Sounder Interpretation - Lowarance HDS

[SWAGB]

Hi,

Hoping to learn to read my sounder better over the summer and thought I would ask around here for some advice to get me started.

To date I have mainly just been using my sounder for saving locations when I catch something.

This is a photo I took the other day, here's a jumble of questions I've got at the moment.... appreciate and feedback, tips, any advice.

1. I believe the location where I was is sand bottom, can this be confirmed by what is seen on the sounder? What would rock/reef bottom look like?

2. Is the blue clump at the bottom in the middle seaweed, and the clump with more red on the right bait?

3. Any settings should I experiment with?

Cheers!

Edited December 13, 2019 by SWAGB
Typo's

[mii11x]

Ok, so lets start with what settings are you currently using in 2d?

Get a shot of the 2d screen and the right hand tab showing settings and post on here and I can comment further, or pm me even and I will try help you out as best I can.

Your colourline and the setting for that tells you a lot about what your seeing.  You can determine a sand vs mud, sand vs rock bottom by the reading displayed.

From what I understand, look at the very top of you display, its shows yellow, red then blue.  So a yellow reading will be a significant or strong return, ie so when you see an arch with predominantly yellow, its a good fish.

As for the bottom, yellow is a stronger return, the thickness of the yellow will tell you if its rock for example, but I reckon your over a sandy bottom.  Yes, sand and rock would both show up as yellow.  However, this would be dependent on your settings.

I would agree with your underatanding about the blue clump being weed or general rubbish.  Also I would read that clump with red as bait.

Ive been using hds with 2D, DI and SI for years and its by experimentation passing over different bottoms that I know what Im looking at on my sounder.

I know my system well, and what bottoms are where so I know what the bottoms display as and can put that knowledge to use elsewhere. 

When I've dragged up sinkers with mud on them at anchor I took note of the sounder, so I know what my display shows mud as.  When I've been squid fishing for example and I've passed over rock outcrops with weed I took note so I know what it would show rock or weed as.  I know it is rock with weed because I can visually see the bottom.

Time on water and configuring your settings instead of fishing will help you, so too will the millions of youtube vids.

If you can, buy a copy of doctor sonars dvds.  He has them for Lowrance specifically and I think he now has even released a hds live version.  For your 2d, the "understanding sonar and interpreting the display" will help and for DI and SI the "Lowrance structure scan" dvds are very informative.

FYI my current setup is a 12 Live with the AI 3 in 1 tranny.

Hope this helps a little and again pm or reply post mate and I'll do my best to help you out.

Mick

 

Edited December 13, 2019 by mii11x

[mii11x]

One more thing, there are a couple of good books worth buying for general understanding of your display, but I am pretty sure youtube or google will tell you the same info.