Sonar

[Roger Meyer]

What is the best sonar to find bait? Also does any one use forward or side imaging ? I have a Lowrance 113 ( older before HD) I was thinking of getting the new Hummingbird 1199 and maybe adding the 360.

[Dr Hook]

Finding bait is probably more a function of calibration and settings rather than brand, with newer units (CHIRP or similar) being better than older.

[Roger Meyer]

I can see bait on my sonar, but it seems to me seeing a larger area below the boat will only increase your catch rate if you can stay on the bait.

[Priority1]

Roger, A warm to the GLF site. Just holler if we can help you in any way.

[Dr Hook]

I can see bait on my sonar, but it seems to me seeing a larger area below the boat will only increase your catch rate if you can stay on the bait.

Area under the cone increases with depth, so by that logic you're better off fishing deeper water because it covers a larger area under the boat.

Yes, finding bait can help you find fish, but I'd rather know the fish are there too. If I see fish, I won't leave to go find bait.

[Nailer]

Welcome to the site Roger.

[Roger Meyer]

First Thanks for the warm welcome.

I was looking to see what type of sonar every one else was running. In the many pictures post on the site, I see Furno, Lowrance units most often. I was wondering if any one had any strong opinions about there sonar. Also on the radio, people say they see the fish moving up to there bait.

[killerbe20]

I very much love my Raymarine digital fish finders I have had. I went through two electronics upgrades since July because I tried to switch brands. Same transducer just different brand unit and was not happy. I ended up selling it off before the season was over and buying Raymarine again. I also had a high end Furuno VX1 unit on my boat but it was not digital technology so it was not a fair comparison to the digital high resolution Raymarine units.

I do not think you can really go wrong with any of the new units. They are all very nice units. Your decision will ultimately come down to personal preference and budget. If you decide on a unit that uses Airmar transducers, they have a new free app that will tell you the coverage area at depth for each of their transducers. The wider the coverage area the better chance of seeing bait around your boat. I personally am not convinced in side view or 360 view for our application.

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2014/01/gemeco_install_ipad_app_for_do-it-yourselvers_too.html

as far as seeing fish come up into the bait. You can at times see a fish trailing as it is moving depending on where in the cone it is. Very similar to watching your down rigger balls move up or down

[fish or swim]

I have the Hummingbird with side scan it works great for seeing bait.

Get into water that doesn't same to have much life in it like Lake Huron. The regular fish finder doesn't have any thing on the screen, high end Furuno. Maybe the bait is scared away from the boat? And the regular Hummingbird view doesn't have anything on it but the side scan will often show plenty of bait.

Using the side scan seems to have a tough learning curve but once it's working good and know what is on the screen it works really good.