Sonar newbie - Help me decipher these screenshots

I'm a total newbie when it comes to fishing electronics. Ive had some of the old black and white Eagle sonar units in the past but I purely used them for depth readings. I finally got a Helix 5 SI/GPS. I idled around yesterday afternoon checking out a local lake and captured the images below. The settings are all factory aside from the fish ID turned on (just to see what the unit called a fish vs what I thought) and the sharpness I believe of the DI from off to low. Sonar was set to 200/83 combo.

I think the factor fish id sensitivity is on a 5 out 10. It seems like some of those arches are no doubt fish so why doesn't it label them? Also, my DI seems to have really poor readings. The water is way down but I went over what I thought had to be laydowns and never got any pretty pictures like advertised. Maybe I missed them though.

Also, what species are those arches likely indicating and what size fish may they be? That's the part I really don't understand as of now.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/...pslsfzrjao.png

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/...psukutibiy.png

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/...psbkyaj9bn.png

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7orgfwmx.png

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/...psreignjlx.png

Of note, I was matching boat speed to chart speed on all but the last image where I was drifting. Not sure what the chart speed was on for that shot.

I am not a "Bird" user but your 200/83 setting my be the problem. My understanding is that setting is for really deep water like offshore.
Maybe some others will chime in for better help.

I think your unit could have been tuned a little better. Keep in mind....Sometimes laydowns are covered in moss and weeds. If that is the case then the DI will not show crisp pictures of individual limbs as you see in the advertisement. Your unit WILL achieve advertisement photos. I have confidence in that. Your doing good and learning. Learn with every outing. You will get it down and it wont take ya long.

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Originally Posted by LowePro

I think your unit could have been tuned a little better. Keep in mind....Sometimes laydowns are covered in moss and weeds. If that is the case then the DI will not show crisp pictures of individual limbs as you see in the advertisement. Your unit WILL achieve advertisement photos. I have confidence in that. Your doing good and learning. Learn with every outing. You will get it down and it wont take ya long.

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I should probably delete that last picture. I know I shouldn't expect a good down image when barely drifting.

I'm probably most interested in the DI image from the 2nd shot. Is that vertical structure or fish? Or both?

I RUN 200 AND 83 ,NO PROBLEM DEEP OR SHALLOW,DON'T EXPECT ON A SI UNIT TO GET MANY GREAT PHOTO STYLE SHOTS,TRUE DI WOULD DO BETTER,AS FOR FISH ID,I NEVER USE IT,MOST OF YOUR SHOTS WERE FAIRLY GOOD,THE DI IS GOING TO SHOW A MUCH SMALLER PIC OF FISH THAN YOUR 2D BUT WITH A LITTLE TIME ON WATER YOU WILL BETTER INTERPRET THE DI MUCH BETTER THAN 2D,THOSE WERE SMALL FISH ,MY GUESS ABOUT 6 INCHES JUDGING FROM SIZE ON DI AND THE DEPTH YOU HAD IT SET,HOWEVER I DO NOT HAVE A SMALL UNIT LIKE THAT AND AM COMPARING IT TO MY UNIT WHICH MAY BE A NO NO.WHAT I WOULD SUGEST YOU DO IS WHEN YOU GO OVER FISH TO STOP YOUR UNIT BY HITTING CUSOR,THEN FISH TILL YOU CATCH A FEW ,THEN GO TO YOUR UNIT AND COMPARE FISH WITH SIZE OF DOTS,AFTER A WHILE IF YOU DO NOT CHANGE THE DEPTH YOU WILL GET A IDEA OF SIZE OF FISH AND WITH TIME WHAT KIND OF FISH THAT COMES WITH KNOWLEDGE

Last pic is just showing the streaks as that's fish moving. And your going slow enough to show them moving. I use DI even when setting still, its unreal what you can see in DI.
I run my Helix 10 SI on 200 when looking at stuff like that. Plus it allows me to watch fish as they move up to hit my jigs.

