The endless list of fishing sonar models got you confused? You're not alone. The electronics industry moves fast. So fast in fact that a wealth of new models complete with all new features hit the market every year. With so many new products on the shelves, it's hard to keep up with which ones provide the best combination of features and value.
Flooding tackle shops with new models of sonar units may be a great way of bringing technology to market, but it also breeds a level of confusion among anglers who are left to sort out the facts. Granted, some of the special features available on modern sonar units are useful tools for both locating and catching fish. Unfortunately, many of these features amount to little more than marketing bells and whistles.
So why do the manufacturers of fishing sonar bombard us with so many seemingly similar units sporting new features every year? The answer is competition. The sonar market is so competitive that an unique feature on a unit can provide a margin of market share and profit that might not otherwise exist.
If all this sounds like big business, it's because it is. Collectively the total sales generated in fishing sonar is ranked third behind the sale of boats and motors. The sale of fishing sonar amounts to a huge industry with a number of aggressive manufacturers all struggling for their piece of the pie.
In the world of fishing sonar it's increasingly hard to determine which units offer the best features and value. Despite the obvious pitfalls, it's important to note that quality fishing sonar is absolutely essential to fishing success. Any angler serious about catching fish, must embrace sonar and make an effort to get the most from this investment.
A WORD ON SONAR TECHNOLOGY
Fishing sonar units are often characterized as highly sophisticated pieces of equipment that are hard to understand and use. Actually, the primary technology that makes sonar possible was developed way back during World War II. Over the years the way sonar is displayed (namely liquid crystal and video screens) has become more sophisticated, but the way that sonar functions hasn't changed.
Anglers need to understand some of the basic functions associated with sonar to fully appreciate what the typical unit can and can't do. A good foundation of knowledge about sonar is the key to getting off to the right start.
RESOLUTION AND POWER
Sonar units deliver various degrees of resolution or detail in the viewing screen. The higher the resolution of the unit, the more physical features that can be displayed in a clear and easy to understand picture. On the typical LCR style sonar unit, the vertical pixel count should meet or exceed 200 PPI (pixels per inch) to provide a detailed and easy to interpret viewing screen. Screens with a higher vertical pixel count provide the maximum in detail. Currently the highest resolution units offer about 600 vertical pixels.
Power is another often misunderstood feature of sonar. Many sonar units operate using a modest power outlet that is designed for use in relatively shallow fishing depths. If the unit on your boat doesn't have adequate power to function in deep water, it may not be a good choice for certain types of fishing. This is especially true among walleye, trout, striper and salmon anglers who often search for fish in deep water.
Units that deliver 1500 watts of power or less are acceptable for average fishing conditions. This style of sonar would be well suited to a wide variety of bass and panfishing applications where most of the activity takes place in water less than 40 feet. Sonar units with 3,000-4,000 watts of power are necessary for locating fish in deeper water, pinpointing fish tight to bottom, marking fish over soft bottom areas and also for targeting subtle features like thermoclines.
Units with the highest resolution and power are the best possible choice for finding fish in deep water and also for viewing things like baitfish, thermoclines, subtle changes in bottom composition, etc. However, it's important to keep in mind that this much power and resolution may not be necessary if your fishing takes place primarily in shallow water.
AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL?
Most quality sonar units offer both a manual and automatic function. The automatic function is designed to make sonar more user friendly, but what many anglers don't realize is this convenience comes at a price.
All sonar units that operate on automatic do so by using a suppression system that works to block out electronic interference so the unit can function satisfactorily in a wide variety of fishing situations. In order to change depth ranges automatically and keep the viewing screen clear of clutter that might confuse the user, suppression is applied in the automatic function. The benefit is a clean and easy to interpret screen. The disadvantage is that the unit is providing less resolution or the ability to see small but important details like thermoclines, bait, small fish, fish close to bottom or other submerged objects.
Think of the automatic function on your sonar as providing 'average' information. Good anglers what to see more than just the average stuff, they also want to see the small but important details.
To get the most from any sonar unit, it's important to first set the machine on manual. Once in the manual mode, the power or gain button will need to be adjusted as necessary to detect not only a bottom signal, but also fish, bait, thermoclines, etc. Think of the gain button as the volume of a radio. Turning up the volume makes it easier to find and see certain subtle but important features.
The rule of thumb when operating a sonar unit on manual is to first set the appropriate depth range so that all or most of the viewing screen is used to display the depth. If the boat moves into water that's deeper or more shallow, this depth setting will have to be changed manually again.
Once the depth range is set properly, adjust the gain by turning it up a notch at a time until small bits of clutter start to appear on the screen. If the gain is set high enough, a good sonar unit will easily mark, weeds, fish, timber, bait and other important features. If the gain is set too high, the screen will become overly cluttered.
Remember, the gain setting is relative to water depth, bottom hardness and also the speed the boat is traveling at. It will require more power to mark fish in deep water than shallow water. A soft bottom absorbs more sound signals than a hard bottom. To locate fish over soft bottoms may require turning up the gain setting.
In general it's a good idea to slow the boat down to 3-5 MPH when using sonar to seriously look for fish, bait or other subtle features. The slower boat speed reduces cavitation that marks on the screen as clutter and allows the sonar an opportunity to mark underwater features and objects more clearly. Thanks to faster ping speeds, modern sonar units can mark fish at much greater speeds. Set the ping speed on your unit to maximum and fish can be marked well at speeds of 10-20 MPH.
Remember at faster speeds, the fish marks themselves will appear small, because the fish is only in the transducer cone a brief time. If you mark fish at speed and slow down, the marks will become bigger because the fish remains in the transducer cone for a longer period of time.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Most quality sonar units have some special and useful features including target zoom, split screen and dual transducer frequency. Target zoom allows the screen to be zoomed or enlarged to provide more details. This is an important feature when hunting for fish that are found tight to bottom.
Split screen allows the angler to view two different functions at the same time. For example, on one side of the screen you can see the whole viewing screen and on the other a zoomed version of the bottom or another part of the water column. Split screens are also useful on combination sonar/GPS units that allow anglers to see both sonar and navigation information at the same time.
Some sonar units incorporate a dual transducer feature that allows anglers to change transducer frequencies for specific purposes. For example, if you want to find fish near bottom a narrow 20 degree transducer cone is ideal for this purpose. However, if you are trying to track the running depth of downrigger weights, a wider 50 degree transducer cone would be a better choice.
SUMMING IT UP
Understanding sonar features is the best way to get the maximum value form your electronics investment. The keys to watch for are making sure to purchase a unit that has enough power and resolution for the intended use. Operate your unit on the manual setting and adjust the depth range and gain as necessary to see the whole picture. Learn about special features like target zoom, split screen, etc., that can be useful in locating fish. Most importantly, embrace sonar as an essential fishing tool and never leave the dock without it.
models complete with all new features hit the market every year. With so many new products on the shelves, it's hard to keep up with which ones provide the best combination of features and value.
many anglers don't realize is this convenience comes at a price.