[Bubba]

Ok, So I got me a depthfinder to go on my bow(Thanks wareagle!). It's an Eagle Cuda 168. I tried it out last weekend, but I had trouble getting the settings set up to know what i'm looking at...haha. So I've got a few questions...



1. Do you guys leave your "Depth Range Zoom" on manual so you can kinda see the contour of the bottom, or do you use it on auto?



2. What does my sensitivity need to be on to get the best/accurate readings?



3. And also how do I need to set up my grayline where i'll also be getting accurate readings?

 

[troutburger]

I'm new to this too.



I have been leaving the bottom on auto. The sensitivity up high enough to get just a little surface noise. I leave the grayline alone.



I have used it to catch shad with the cast net so I know its working.

 

[SmallJawKilla]

Does it have a surface clarity and noise reduction setting? If so you can probably put them both on medium. I would use the highest sensitivity possible that doesn't fill your screen with clutter. But I don't know, I have never had any of mine produce fish arches like they do in demo mode, so maybe somebody can help us out on that

 

[Bubba]

Does it have a surface clarity and noise reduction setting? If so you can probably put them both on medium. I would use the highest sensitivity possible that doesn't fill your screen with clutter. But I don't know, I have never had any of mine produce fish arches like they do in demo mode, so maybe somebody can help us out on that

Yeah, Mine has a noise reduction setting...its either low, high, or off....I think its defaulted to low, so i haven't changed it. Thats one thing i'd like to get it to show is the fish arches.....i'll have to mess around with it a little more this weekend. See, I have this disease that if i'm on the water, I have to fish....so i'm gonna have to force myself to mess with the fish finder instead of worrying about fishing....

 

[SmallJawKilla]

yeah that can be tough. I get the arches on mine but they arent as defined as some that I have seen.

 

[troutburger]

we have gotten some half and 3/4 arches, but never the full arch like in demo mode.

the fish id option always reads fish usually just turn it off.

 

[SmallJawKilla]

we have gotten some half and 3/4 arches, but never the full arch like in demo mode.

the fish id option always reads fish usually just turn it off.

It's harder to identify bait schools with fish ID on.....

 

[Jtewes]

Turn the automatic stuff off and go manual. As SJK said, turn the sensitivity up until you start getting clutter on the screen and then back her back down a little. Most defined arches will be seen when you are idling around and you go over a fish that is completely still. Most fish will show up as lines. When you see a bunch a lines going all over the place, you have more than likely found a school of feeding fish.



Now if you get the sensitivity set just right, you can actually see what species of fish it is.



J

 

[softworm]

jtwes can I get you to set the senistivity on mine????????????????????? PLEASE

 

[snoot]

Bubba, it is best to turn the fish icons/symbols off in my opinion. You can get a better view of what is under you instead of every little bubble, or leaf showing up as a fish symbol. I have the Eagle Fishmark 480's at the Front and Console on my boat. I can't remember what all the settings are on mine as it has been a long time when I set them up. I did have to adjust the noise rejection if I had both fish finders on at the same time because they were interfearing with each other. I set the sensitivity to where the screen looks pepperd slightly, then back it off a couple of clicks like Jeff said. When I first got my Eagle, I was messing around with the settings and the screen would show my spoon bouncing off the bottom. This was a couple of years ago. Picture is kind of blurry, but you can see the spoon trail.

 

[snoot]

its probably just carp anyway!

 

[Charger]

Heres a good basic read.



http://www.fishfinderdepot.com/howfifiwowid.html



Screen shots.



http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=226458



Boatload of good info.



http://www.hightechfishing.com/lowrancetips.html

 

[Charger]

I also have a great file of screen shots with explanations of what is seen. It is a 33meg file for Microsoft Works. If you want the file, send me your email and I will mail it to you.

 

[Bubba]

I went out for a lil while yesterday evening and messed around with my settings some. It made some difference....I set the automatic depth range off and set it to 40'(for now), and I tried messing with the sensitivity some...I set it at about 96, and tried messing with the grayline...i'm gonna have to do a little more playing with that so I can get a good reading of the bottom.

 

[Jtewes]

jtwes can I get you to set the senistivity on mine????????????????????? PLEASE

See the largemouth???

J

 

[Charger]

 

[Jtewes]

See the largemouth???

J

I meant to tell you guys something. See the diet coke can next to the unit? It caused the unit to lose its gps signal. I thought the unit was going bad, but I noticed when the can wasn't sitting there, it wouldn't lose its signal. This unit has the internal antenna. Thought that was something to share.



J

 

[Charger]

My 522 doesnt show bass like that, gonna have to call Linda

 

[bronzebackhuntr]

Set the ping speed to about 75, they actually recomend not to go any higher than that because it will cause your transducer to go out quick. That will make the fish draw lines on the screen and you will be able to follow your lure if fishing vertically directly below the boat.

 

[Gunny]

Here's something I've wondered:



If you have fish arches on your screen, that means they are directly under the boat correct? So, don't you have to move your boat past that point and then cast back behind the boat to put your bait where those fish are actually located? Won't help you to be casting out to the sides of your boat will it?



If your boat passes over structure you decide to fish, where do you drop your marker (over the starboard side or back behind the stern where the transducer is)?



I don't use my electronics to their full potential and need to learn a lot more about them. This is an excellent topic.