New Elite HDI downscan isn't showing me much..?

I took my new Elite-4 HDI out last week and wasn't impressed with the downscan performance. I am assuming it is just my lack of knowledge and not sure how to use it. It showed me returns, but not a whole lot. The regular sonar would mark a lot of arches but most the time I didn't get a similar hit with the downscan (I had sonar on top, downscan under it). Whenever downscan marked a fish the dot was so small I had to wonder if it was a baitfish or piece of trash suspended in the water. The dot was way smaller than the sonar arch.

I heard the best way to use downscan was to overlay it on top of the sonar, but I don't think the small downscan fish marks would be visible against the backdrop of the sonar arch. What is it I should be doing here?

I'm using it on a slow moving small boat with trolling motor only, usually in 6 to 15 feet of water. :banghead

With the DS function, or SI, screen size is VERY important, try zooming in on the DS screen and see if that helps, but the DS will only show white dots for fish and the structure they are hanging around.

Down scan is such a "thin" slice that it will show precisely what is there, when the 2d is a much thicker slice so it adds a little "bulk" to the image. I think this is what your asking. Also if your seeing something in 2d but do not see it in downscan, its just because the fish is not in the down scan cone, but is in the 2d cone. The downscan cone is much narrower (to show better detail) than the 2d. So if your seeing something in 2d and not downscan, it means the object most likely is not directly beneath your boat.

This is just me but I have found the best use for DI is marking and helping dissect structure. Compare what you see on 2d to the down scan so you can start to understand and trust your 2d. Fish just show up as small dot's even on my 998. As LowPro described your smaller screen,and position of fish in beam is coming to seriously limit your ability to see single fish. Try locating something with full screen 2d then survey the area with full screen DI. It just takes time to really start understanding what it can do for you. Don't get discouraged.

You might read through this. Pappy started this some time back but lots of good info that could help you with your unit.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/fishi...-chartplotter/

The Lowrance DI units do not have a chart speed adjustment to "stretch out" the white Dot fish echoes ...

But you can accomplish the same "elongated" white fish dots by slowing the boat down where more than 1 repetitive sound pulse hits the target ...

Now this will blur structure on the DI image ... But if you're just looking for the fish echoes ... Slow down ...

Rickie

Yes, most of the time a "dot" is a fish on DI ... but there are times when you get images like this :

Attachment 201719

A lot depends on how your settings are configured.

This image was taken off a Lowrance Elite 5 DSI, which is basically what your smaller screen E4 HDI is, plus the addition of the 2d sonar back into the unit.

And forget about "overlay" ... it's pretty much useless for individual fish, according to the reviews I've read.

Me personally ... I don't miss 2d, now that my screen is showing me images like the one above. Just this past weekend I was fishing down in Tenn and spotted a fish shaped white "dot", dropped my jig down and within a few seconds was setting the hook on a 12" Crappie. I also spotted several "shapes" that were likely Catfish, since we were catching cats of various sizes right along with the Crappie. I wish I had taken screen shots of them, but I was too intent on watching my rod tips !!

... cp :kewl

As said Di is mainly for seeing structure. Fish will show if going slowly.

That is a really good image right there! If I can get my unit set up and configured half as well, I would be stoked.

You can.... and you will! Its all about playing with the settings!