Sonar: What to look for?

[Red Monster]

Okay, I now have a better sonar, a Garmin 178c. Besides the obvious ("hey, look at that big fish icon"), how do you use the information from you fishfinder, and what are you looking for?

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[scott craven]

turn off the fish id, and use the raw sonar to determine feed
which will show as a dark scattered cloud, and fish which should
mark as an arch, sort of like the Nike symbol.

 

[fishin_magician]

oops..I should read the question. Reply edited.

 

[scott craven]

i think you missed the point F.M.
he's already bought a Garmin 178c, and wants to know
some tips on reading sonar.

 

[knotoncall]

Good choice Red
I have a two Garmin 178c on my two boats & lovum. I'm really quite simple & have never really learned the potential of the unit. I use the fish icon. Pumps me to see the big fish! Use it mostly to identify fish size & what depth. I have found the unit doesn't lie so when it shows fish schools repetitively at a constant depth then thats generally where I sent my down riggers. As the blue chart scrolls your direction of travel on the screen so when I hook a fish in a given area I will always return to the same spot & most often the school will still be in the same area. I guess I could learn to waypoint when hooking the fish but I'm to lazy & untechy to learn so just go by the scroll. Generally never see deep springs on the screen before they hit but on the other hand almost always see the shallower Coho before they do. Long as the screen shows fish then I'll crisscross or circle the school, same with baitballs. The 178 picks up the big game in the baitfish really good. I fish pretty simply as well. Lean on teaser head anchovies. My success rate has sky rocketed the last few yrs with the 178c but I would still like to hear from some who really know how to read these units.
Cheers

 

[baddogg]

Hey Knotoncall

I think I saw your boat out Bamfield way last weekend. I was wondering what the significance of the name was. I get the on call part, was wondering why not was KNOT.

Nice boat by the way.