depth finder 101

[Flippy]

ok so how exactly do you know what type of bottom ur fishing by looking at the sonar any and all info is appreciated

[Flippy]

hard to learn without a teacher even harder to teach without learnin

[1/4 stick]

Got no idea man. I use the old fashioned method of falling out the boat.

[Bassboss]

Here, I found this on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcJE0fEsicI

Hope this helps!

[Jigger]

Have you read your owners manual? The owners manual usually has photos of different types of bottoms. If you've lost it, there is usually one on line.

Pay attention to your depth finder when you are over bottom compositions you are sure of such as rock, weeds, sand, mud etc and you will quickly learn what the depth finder is showing you in other areas you are not sure of. IE go to a sandy beach area and check out the bottom; when you pull up weeds with a crankbait pull over to the weeds and look at them with your depth finder etc, etc.

[Captmikestarrett]

My old paper graph would show O2 line.. something I miss..

Normally hard bottoms are a thin dark bottom. Soft bottoms show a thicker bottom line.

Each make and model are different. For instance a flasher will over shell bottom will give a double echo. Over mud the bottom line will get wider.

So what make and model is it?

Capt Mike

[nofearengineer]

This might be more of a Depth Finder 301 graduate level question, but I am wanting to get a nice GPS/Chartplotter unit for my helm. I'm looking at a Lowrance 642c iGPS at a good price. It has both network inputs and outputs (NMEA 0183). If I buy a lesser (cheaper) unit for my bow, but it still has an NMEA input, can I possibly read GPS and map overlays from my helm unit at the bow while using the bow sonar transducer? I figure that would help a lot when trying to stay on a particular spot.

I just want to know if this is possible...obviously, I don't have a specific bow unit in mind yet, but would like at least to keep the opportunity open when selecting my helm unit. All you experienced captains, feel free to give me your thoughts.

[Captmikestarrett]

(NMEA 0183) is for connecting radio distress button. You should be looking for NMEA2000 for multible heads in a network..


642c iGPS is an Eagle product and according to specs has no networks..


Capt Mike

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

(NMEA 0183) is for connecting radio distress button. You should be looking for NMEA2000 for multible heads in a network..
Capt Mike

Mike, are you sure? You're the pro, but Wiki is where I got some of my info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMEA_0183

[Captmikestarrett]

NMEA 2000



This is the way to do it..

Capt Mike

[Bubba_Bruiser]

Flippy, I have not watched it and I am sure they are pushing it because they want to make money. But http://bassedge.com/sections/show_sh...udio+%26+Video
I listened to the podcast about the video the other day and it sounds pretty informative about setting, understanding, and using your electronics.

[nofearengineer]

Mike...thanks for the great diagram pic.

My system of course, would not be quite as complex. Being for a bass boat, Ideally I would just have one great fishfinder with GPS and maps at my helm, a less expensive unit at the bow that could leach off of the helm unit for GPS and mapping. Each unit would of course have its own transducer. I'll figure out more soon.

[66KingFisher]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

This might be more of a Depth Finder 301 graduate level question, but I am wanting to get a nice GPS/Chartplotter unit for my helm. I'm looking at a Lowrance 642c iGPS at a good price. It has both network inputs and outputs (NMEA 0183). If I buy a lesser (cheaper) unit for my bow, but it still has an NMEA input, can I possibly read GPS and map overlays from my helm unit at the bow while using the bow sonar transducer? I figure that would help a lot when trying to stay on a particular spot.

Why do engineers always make things so difficult?.....You don't need all that fancy gps, sonar, map overlay, networking stuff.....if'n ya want to stay on a particular fishin spot just toss a buoy over the side. Come on down here to Arkansas and i'll teach ya how to make one out of a sodypop bottle, some strang and a rock, and you can even drink the pop.....lol

[Bender]

Over the NMEA2000 or Interlink (HB) units share the GPS signal and waypoints, but not maps. Each unit has to have its own map chip. I wish there was some way (cheap) to get my HB to share waypoints with my Lowrance.

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by Bender

Over the NMEA2000 or Interlink (HB) units share the GPS signal and waypoints, but not maps. Each unit has to have its own map chip. I wish there was some way (cheap) to get my HB to share waypoints with my Lowrance.

The Lowrance net has a GPS unit and several head units (dummys) that work off the main unit. They do share waypoints and maps..

http://bassfishingtoys.blogspot.com/...rance-net.html

EDIT: My bad you have an HB and Lowrance unit..

Capt Mike

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by 66KingFisher

Why do engineers always make things so difficult?.....You don't need all that fancy gps, sonar, map overlay, networking stuff.....if'n ya want to stay on a particular fishin spot just toss a buoy over the side. Come on down here to Arkansas and i'll teach ya how to make one out of a sodypop bottle, some strang and a rock, and you can even drink the pop.....lol

Hey...I get paid to make things more complicated!

But seriously, I have a set of marker buoys...they work just fine for Crappie fishing, or if I manage to accidentally drop something overboard. haha

What marker buoys don't do for you is find the brushpile you found last week. I suppose if I really wanted to be old-school, I could break out my sextant



but I dropped it overboard the last time I circumnavigated the globe solo, and I hadn't bought my marker buoys yet!

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Mike...thanks for the great diagram pic.

My system of course, would not be quite as complex. Being for a bass boat, Ideally I would just have one great fishfinder with GPS and maps at my helm, a less expensive unit at the bow that could leach off of the helm unit for GPS and mapping. Each unit would of course have its own transducer. I'll figure out more soon.

Assuming that the unit on the front of the boat has GPS capability, and is NMEA 2000 capatible. I guess you could set it up where you can save the waypoints on both and view trails on both. Rather than go through all of that, I simply mounted my helm mounted GPS/Depthfinder (520c) on a RAM mount and simply turn the thing towards me while I am on the Trolling motor. I still have an X97 on the T-motor, but use the GPS to home in on my brushpiles.

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

Assuming that the unit on the front of the boat has GPS capability, and is NMEA 2000 capatible. I guess you could set it up where you can save the waypoints on both and view trails on both. Rather than go through all of that, I simply mounted my helm mounted GPS/Depthfinder (520c) on a RAM mount and simply turn the thing towards me while I am on the Trolling motor. I still have an X97 on the T-motor, but use the GPS to home in on my brushpiles.

Lots of good ideas there for me to chew on, Bob. Thanks.

Cap'n Mike...you're right about the NMEW 2000 stuff. I'm looking at Lowrance's website and they have tons of info on networking. I think this will really help my open-water fishing next year when I decide on a system and get it rigged up. Unlike a lot of fishermen, I totally enjoy the quiet concentration of slow-working a C-Rig over a deep hump. Easier on the shoulders than shore-shredding too.