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Got some great information from Gumbo ([url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=91247"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=91247[/url]) but one thing I failed to ask, and didn't see anything about in the web tutorials he referenced, is placement of the transducer while ice fishing.
Does it need to be below the level of the ice or just in the water? (since the cone is very narrow at the top I suspect that just in the water is fine)
Also are there recommendations on whether or not to clean the slush out of the hole the transducer is in? Does it matter?
I really appreciate all of the great advice everyone gives!
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Its been my experience that just so that it is in the water it is fine. It is alwas best to keep the slush and Ice cleaned out of the hole or by the end of the day you may find yourself chipping the transducer out.
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I'll give you my best shot, plus a little extra advice. I place my transducer, so that it just touches the bottom of the ice, putting it up a little further probably would also be fine. I would clean out the floating ice chunks that are left in the hole by the auger. The ice could have different density than the surrounding water, and could interfere with the operation of the transducer. If it is below freezing, I also turn on the backlight on the screen. They don't function very well when they are really cold, and I have heard that if they get cold enough that they can even be damaged from the extreme cold. If it isn't below freezing, or if you are not fishing at night, leave the backlight off because leaving it on consumes more power.
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Thats good info I've got a little Hawkeye FF3300PX that I haven't used yet Petty gave it to me so I need to try it out. I think its been handed around because someone gave it to him. But its all I got for now so we'll just make do with it. I just need to learn how to use it.
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I just got home from Utah Lake. I was using my Vexilar without even putting it in the hole. I had the transducer sitting in the slush next to the hole and it shot through the ice just fine. Of course I was only in 6' of water and the ice is only 2 1/2 " thick, but it did work fine set on low power. On high power, I'll bet it will work O.K. even with thick ice and deeper water. As long as the ice is clear. Any air pockets and signal is lost.
WalleyeBob
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Where did you fish on UT lake and how did it go? I was going to try and get down there tonight after work.
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You don't need to put your ducer all the way down thru the hole just drop it in a couple of inches in the water then let it sit, if you put it to far down the hole then your just going to get a tangley mess when you catch a fish. I've actually had fish right below the ice bump into my ducer and scaring the pee out of me, so its o.k to put it down a couple a inches!
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that little hawkeye is makeing the rounds icefishinggod gave it to me i gave it to pity now he's giving it to you keep this up and the whole BFT crew in utah will have a chance at it
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