Some More Recent Returns
 

Here are a few more for your amusement. Note that they are all on 83 and 150' scale.

Not sure on the first two but the third one I would think would be a halibut swimming along, looking at your bait/camera?

The last one kind of looks like Blacksmith Perch to me? Or could it be squid?

Yellowtail
Yellowtail
Black seabass
assorted reef fish?


Thanks for posting these, really informative Greg.

Pretty good, 3 out of 4!

Don't feel bad about the first one, cause it could be any number of species that might appear like that.

The shape of the marks in the second screen is the give away.

A very large Halibut could appear the shape of the third pic. But unless the colorline was way high, you would not be seeing any hard return colors (reds) at those depths off a halibut (no air bladder).


The individual tiny marks of the last pic could be any number of small sea life, but the overall spacing and distribution in the water column is what indicates their type. While Squid do range throughout the water column, you will usually either find them off of or right on the bottom. When on the bottom, they are typically not going to be densely packed more than about 10' thick.

It’s in the file names ;)

The first file name is wrong though lol. That is actually a Soupfin Shark.

Good info.

I'm looking to upgrade my sonar from the Fischer Price Lowrance toy I have:biggrinjester:.

Would you guys recommend DI for where we fish or is it just fluff?

Lowrance makes a good unit. If you dial it in right, you can get even the cheapest of units to make a picture like those above. Down imaging is more for shallow water and locating structure. Locally it would be best for fishing spotties/sandies on structure in the bays.

Can you post some Kelp-or-Fish challenges? That’s the competency level I feel I’m at.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you want to carry the insurance on my GoPro for loss, I can? Seriously, there is probably an entire book that could be written on the ways Kelp can appear on your sonar screen. The health and density of the kelp can make it look very different. How you pass over it, relative to the current, is another variable. What portion of it is in your sonar cone at the time is yet another. Finding fish in the kelp is just a matter of looking for the more solid and/or different color marks (assuming you are not in the thick of it). The large air bulbs on Bull Kelp can be a bit more confusing, cause they give some stronger returns. There is not a lot of that around right now though.

Agree with all of this. Downscan can be great for pinpointing structure for Lobstering etc. Sidescan I am finding useful for determining "Which way did they go George?".

[emoji23] I don’t want to identify the species of kelp. I think you’re overestimating my competence or confidence.

Seriously, when I see a disconnected blob or upside-down V is it most likely a fish?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So you’re looking for shots of kelp vs shots of fish? Not shots of fish in kelp? I think that’s how Greg understood it.

Yes exactly. Sorry for the confusion.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk