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I am looking for some ideas and advice on a sonar unit. I use both a pontoon boat and a Fish Cat 4 tube. I am looking at eventually getting a sonar unit that I can use on both. I would switch it from one mount to the other depending on what I was fishing on that day. Mounting ideas also would be great.
I have seen TubeDude's mount, but I don't know what brand it is or if I could make it switchable for my situation.
What are the important numbers to look for in buying sonar? -- besides price of course that is ALWAYS important!
I am pretty ignorant in this area. Please help and educate me. At least point me toward some good websites.
Thanks!
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[cool][#0000ff]There are several members who have set up a single sonar unit to be easily interchanged between their favorite tube and/or a toon or kayak. And, with the setup I use, I can easily put the components in an insulated container and take them out on the ice for ice fishing. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My current sonar is the Humminbird 565. It is a step up from the less expensive Eagle units but neither as pricey or as high in wattage as some of the more exotic sonars. It does everything a tooner or tuber needs, without spending a lot of extra money. If you watch online you can usually get one for under $200.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The key, for multi craft installation is to set up the basic mounting hardware the same on each craft...and then simply move the sonar to whichever one you want to take out for the day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Come on back if you need some more pictures or assistance in standardizing your craft setup. The main idea is to have a quick attach mount for both the sonar display and the transducer. Hopefully you can derive enough from previously posted pictures but I have more detailed ones if needed.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some of the terms: [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Watts: The higher the peak to peak watts, the more sensitive the unit will be and the better the detail it will pick up and display. Low wattage units (under 1000 watts) tend to show a lot of false readings, etc..[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Cone angle: The angle at which the transducer shoots a sonar beam can be important. The narrower the beam, the smaller the area it covers and the less you see on the screen. A 20 degree cone is about average. That means that the area you see is equal to about 1/3 of the depth...or about a 5 foot circle at 15 feet depth...and smaller between top and bottom. A 60 degree cone angle shows an area equal to the depth...or a 10 foot circle at 10 feet. The Humminbird 565 has a dual cone angle...20 degrees AND 60 degrees. All of the fish within the 20 degree cone show up in dark black. The fish outside the 20 degree cone, but inside the 60 degree cone, show up as outlines only. This lets you see more fish in the area and to know the ones that are directly below you.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Temperature: It is good to have a temp guage on your sonar. Many times the fish will respond to minor changes in water temp and it is good to monitor it as the day goes on and as you move from spot to spot.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Speed: Not necessary.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]GPS: Optional. Better as a separate unit.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Color: Nice for nice, but nonessential.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That should get you started.[/#0000ff]
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[size 4][#000000][size 3][url "http://www.lowrance.com/Support/Tips-and-Tutorials/Sonar-Tutorial/"]http://www.lowrance.com/Support/Tips-and-Tutorials/Sonar-Tutorial/[/url][/size][/#000000][/size][signature]
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I have the eagle 480 fishmark. I made a all in one unit to go on my FC4 that is removable with two clips. The finder holder also has a battery box. I have used this all year and I like this unit a lot and would not change a thing. After I got my pontoon I made a FF holder for it. The way it is made I can switch the viewer and the mount under it. I had an extra transducer from a cuda 300 I don't use so i don't need to switch the wires.
Some time I am going to place the transducer behind the seat. I am not real fond of where it is at. I bump it once and a while with fins on.
Here is what mine looks like. Ron
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Thanks guys,
The Humminbird 565 is the current one I have been leaning toward. By the time I get around to buying --next year, things may have changed alot.
I have searched the archives, but there was so much it was kind of hard to sort out. The Watts and angle make a lot more sense now.
Ron, I like how you have the battery on the outrigger. Do you get any drag on that side from the transducer and the rest of the set up?
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The only part of the fish finder set up that is in the water is the 1/2" pipe under the battery box that skimms the top of the water, and the short transducer. There is NO drag from that at all. The fish basket full of catfish now that is a drag. I keep the basket upside down until I start to put fish in it. Evan the empty basket can be a drag.
I would not even think about a FF that is less than 1500 watts. Even with 1500 watts, I still don't see catfish on the bottom all the time. If they are a just off the bottom I can see them. If they are flat on the bottom most of the time I don't see them. Ron
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A basket of catfish is WORTH the drag.
You can really see the catfish! I am amazed.
The only experience I have had with FF is an older Bottomline Fishing Buddy.
I kind of liked its sidefinder feature and temperature, but really the only other things I could tell about the bottom was the depth. Sometimes if I was lucky, I could guess at some suspended fish, but not often. Didn't use it much unless it was somewhere I hadn't fished before. Then I just used it for depth and temp.
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I like the 480 but I think there are better FF out there. I would recommend it it is a good unit. But I would like to try a humminbird in the same places to compare them. Ron
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The old Fishing buddys were TERRIBLE!!!! and the price outrageous for what you got.
The new ones are by Hummingbird and 101% better.
I have used Hummingbird for about 8 years now and still going strong.
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Do you mind my asking what model of Humminbird you have? What do you like best about it?
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It is an oldie. Something like the T300. It was the top of the line back when. No arches, just little fish. No speed or water temp either, but side finder and auto.
It tells me there is a fish at 15'.....I catch a fish at 15'.
Basically, that is why I like it. Simple and it puts me onto fish.
At the first of the year, the screen somehow got cracked. It still worked but I worried about water getting in.
I took it apart, pried the plastic screen out, went to home depot and bought a piece of lexan (they even cut it to size for me)
Glued and siliconed and still working...YEA!!!!
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Is that the side finder? 15' in front of you? Or 15' deep?
I don't see the side finder option on any of the larger finders now.
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I should say a TRI beam function which includes the sides.
15' deep, and generally infront or right below. I do deep nymphing and this is very accurate at telling me what depth the fish are holding.
The eye is pointing the same direction I am facing. I go backwards so it is telling me what I passed over which is now in front of me. Does that make sense?
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Humminbird has several options that are really good for small boats, tubes or kayaks. I recommend checking out the Fishin' Buddies and SmartCast units. Here's a good site that sells a selection.
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You need 15 posts under your belt to post links and what not.
Good source so, please allow me till you get the next 8 posts[crazy]
[url "http://www.fishfindersdirect.com/humminbird.html"]http://www.fishfindersdirect.com/humminbird.html[/url]
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