SI interpretation (finding and fishing ledges with structure)

Sorry so long but finding what your looking for and fish that will cooperate is two different things.

Finding ledges with a shelf near deep water this time of year that have structure near by can produce some nice size fish compared to those shallower it seems. Fishing both fall downs and ledges today my bigger fish came off the ledges.

First look at your map and find those locations where the contour lines come together but have a spread on one end. Using this shot as a guide only (the location I was fishing has tracks and waypoints blocking the lines) you can see how they come close and then to the right is a shelf. That would be a good place to drop structure and depending on the time of year pull in fish to hold.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps639a0669.png

When you find several of these locations go out and run them and make a recording. I find that running the ledge at a angle will give better shadowing and pop out better. After running I then play it back and make my changes to fine tune the shot to give the image that looks best to me. No ones settings will be the same due to preferences and body of water I've found.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psd83423ff.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps5c1db088.png

Above as I went through different pallets I found that Brown showed better detail (for me) as shown below. Here you can see the ledge and how it runs. By adjusting the Sen. and Contrast and using sharpness you will get a better idea if you want to fish it or not.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps014577b6.png

You can also use one side to get better detail as far as inlarging the area you are interested in.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps5bee7db9.png

In those shots I was finding the ledge but no structure to hold fish. Running a few more passes with the new settings and once again making a recording I found that just up screen from these shots was what I thought to be a brush drop on the edge. After checking the recording I saw that it was holding fish.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psb20060ae.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...pse0a63a81.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...pse0c201e5.png

Knowing the depth the fish started at I was able to cast past the structure in shallower water, count down and run just over and to the sides to pull in some fish. It may seem like it's time consuming but it really cuts down on the guess work. Hope something in here helps you out. Good luck

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps6d4244b6.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps2686b27b.jpg

(working on a post that deals with fishing fall downs but after leaving that location and seeing what the two were producing it may be a minute....hard to leave the big ones :biggrin​ )

good post and good pics,keep them coming

GREAT POST:HandsClapping! This is the kind of post that helps everyone with their electronics, regardless of experience level. Great example of how to use all the options on your machine to pick a contour feature on the map,locate that spot on SI then find cover and fish with 2D. More like this one PLEASE:ThumbsUp.

great post :ThumbsUp

Very nice, thanks for posting this.

Great electronics lesson:highfive

Super post!

Thank You

Don
I thought you were using lowrance 7 hds but the excellent side images look like a hb 998?

Great post. Thanks a lot for posting. I sure learned something from it. I just wish I could get my 2d to look that good.

Very good post, nice crappie too!

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Originally Posted by cray

Great post. Thanks a lot for posting. I sure learned something from it. I just wish I could get my 2d to look that good.

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cray

2D shots can vary depending on speed, depth and what the fish are doing under the boat to mention just a few. Settings to bring out the best shot can vary as well. The arches that one is wanting to see is not there every time so don't let this discourage you. Time of day can also have what some call clutter but it could be plankton early and late or sediment from a windy day or after a rain. The shot in this post didn't have arches as this below shot has but can still be ID'd as fish.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps29936ef1.png

PM me some of your shots and settings and I'll try to help you with the 2D. The software has also been linked to some 2D problems in various units.

slabbacks, I just installed 7.090 on my 998c SI unit. The 2D .... especially with 200/83kHz (max mode) looks like it pixel real bad. Do you know if this has been a problem with this software? Sorry no snaps at this time, still working to get good images with new 360 TM. I have not been using 2D a lot lately with all the SI, DI, 360, but I think it can at times be every useful and need to get back to using it again.

rd, that has been a problem with the newer updates and 2D. Max Mode on the bow unit is something I like at times depending on where the fish are.

Why just SI & 2d images ?? Does your unit not have DI capabilities ??

Is that braid on that rod ... or some seriously twisted mono ? :yikes :Rofl

... cp :kewl

Slabbacks, I didn't remember that 6.490 before I had to update to 7.090 for the 360 TM. Thanks

Humminbird Greg did a good write up on 2D last year I remember reading. I have it saved on the PC, I'll find it and with his permission I'll repost it here if you want.

CP must just be the shot...nothing wrong with the line. But thanks for noticing, you have a real good day.

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Originally Posted by slabbacks

Humminbird Greg did a good write up on 2D last year I remember reading. I have it saved on the PC, I'll find it and with his permission I'll repost it here if you want.

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I sure would appreciate that if you could.

