Tips for using FishFinder?

[TheBoyScout]

Hey guys, I recently got myself a Lowrance HDI Elite 5 for my hobie and was wondering if any of you guys had any tips on frequencies to use, split screen options, or anything you guys can think of to help me get better acustomed to my new unit. I've never fished with one before but I'm looking to get good! And become a fish slayer this coming summer!! I want to target big game fish :D
If you guys could leave some tips or links to good articles i would really appreciate it! Thanks!
-Ray

[Hunters Pa]

I think Lowrance does tutorials at the Fred Hall Show, but they fill up fast and signing up in advance is recommended.

I need to look into this as well.

[Saba Slayer]

The Lowrance classrom will be right next to the Kayaks at the Long Beach Show and very close to the Hobie seminar area. The class does fill up fast but they do a few everyday so you can usually get a spot if you try. You should take the time to go Shawn...it's about a 45min or an hour class.
I did the class last year and it's helpful... although a lot of the class material was about participating in the online mapping service that Lowrance has developed.
Kevin Nakada and I did a GPS and Finder seminar last year at the Hobie area at the Del Mar Show. Kevin covered the Lowrance HDS 5 finder and it's adjustments for yellowrtail at La Jolla and I went over the Lowrance Chartplotter/GPS functions. I imagine we'll do it again this year at Del Mar.
Kevin's seminar was pretty helpful... Mine was only OK...LOL...:confused:

[Mr. NiceGuy]

I think Lowrance does tutorials at the Fred Hall Show, but they fill up fast and signing up in advance is recommended.

I need to look into this as well.

BTW, for those who don't know, the Fred Hall Show at Del Mar Fairgrounds is just around the corner. It runs for 4 days, from March 17-20.

http://www.fredhall.com/pages/san_diego/sandiego.php

[Murray]

How do we pre register for ff seminar?

[Saba Slayer]

Murray - "How do we pre register for ff seminar?"

Last year I had to sign-up at the Lowrance Booth then show up for my appointed time at the "classroom" area.
Pretty easy deal....although I don't think you can sign-up before the show.

[Hunters Pa]

Shawn...it's about a 45min or an hour class.
I did the class last year and it's helpful... although a lot of the class material was about participating in the online mapping service that Lowrance has developed.
Kevin Nakada and I did a GPS and Finder seminar last year at the Hobie area at the Del Mar Show. Kevin covered the Lowrance HDS 5 finder and it's adjustments for yellowrtail at La Jolla and I went over the Lowrance Chartplotter/GPS functions. I imagine we'll do it again this year at Del Mar.
Kevin's seminar was pretty helpful... Mine was only OK...LOL...:confused:

Or I could just get my butt out on the water and actually use the damn thing

[jorluivil]

I get most of my info from Youtube. Sometimes when I'm on the water and I'm bored (which is most of the time) I will get on Youtube and look at watch some of the tutorials.

[GregAndrew]

Here you go. And remember that you asked for it :D
http://doctorsonar.com/blogs/educational-articles/12380345-lowrance-pros-corner-by-luke-morris

[Caseym]

I'll take a stab at smartening you up on your FF.
Disclaimer: First off, I'm an idiot, I forget most things I read, so once on the water I'm always like "how do I do that again?"
I've had three different brands and although the functions differ, I kinda find the same settings provide a good view with ea.
1. I leave mine in dual 83/200 so it reads wide and general and narrow and accurate, then it combines them and provides a comprehensive running picture on your screen. I've fooled around with only the wide and only the narrow, but I always just end up going back to the auto "combined 83/200" setting.
2. For depth range in a boat where your going back and forth from deep to shallow I leave it in "auto" so it adjusts to the bottom with my movement. But with the kayak it takes so long to go from 80ft. To say 120 feet that I usually just manually set it to the depth I'm concentrating on and if I go deeper or shallower I'll just bump it up or down accordingly. There's usually a focus depth screen that will allow you to zoom in on a section of the water column...say 80-100 feet.
3. Color, black and white and contrast is your choice, sometimes the sun or nighttime you'll just see things better by trying different options....its personal so go mess with it.
4. Turn OFF the Fish Identifier selection, otherwise it'll be showing everything in the water column as a fish rather than just a color mark. There's a lot of floating stuff out there....more later.
5. The long stringy yellow things coming up from the bottom are kelp. Those blue tiny dots all over the screen are red crab. The mass of yellow color that usually contains a red middle is mackerel or different bait.
6. If there's a swell expect your bottom contour to be consistently uneven. If your looking for stones, instead focus on sharp edges that don't conform to the even swells.
There, that's my general starting info. Others with more experience/knowledge will hopefully chime in and offer other suggestions or ideas.
Good Luck!

