...5'...balloo n.....(how ever much this takes)...marker buoy

Then you have a known structure to evaluate on the graph so you can adjust sensitivity, chart speed, etc.