Setting Side Scan in shallow water

[SacalaitBert]

I have a 60 acre pond that averages about 10 feet in depth and my boat has a Lowrance HDS9 Gen 2 Touch and a Humminbird 899ci HD SI sonar. I have disappointing sidescan results in shallow waters of around 10 feet. I have set the side scan on them from 30 to 80 feet in range and get nothing unless I am within about 5 yards of the structure. The downscan works great. I need some help.

[MThook]

I'm guessing here, but how clear is the water? Could the side scan be reflecting the algae in the water?

[SacalaitBert]

I'm guessing here, but how clear is the water? Could the side scan be reflecting the algae in the water?

I have tried in both clear(visibility down to 5 feet below the surface) and turbid waters. At the moment, the water has a moderate bloom(visibility down to about 2.5 feet). I think your concern for algae makes perfect sense. What makes me wonder is why I can clearly see structure using the downscan at 60 feet but not to the side at 30 feet; and of course we know the aglal bloom would be found nearest the surface above the thermocline. What then would be a reasonable range estimate for a side scan in a moderate bloom?

[BigDawgg]

Could it be the transducer? I don't know. I am just asking.

[STUMP HUNTER]

What side setting to you have the unit set at? Is the setting set to reach out over 30'? Is it set to read each side? Just some questions to check.

[strmwalker]

here is a good article on side scan in shallow water !!!
FLW Fishing: The sideways view of shallow water

[BigDawgg]

Why not pose this question on the electronic section and see if some of the others have an answer? I would like to know why?

[MidHillbilly]

I have Humminbird SI that I just got earlier this year, so I am by no means an expert. So far I have found by running past brush piles that I knew were there that the boat speed and the graph speed are very important to being able to see something that you can identify. You may want to play with this some. The boat needs to be moving about 2-6 mph. Depending on the light conditions, I may also change the graph color. Normally, I seem to be able to see the brown scale better but it probably depends on an individual's eyes and what color he sees variation better. SI to me is always harder to see things than DI because of the background. Something sticking up off of the bottom on DI is just easier to pick out than just a difference in the shade of the return. The hardness of the bottom also makes a big difference in being able to pick things out as a hard bottom will give a brighter return which can make it harder to see another hard return from something like brush or a fish. Adjust the sensitivity sometimes helps with this. I am still not anywhere near where I want to be with it, but I get a little more confidence each time I use it. Using it to see things I knew were there and seeing them on the chart was a big help.