Surface temps

[Dagwood]

Couple questions on surface temps- If I look at the surface temps on the Coastwatch website can I determine from that a good starting point when heading out fishing? And how do I determine from the lat and longitude lines how far out I will need to go to hit a particular temp break?

Thanks for the help.

Dave

[The Salmon Slayer]

The surface temperature maps aren’t of much use to me here on the Western shore of Lake Michigan.

What I recommend is a quality graph that has the sensitivity adjusted to pick up fish and bait, usually slightly less than getting a double bottom echo, not set on fish ID, and will mark bait and fish at least 30 mph.

While motoring along stop periodically when you’ve marked large schools of bait with fish present underneath or in the bait. Check the temperature where the bait is and check the temperature at 10’ increments to the bottom..If you notice a temperature split greater than 4 or 5 degrees I strongly consider stopping and setting up there. If bait is present with marks I fish there first no matter what the temperature.

The point I’m trying to make is that if the bait is present and the fish are too why look somewhere else. The key is a graph that is adjusted to pick up fish while at traveling speed.

Good Luck

[Dagwood]

That is the reason for my question unfortunately- I have a Lowrance HDS7 and anything past 1/4 throttle and the transducer picks up to much interference and the screen is unreadable. I have adjusted the transducer as much as I can with the same results. The other problem is I do not have a probe so I am fishing blind as well. Obviously I have surface temp on the graph. So many issues...

[SUPERTRAMP]

That is the reason for my question unfortunately- I have a Lowrance HDS7 and anything past 1/4 throttle and the transducer picks up to much interference and the screen is unreadable. I have adjusted the transducer as much as I can with the same results. The other problem is I do not have a probe so I am fishing blind as well. Obviously I have surface temp on the graph. So many issues...

The surface temp will show break lines, but are useless if there is cloud cover. I check them every day and you can follow trends there. There is at this time of year usually a thermocline set up in the lower lake and it is easy to see on the graph, usually a sharp change in temp. I have Fishawk X4 and look for 42 to 45 degree water at depth. Watch your surface temp as you travel and look for surface breaks for Steelhead on the top, U will usually see a lot of debris on a line and try the edges of the debris.

[Richard]

I would check with Lowrance, but I had the same issue with the with my Humminbird at anything above idle. If the waves kicked up above three footers and I had to give it some more gas the disturbace would render my sounder screen useless. I inquired about a ferrite to humminbird with a dicription of the issues I was having. A ferrite is a magnetic device you wrap your transducer cable around to hopefully eliminate unwanted electrical noise. They promptly sent me the right one at no charge. I can see the screen clearly now at all trolling speeds and very well while running. It is worth the asking.

[fisf crazy]

check the weather buoy very helpful im a avid pier fisherman and coastal watch can be very wrong depending on cloud cover

[The Salmon Slayer]

Dawood;

I understand your reason now for watching the surface temperature maps but you have got to resolve your HDS-7 sonar interference issues to locate fish.

If you haven’t I’d contact Lowrance Customer Support online first and explain your problem and see what the Lowrance Techs might consider your interference issue to come from. You’ll need your unit’s model# and serial#.

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Contact-Us/

I have always owned Lowrance units starting with an old paper graph, 1510C and moved up to a LMS-350A and then a LCX-27C all of which I could mark fish and bottom at full throttle, my last rig would travel 49 mph.

I’d look at the HDS-7 wiring connections and if you haven’t connect directly to the battery. I’d also take a look at the wiring that lays next the transducer cable and see if you can run the transducer cable away from other wiring. You could also clean the ground wire connections for your motor(s).

You definitely shouldn’t have interference on the sonar by increasing the throttle position my buddy has a HDS-7 and doesn’t have sonar interference.

Good Luck

SS

[LongLine]

Check this site out. Scroll down on page of surface temps for look at bottom. Also use the pull downs for nowcast & forecast. Look thru the different hours & look for patterns. The lakes change from hour to hour so going strictly by one view is useless. Chances are real good you can find how deep the temp change is. i.e. if it's 50 down then fish deeper than 50 ft.

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/glcfs.php?lake=m&ext=swt&type=N&hr=00

[Dr Hook]

I'd second the wave buoy since it gives down temps as well.

http://uglos.mtu.edu/station_page.php?station=45029

More likely than not fish will either be biting out of temp or the temp break will be at the depth most people are catching fish.

[Line Dancin]

I was having noise issue like that with my hds unit. started working through everything trying to figure it out. After buying resistor plugs changing wires etc etc. I talked to lance valentine at the show and his recommendation was to hook the unit direct to a battery not connected to the engine and see what it does. I also had noise in my marine radio. Noise was gone. I went and got a small deep cycle and hooked it to the unit and no more issues. I got like a 24 series battery and can fish on it for 6-9 trips before I top it off with an overnight charge. The problem when you start adding filters is you start reducing power to the unit which in turn decrease's the unit sensitivity.