Need Help with settings 998 hd si to see crappie not in water column

I bought a 998 hd si last fall and have been pretty impressed with it overall. I'm getting good clarity on images. I drove over some Bill Dance fish attractors and could see them very well... And when I see a school of crappie in the water column they really show up good.... but disappear when the water column meets the lake bottom. I was hoping for some help in screen color and settings to use. I'm in almost clear water right now. They show up perfectly in the water column but I can't make them out after the water meets the lake bottom.

Try Inverse...and shorten the SI Range to about 60-70ft...

Post some images so we can see what you're seeing...(or not seeing)...

Rickie

O.K. I'll try inverse. It will be next weekend before I get out again. And I haven't been on here long so I don't know how to post pictures yet....if someone could explain how to post pictures I'll post some of my screen next week.

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Originally Posted by jimmyfreeland

O.K. I'll try inverse. It will be next weekend before I get out again. And I haven't been on here long so I don't know how to post pictures yet....if someone could explain how to post pictures I'll post some of my screen next week.

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http://www.crappie.com/crappie/showt...-post-pictures

Is this what your looking for?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ickwick003.jpg[/URL]
Big School of crappie to the right. Did have the same bunch of fish with, but had the settings at 120 ft and could not tell they were that many fish in there. I run as narrow as I can, as if your running 150 ft or so. Your not finding the fish on bottom. I like it 75ft or less.
Plus can see the fish at the bottom of the screen on bottom and in the water.
Pete

Yes that's what I'm looking to see, Maybe I need to change color, I was in one of the bright Amber or Brown looking colors. All I can see is the crappie like in the water column on yours. I was only 70ft. Might help if I turn my chart speed up a bit too I was on 1 since I was moving slow with the trolling motor. I know they are there the other boats (guide) was following with his and we were catching them when I saw some in the water column.. But we were next to him and he'd say there is a big school there and I would see nothing.... I set mine the same as his the only thing different could have been chart speed and screen color.

The side imaging enhance feature will make fish stand out better also. It makes the rest of the image appear grainy, but the white streaks that are fish will stand out better. Use it when looking for fish and turn it off when you want better bottom and cover clarity.

Yep tried that too, thinking it was the color of the screen that was making them blend into the lake bottom.

Still not seeing much other than the fish in the water column. Even though when going over a known school they show up perfectly in the water column but no matter what setting I use or color, they don't show up in the lake bottom section. I didn't try the 800mhz but from others posted pictures and the numbers of crappie that was on this suspended pipe I was fishing.... I should be easily seeing them... but I'm not. Even zoomed in to 45 feet only fish in the water column. Not real happy with this 'bird so far.

If you could put up a screen shot it would make it a lot easer to help you. I use the blue screen for finding fish it is the easiest since fish will be white. If you are on a very hard bottom it can be very difficult to pick fish out. You might have your sensitivity to high and washing them out. Your scroll speed could be a bit too slow speed it up some the fish may be elongated but that is okay. Find a school of fish and then get off to the side of them and try adjusting your unit and see if you can pick them out. If it is shallow water and the fish are suspended you may have to look for there shadow out past were you think they are at.

It will all come together once you figure it out.

I'll try to post a picture next time out, I forgot the last time. I used the blue screen and tried everything, but the white spots in the water column just don't show up against the bottom, it shows the pipe fine. And when I drive directly over the pipe the screen is full of white spots in the water column, and we caught them off of it.... Wondering if the transducer needs tweaking a bit on how it's mounted, I looked at it and the guy mounted it slightly crooked, with me in the seat it would be even more crooked.... But I used the exact same settings as the guy next to me on the exact same unit and he said he clearly saw the schools when they swam by, but my screen was empty of white streaks or spots. Possibly I got a weak transducer too, I guess could be a possibility.

It will take a while in learning to set your unit for you,don't get discourage,dout anything wrong with unit or ducer,go find some fish in water column then go over them out of water column and stop unit and adjust till you begin seeing them a little,as already said if too hard bottom you are not going to see them but may see shadow

I didn't know you could stop the page and then adjust the unit... this will definitely help me fine tune. And hard bottom may very well be the issue here, seemed like they showed up as white spots better in the muddy bottom lake I fish later in the year. Clear power plant lake with many large rocks on screen when I scan is where I am fishing now. Most likely not a very soft bottom.

Is the guy with the 'exact same unit' a friend? Maybe you could put your unit on his boat and his on yours to see if there is any difference in performance

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Originally Posted by st041986

The side imaging enhance feature will make fish stand out better also. It makes the rest of the image appear grainy, but the white streaks that are fish will stand out better. Use it when looking for fish and turn it off when you want better bottom and cover clarity.

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I think that is the contrast. Turn from "off" to "low"

at least you are seeing them in the water column. I can never distinguish whether I am seeing crappie or what in any screen whether it be in the column or side. Maybe I am just not finding any fish period.

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Originally Posted by crappieseeker

at least you are seeing them in the water column. I can never distinguish whether I am seeing crappie or what in any screen whether it be in the column or side. Maybe I am just not finding any fish period.

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Post up some screenshots and I'll circle the fish for ya...(or try anyway)...

Rickie

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Originally Posted by ricky

I think that is the contrast. Turn from "off" to "low"

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Sometimes Sharpness higher will work for this also...

Rickie