How to Know Where You Are?

I know just getting out an using your electronics is one of the best ways to figure them out. But with all of the different settings available as to frequency kHz and sonar coverage degree and so forth what is the best way to really know where that brush pile that you see on the screen is located in the water? I have an older unit 597 hd/DI and still have not figured out the best settings to be able to look at the screen and then be able to basically point at the water and say with confidence "It's right there". At this point it's hard to justify spending the money for a helix 9 SI or similar if I don't have what I already got figured out. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I don't have the skills to put into words an explanation that you would understand. In my mind a picture, or in this case a video is worth more than a 1000 words. Take a look at these two videos in youtube and they should help you start to understand and point to more videos to help increase your understanding so once you get on the water and start playing the understanding will come much faster.

https://youtu.be/65o1Oo9SDrA

and

https://youtu.be/_FYMWCyhTpI

Hope this helps.

Everything is relative to the transducer. Your display is a picture of the past. You already got it figured out. Go git a big un.

It's a little more difficult with the DI units since you don't know what side things are on ..... With the DI, it is best to go over it and when you see it on 2D, throw a marker bouy....SI will give you more info.

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Originally Posted by BobB

It's a little more difficult with the DI units since you don't know what side things are on ..... With the DI, it is best to go over it and when you see it on 2D, throw a marker bouy....SI will give you more info.

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I run a HDS touch9 with an HDI transducer at the bow of my boat. I have it set up for map, downscan and 2d.
When I'm going over the waypoint and I see it with the 2d I know it's right under me. If i see it on downscan but not on 2d I move left or right to locate it.
Maybe I'm just lucky but I usually don't have any problem locating my spots this way but I'm sure it would be a different story if I didn't have a Point1 antenna with the heading sensor.

Think of the Sonar beams (2d/DI and SI) as flashlight beams ...

The target must be in the flashlight beam to show on the display screen ...

Conversely ... if it shows on the display screen = the target must be in the flashlight beam ...

Then use the knowledge relating to the physical "shape" of the selected flashlight beam to envision where that target may be in that flashlight beam ...
http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psaey6dgnp.png
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http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...pstvlu5w7r.png
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http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psku8xnkrn.png

Rickie

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Originally Posted by rnvinc

Think of the Sonar beams (2d/DI and SI) as flashlight beams ...Rickie

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Thanks everyone for your input, this is really helpful information.

Rickie, I'm going to print theses off and laminate them to take with me when I'm on the water, after a few trips this should stick with me pretty good :ThumbsUp

Like I said, everything is relative to the transducer. The pictures prove it. If you have poles to both side and in front, you gonna be close to something. When the pole bends, it is either a fish or brush. You land it or you mark it.