Not my thread but CP they do have di on these units. It uses same crystals as the si........this is why some say Lowrance has a better di. I stay away from the argument as I think they are both great units. slabbacks I do not get arches much at all since upgrading to 7.020 on my 899. I am not too concerned about it...yet...I use the di but the software has a problem there also. If I use sharpness in di and use chart speed of 2 through 5 I get the noise lines across the screen. In talking with Humminbird they tell me they know about it and are working on a fix. Since I am in a kayak 2 is my optimum setting....I can drop down to one and use sharpness in di but that is really a slow scroll. Here is pic of some Gills on a little drop.....I had this in one of your other posts as well but thought some might like to see it here. To me finding ledges is made very easy with the si. What amazes me is how barren some of the smaller lakes can be when it comes to bottom features. I have pretty much exhausted my search on 320 acre Laurel Hill Lake looking for ledges...gravel......anything. The lake just does not have it. So the Gills just suspend in deep water....tough to find and stay on top of them. So time to search other lakes. I think I have my 2d tuned pretty good and have gone through Greg and Doug's videos several times....all great tools.....but there are some issues there that need to be worked out so will be following this thread with interest.


Regards

Slabback, the article on 2D would be great if Greg OK with it. Or maybe he has a link ... Tx

Great stuff! Thanks!!!

I feel like a better fisherman just by your post. Thank You

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Originally Posted by rdjj71m

Slabback, the article on 2D would be great if Greg OK with it. Or maybe he has a link ... Tx

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this is the link that will go to the post it was in on the 2D. His reply is 6 or 7 down.

Alton Jones on Understanding 2D Sonar Video

Alphahawk, same here on the Low/HB thing. Had both and both have great units, waist of fishing time debating and normally turns into a pissing contest I'd rather not see here. I do these based on questions I had just starting out and hope it helps others to learn their units some.

Do you remember what your Sen. was set at in your shot? It looks like you had sharpness on low as well.

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Originally Posted by slabbacks

Alphahawk, same here on the Low/HB thing. Had both and both have great units, waist of fishing time debating and normally turns into a pissing contest I'd rather not see here. I do these based on questions I had just starting out and hope it helps others to learn their units some.

Do you remember what your Sen. was set at in your shot? It looks like you had sharpness on low as well.

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Had sharpness on low in si...good eye......can't use sharpness in di due to the software bug. My sensitivity was probably set at 12. Laurel Hill fertilizes quite heavily and sometimes have to turn sensitivity down. Yeah just as long as one has a good unit and it helps them put more fish in the boat doesn't matter the brand. Being in my mid 60's somedays I did not want to put an 80 pound kayak in the water. But since getting the 899 I get excited to get on the water. Forums are about learning and while I have been a crappie.com member for a while have not been involved with forum as much as I should have been. But really glad I found your post about the deep water Gills. I had the bluegill beds down pat with si and this spring I was catching instead of fishing. Went out yesterday and scanned over 30 beds in about a 1/3 of the lake. Really spent time tuning the unit yesterday and had what is probably my best snapshot of beds yet...really sharp. What really stood out was "Nobody was home"....LOL. There was not a single fish on any of those beds. They were out deep and I had already spent 5 hours paddling and was pooped....LOL. But to the point of forums being for learning.....I knew that Gills went deep in summer but was trying to put that knowledge together with the si on how to go about finding them.....the post you did on Drop Shoting really hit home with me....and so does this one. I have read many of the posts Greg has over at the Humminbird site and watched many of the Doug Vahrenberg videos...all good stuff. But learning is an ongoing thing and glad you are doing your posts.....keep up the good work.

Regards

fertilized lake explains a lot of the clutter then, they do that over here on Bedford lake and you can see the stuff floating on top as well. Almost useless to hit it in SI when it's like that due to the clutter it gives.

Great post! Thank you!

What a great post. I have the right gear just not the knowledge. This will come. I am running my lowrance at 800 and dropping my trolling motor and have the hb at 455 it gives me some great perspective. I just use the engine to keep me at 4-5 mph. Thank you.

I recommend this becomes a sticky.

Thx brettw, catfan is working on putting the SI Interps together for one now.

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Originally Posted by dallman

What a great post. I have the right gear just not the knowledge. This will come. I am running my lowrance at 800 and dropping my trolling motor and have the hb at 455 it gives me some great perspective. I just use the engine to keep me at 4-5 mph. Thank you.

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Good way to do it dallman, hope it puts you guys on some slabs.

yea what they said . thx Tom

Awesome Tom. You have mastered that thing!