Badin 8-3

Wife and I went to Badin last night. Fished from 7 til 2. Caught 2 Crappie, 1 bluegill, 1 bass and 4 small striped fish. We have no idea if they are striped bass, bodie bass or white bass.

We put in at shoreline drive ramp, and fished around the two islands near the golf course. We fished several spots with a total water depth of 19-24 feet since that is what the lastest reports have said to have caught fish.

Wind was pretty stout at times and kicked up the surface pretty good. Was difficult to keep the boat in one area. When we got into sheltered areas, there was no bait and not fish.

We are not comfortable with the HB 899 we have on the boat, dont trust it, so couldn’t tell you if there were more fish in the area or not.

One of these days we will figure this stuff out, last night was not it.

Sounds like a few trips I've had. I'd start the turnaround with trashing the HB and invest in something I trusted.

I've got the helix 5 up front and a 597 in the middle no problem with either one [emoji476]

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Originally Posted by bestfriend

Sounds like a few trips I've had. I'd start the turnaround with trashing the HB and invest in something I trusted.

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Our issue with the HB is we have never used fish electronics before, new to boat fishing. So I honestly can't say that we would have more confidence in anything else. We just do not have the experience in sonar return interpretation or the confidence to say what is or isn't a fish.

If you set the bird right it want lie.

Cause, there are a bunch of people on the NC forum that can help you and they're lot of u-tube videos on sonar operation and interpretation. However I'm not one of them lol!!!!!

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Originally Posted by brucec

Cause, there are a bunch of people on the NC forum that can help you and they're lot of u-tube videos on sonar operation and interpretation. However I'm not one of them lol!!!!!

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I know the feeling. I have watched videos and read threads on setting up units. I watched and read on what fish look like and funny enough I am getting good at finding stuff in images that other people post. However once out on the lake and looking at my own unit, my brain goes into doubting thomas mode. I think the issue is when the units on the boat say that there are tons of fish under me and i spend hours not catching anything I lose confidence in the unit.

I've got my 899 down pat. Go to Humminbird Side Imaging Forums - Index and study and make notes of what is offered, it's a gold mine of information. I've spent hours and hours on it and every minute was worth the time. Then, you have to get on the water and experiment, then go back and look up what you can't figure out; pretty soon you will be finding and catching more fish and your confidence level will soar.

B-

thank you i will give them a look.
Any recommendations as to where to start?

Your unit is one of the ones that is listed just read the ones for yours, also there is probably a software update for your unit that is where to get that also. you can check other units out on that site also.

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Originally Posted by Bobby J

If you set the bird right it want lie.

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Both of my birds read the same

Are you using the fish setting that shows the fish picture or the v setting. mine has a setting where i can set it to display fish and i have it set for large fish. sensitivity has a big role in what you see also. There is a way to check the varience of the actual depth and what the bird shows. If i remember right mine is 2 ft short.

mine is not set for fish id. I have read time and time again to not have this turned on.