Sounder Help Wanted

[Jaso]

I've got a Humminbird Matrix 37 and I've used it once, but Im unsure whether the readings I'm getting are ok, or if there are some tweaks I can make.

Eg: There was a huge school of bait pretty tight, and close to the surface all around my boat, but I only got a tiny reading of the school on the screen.

Also, I did not see many 'arcs' or fish images all day, but i did catch fish so i know they were there. To be fair I wasnt watching the screen all the time (and I didnt set the alarm) I was fishing, but it just seemed a bit odd ot me.

Also, if there is weed, how should the reading for the bottom look? The reading I was getting over the ribbon weed was a broken and patchy bottom (like a misread), over sand it appeared to be ok. Once again Im assuming this is normal - but just want to check

I'm unsure if its showing moving targets ok. Is it a valid assumption to make that if its showing the bottom ok then in theory it should show fish (including bait balls) ok also?

thanks..

[Rick T]

Jaso, try to get on the water with someone who knows their sounder to help u with readings. my 37 shows bait schools very clearly although I very rarely see arches for fish. Only larger active fish seem to bring up arches, mine only shows arches when over schools of kings etc so I mainly use it for locating balled bait and bottom structure. ribbon weed usually shows as a smudge sitting just above the bottom or in the case of nepean at penrith a haze from about a metre to the bottom. I learnt a fair bit about using the 37 for sounding schooling bass with Jay M which didn't look like arches but thick black lines on the screen. Play with the manual settings and see how it effects the demo screen and spend some time playing with the settings on the water. But don't expect to see tonnes of arches as on the demo screen, unless I am doing something wrong they only seem to appear for me with larger very active fish. I honestly had barely ever seen an arch on screen until finding a few wrecks lately then I knew the sounder was working properly .

[Jaso]

Thats great thanks.. it sounds similar to me which is encouraging

I did see one arch come up when i first turned it on in the water, and the weed indication you mention now I remember it comes up the same.

Do you (or anyone else) know if putting it on the freshwater setting would make the readings show as fish more often for smaller species? I read in the manual that the freshwater setting is more for realism as saltwater species tend to be larger.. just wondering if anyone has tried this?

[aussiebasser]

Thats great thanks.. it sounds similar to me which is encouraging 

I did see one arch come up when i first turned it on in the water, and the weed indication you mention now I remember it comes up the same.

Do you (or anyone else) know if putting it on the freshwater setting would make the readings show as fish more often for smaller species? I read in the manual that the freshwater setting is more for realism as saltwater species tend to be larger.. just wondering if anyone has tried this?

42254[/snapback]

Hi Jaso,

What setting did you have your Sensitivity on, also Surface Clutter setting will affect readings, especially of bait balls right under the boat. With the scroll speed set to maximum, you probably won't see an arch, you'll see lines though.

The best bet is to turn it on simulator mode in the shed, and have a long play with all the options.

[Guest Jewel]

Speak to Fishraider

Dont know how he manages but can set his sounder to watch bream jigs if you want.

Many times we have set livies under the boat and seen them on the sounder.

Offer him a case of Old and Im sure his secrets will be forthcoming!!!

[Guest Jewel]

Opps my bad "Fishrunner"

[Jaso]

With the scroll speed set to maximum, you probably won't see an arch, you'll see lines though.

42498[/snapback]

Thats the problem - got it!

The first time I turned it on I thought to myself, 'why wouldnt I want to speed up the refresh rate by turning the scroll speed up?'

...i think this would be the reason..

Cheers

[Guest fishrunner]

Hi jaso, I use max ping and chart speeds when travelling(to give a higher refresh rate), and slow down to roughly 25%ping and minimum chart speeds when anchored,- this wil;l show arches and JIGS if jigging below boat- 1/16th up to kingy jigs- as a zig zaging line on screen(jig movement), sensitivity always requires adjustment due to conditions and depth being fished( set to just below dots appearing all over screen). Hope this helps, Don't worry bout the carton of old. , Will take some pics of my screen next time I go out!.

cheers

[Jaso]

Mate that would be great if you could post some pics.

I went through my user manual on the weekend, but couldn't find where to set the 'ping' frequency.. i found the chart speed no problem.. is there another sensitivity setting for 'ping'?

Cheers.

[Guest fishrunner]

Hey there jaso,

hopefully you're having fewer probs with your sounder , just in case here is a few pics, 25% chart speed, 20% ping speed, 82%sensitivity.

cheers

[Jaso]

That's awesome mate thanks.

I took your advice when I went out on the weekend - I slowed the chart speed right down and turned the sensitivity up on both the generic sensitivity setting and the fish sensitivity setting.

It worked well and I was pretty happy.

In fact at one stage my deckie accidentally left his flick stick with the lure hanging in the water off the back of the boat.. the fish ID alarm was going crazy for a while before I could work out what was happenning

[Guest fishrunner]

Hi jaso,

good to here you're starting to work it !. , we're always learning,.

the only other thing I can suggest is when you say "fish id alarm going crazy",

does this mean you have fish ID on? if so you will get more info out of a sounder on manual mode, ie density of school, fish movement,thermoclines, etc.

cheers

[Jethro]

I to am new to the world of sounders.

The easiest way I found to how different types of bottoms show up on a sounder is cruze around in shallowish water where you can see the bottom and see how the sounder displays it.