A Review Of How Fishfinders Work

Fishfinders have definitely taken the frustration out of sport fishing. Instead of trying to guess where a good fishing spot may be, a fish and depth finder scans the water beneath your boat to help you find schools of feeding fish. One of these sturdy, lightweight pieces of equipment is a must-have on every angler's boat. In this article, we'll take a look at how fishfinders work and what features you should look for.

Sonar signals are what allow these devices to work. The transducer that is mounted to your boat sends a signal below the craft. The signal is cone shaped. When the signal makes contact with objects like fish, weeds and other underwater structures, the signal or echo is sent back to the boat and is displayed as a chart on your screen. The power of the transducer will determine how long this process takes. As you can see, fishfinders are a great help to anglers because they'll never again waste time in an area where fish aren't feeding.

One of the most important features to look for in a fishfinder is a simple operating mechanism. The idea is that you should be able to simply switch on the unit and be able to easily assess the situation. The information should be accurate to approximately 600 feet and appear in the corner of the screen. Typically, the sonar chart will scroll and display what's directly beneath the boat as you drift or troll. By using the menu options you can adjust the sensitivity of the device. When you're sitting still, the fish will appear as a straight line. Portable fishfinders can sometimes be fooled by branches and debris, but these sonar fishing guides are still great tools to have onboard.

The frequency that you use can make a difference to the accuracy of your readout. Generally, it's best to use the 83 kHz option in very deep saltwater and the 200 kHz option in shallow water up to about 300 feet. You'll find that at 200 kHz the definition and detail will be superior, but it won't penetrate as deeply.

Fishfinders are great tools but no piece of technology is a substitute for instinct. If you feel that your trophy catch is hiding in a certain spot, go ahead and hit it with everything you've got! As every avid angler knows, there's nothing like the thrill of a great catch.