PEte

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Originally Posted by genec

I RUN 200 AND 83 ,NO PROBLEM DEEP OR SHALLOW,DON'T EXPECT ON A SI UNIT TO GET MANY GREAT PHOTO STYLE SHOTS,TRUE DI WOULD DO BETTER,AS FOR FISH ID,I NEVER USE IT,MOST OF YOUR SHOTS WERE FAIRLY GOOD,THE DI IS GOING TO SHOW A MUCH SMALLER PIC OF FISH THAN YOUR 2D BUT WITH A LITTLE TIME ON WATER YOU WILL BETTER INTERPRET THE DI MUCH BETTER THAN 2D,THOSE WERE SMALL FISH ,MY GUESS ABOUT 6 INCHES JUDGING FROM SIZE ON DI AND THE DEPTH YOU HAD IT SET,HOWEVER I DO NOT HAVE A SMALL UNIT LIKE THAT AND AM COMPARING IT TO MY UNIT WHICH MAY BE A NO NO.WHAT I WOULD SUGEST YOU DO IS WHEN YOU GO OVER FISH TO STOP YOUR UNIT BY HITTING CUSOR,THEN FISH TILL YOU CATCH A FEW ,THEN GO TO YOUR UNIT AND COMPARE FISH WITH SIZE OF DOTS,AFTER A WHILE IF YOU DO NOT CHANGE THE DEPTH YOU WILL GET A IDEA OF SIZE OF FISH AND WITH TIME WHAT KIND OF FISH THAT COMES WITH KNOWLEDGE

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Thanks. So when using sonar/DI together it is best to use the DI to help determine fish size and sonar for locating them for cross reference?

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Originally Posted by ShilohRed

Last pic is just showing the streaks as that's fish moving. And your going slow enough to show them moving. I use DI even when setting still, its unreal what you can see in DI.
I run my Helix 10 SI on 200 when looking at stuff like that. Plus it allows me to watch fish as they move up to hit my jigs.

PEte

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Is the 200 khz the narrower cone?

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Originally Posted by scout-j-m

Is the 200 khz the narrower cone?

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If
I remember right, the 200khz is 20 degree. I know when using it, I have to have the jig right under the Trolling motor. But also it lets me know the brush I'm fishing is under the boat. Not 20ft to the side.
Attachment 251625
Pete

YES DI WILL TELL THE SIZE OF CRAPPIE MUCH BETTER THAN 2D,AGAIN AS FOR 200 VS 83 ,I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME TO USE NARROW CONE TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE STRAIGHT OVER BRUSH,MOST OF MY FISHING IS BP AND I USE BOTH,IT IS NOT HARD TO TELL WHEN YOU ARE OVER PILE,WHEN YOU ARE STRAIGHT OVER IT,IT WILL BE AT ITS HIGHEST AND MOST SOLID COLOR,YOU WILL KNOW,HOWEVER WITH NARROW CONE YOU WILL DRIFT PASS THE BRUSH AT TIMES AND WILL NOT KNOW WHICH WAY IT IS AT,I HAVE MINE SET WHERE I CAN SEE FISH MOVING UP AND DOWN IN THE BRUSH WITH 2D AND DI UNLESS IT IS NEW OR THICK BRUSH,IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET THEM ADJUSTED TO DO IT BUT MOST UNITS WILL DO IT.I USE TO HAVE A 798 AND I MUST SAY I HAD IT ADJUSTED BETTER THAN ANY OF MY BIGGER UNITS.I ALSO WATCH FISH COMING UP TO EXAMINE AND HIT 1/32 JIG THAT I AM WATCHING,I MUST ADMIT RARELY DO I SEE JIG IN BRUSH UNLESS I GO TO BIGGER SIZE

On that last picture, one thing you can do is hit cursor and stop unit. Hit menus and go to your settings, then adjust your settings to get the cleatest picture you can. May have to do that several times during the day, depending on water clarity,depth, temp changes.