[TheBoyScout]

I'll take a stab at smartening you up on your FF.

Disclaimer: First off, I'm an idiot, I forget most things I read, so once on the water I'm always like "how do I do that again?"

I've had three different brands and although the functions differ, I kinda find the same settings provide a good view with ea.

1. I leave mine in dual 83/200 so it reads wide and general and narrow and accurate, then it combines them and provides a comprehensive running picture on your screen. I've fooled around with only the wide and only the narrow, but I always just end up going back to the auto "combined 83/200" setting.

2. For depth range in a boat where your going back and forth from deep to shallow I leave it in "auto" so it adjusts to the bottom with my movement. But with the kayak it takes so long to go from 80ft. To say 120 feet that I usually just manually set it to the depth I'm concentrating on and if I go deeper or shallower I'll just bump it up or down accordingly. There's usually a focus depth screen that will allow you to zoom in on a section of the water column...say 80-100 feet.

3. Color, black and white and contrast is your choice, sometimes the sun or nighttime you'll just see things better by trying different options....its personal so go mess with it.

4. Turn OFF the Fish Identifier selection, otherwise it'll be showing everything in the water column as a fish rather than just a color mark. There's a lot of floating stuff out there....more later.

5. The long stringy yellow things coming up from the bottom are kelp. Those blue tiny dots all over the screen are red crab. The mass of yellow color that usually contains a red middle is mackerel or different bait.

6. If there's a swell expect your bottom contour to be consistently uneven. If your looking for stones, instead focus on sharp edges that don't conform to the even swells.

There, that's my general starting info. Others with more experience/knowledge will hopefully chime in and offer other suggestions or ideas.

Good Luck!


That definitely helps man! I'll have to try those tips out. Thanks!


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[Denis_Ruso]

I didn't ask for it but I'm sure glad you posted that article. Great help since I just recently got a Lowrance 5 Chirp and only used it once.

Here you go. And remember that you asked for it :D
http://doctorsonar.com/blogs/educational-articles/12380345-lowrance-pros-corner-by-luke-morris

[acorad]

Here you go. And remember that you asked for it :D
http://doctorsonar.com/blogs/educational-articles/12380345-lowrance-pros-corner-by-luke-morris

Great link!

Andy

[Caseym]

A couple more...
Yo yo an iron off the bottom, watch it on you ff. Gives u an idea of movement, size, delay etc.
Also when u pin a mac on a dropper loop see if u can watch him just off the bottom. Again just gives u an idea of the size of things at that depth.
Again, Im no expert, most if theae things were either shared with me by cool guys on here, or just sort of trial and error.
GL

[Dexter419]

I use split screen and have structure on one and standard on the other. Changing my colors to a dark background for structure really pulls out details. The one tip I can tell you is "Press twice".

Press the pages button twice to toggle between them rapidly.
Press Enter twice to create a waypoint.

Remember, pressing the left arrow will allow you to "rewind" the FF in case you missed structure, drops, or bottom material changes.

I am still learning, mine, but those are the tips that help me.

[bus kid]

http://www.navionics.com/en/webinar