Sonar Question

I've had a x96 lowrance unit for about 18 months. I have yet to get it "set" to show a fish arch or any image that I know is a fish. Is this common?
I've adjusted sensitivity, chart and ping speeds from 0 to 100. I hit factory default and started over many times. I get a good clear image of stucture and bottom. The transducer is mounted on my trolling motor, but it makes no difference if the motor is on or off. Can someone suggest a starting point, then maybe I can get it "tuned".
I'm a 60 year old, overal wearing, tobacco chewing Country Boy, so please keep any comments in South Arkansas English.

sorry ole' timer. can't help ya but there are some lowrance fishfinder forums out there on the web if you'll google 'em up. humminbird man myself. I wear them overhauls sometimes myself. doc made me quit the baccer!:(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boilerman

I've had a x96 lowrance unit for about 18 months. I have yet to get it "set" to show a fish arch or any image that I know is a fish. Is this common?
I've adjusted sensitivity, chart and ping speeds from 0 to 100. I hit factory default and started over many times. I get a good clear image of stucture and bottom. The transducer is mounted on my trolling motor, but it makes no difference if the motor is on or off. Can someone suggest a starting point, then maybe I can get it "tuned".
I'm a 60 year old, overal wearing, tobacco chewing Country Boy, so please keep any comments in South Arkansas English.

---

...it came with a silly little X50 on the dash. I DO use it sometimes but, like you, have NEVER been able to get it to reflect fish arcs. I just chalked it up to it being a cheapie. My 520 has no problems, fer sur, but I couldn't tell you about the X96.

aj

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by luvin.fishin

sorry ole' timer. can't help ya but there are some lowrance fishfinder forums out there on the web if you'll google 'em up. humminbird man myself. I wear them overhauls sometimes myself. doc made me quit the baccer!:(

---

You might get spanked real good if you ever go fish with one of us. :D

aj

I have a Lowrance 135 on the trolling motor, it does show arcs, and does a good job. I have a cheap 29 on the transom, no arcs, about the only thing it is good for is showing depth. I read some reviews on Basspro about the 96, most of them had good things to say about it, some said they can see their lure when they drop it under the transducer. Do you see anything at all besides the bottom?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quillback

I have a Lowrance 135 on the trolling motor, it does show arcs, and does a good job. I have a cheap 29 on the transom, no arcs, about the only thing it is good for is showing depth. I read some reviews on Basspro about the 96, most of them had good things to say about it, some said they can see their lure when they drop it under the transducer. Do you see anything at all besides the bottom?

---

Quillback, I can see a lot of images between the bottom and surface, but they are all diffent sizes and shapes. I know some of them are fish. Which are and which are not is my problem. I have only been crappie fishing for almost 3 years, I did not fish at all for 10 to 12 years. I bass fished for about 25years and in those days I used a 12 foot piece of cane to gage the depth. Things sure have changed!!!

Yeah I get those images also, blobs etc., but I do get arcs also, one thing for sure, it may show arcs (fish) but it doesn't tell you what kind they are. If I troll through a bunch of arcs or other "stuff" and I pick up a crappie, I know what they are then. :)

water depth????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arkie John

You might get spanked real good if you ever go fish with one of us. :D

aj

---

Wellllll AJ....I happen to be a couple years older than Boilerman which is why I can throw that tag around with impunity. It fits me too. "Spanked??" Lordy Lordy!!

It's only going to picture a true arc if you are directly over the fish. If you are on one side or the other it's not going to give you a true arc. I believe the x96 has a 200 khz beam, it may be 86 khz. The higher the khz the more detailed the image. On the 200khz setting your only getting something like a 2 foot of coverage in 15 feet of water or less so it would be difficult to get an entire arc. Now if your in 40 feet of water looking at suspended fish your going to get a much wider angle and more detailed fish arches. HOpe this helps you get a better idea of what your dealing with. I have a 522 and a 480, love those lowrances~<;><

Speed has a lot to do with seeing arches. You really need to be moving over 1 mph to see arches. If I'm spider rigging at .6mph, my front unit won't show arches, but if I'm over 1 to 1.5, I get them.

[QUOTE=Trout Troller;823072]a 2 foot of coverage in 15 feet of water or less so it would be difficult to get an entire arc. Now if your in 40 feet of water looking at suspended fish your going to get a much wider angle and more detailed fish arches. /QUOTE]



hence my question.

Thanks to all for the info. I did not know how little I knew about sonar equipment. Thanks again

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boilerman

Thanks to all for the info. I did not know how little I knew about sonar equipment. Thanks again

---

Hey Boilerman...Now you know how little the rest of us know about sonar equipment!!:D:D

I have been dying to get sonar equipment and learn how to use it. The more I read and study up on it, the more scared of it I become. I think I would just get frustrated and spend most of my time trying to figure out why I can't catch what I think I'm seeing on the screen.