Fish arches when using sonar - Printable Version +- Fishing Forum (https://bigfishtackle.com/forum) +-- Forum: Float Tube Fishing (https://bigfishtackle.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=396) +--- Forum: Float Tubing General (https://bigfishtackle.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=81) +--- Thread: Fish arches when using sonar (/showthread.php?tid=675026)

Fish arches when using sonar - natito - 06-29-2011 Hello tubers I just bought my first float tube (Fish Cat) a month ago and I use it for vertical-fishing for perch, walleye and pike in northern Europe (Sweden). To find fish I use a FishMark 480. When fishing from a boat I usually see nice fish arches with but when I mount it on my float tube I don't get the same results. Why? * I heard somewhere that its impossible to see fish arches when fishing from a float tube. Is it true?.. is it the low speed of the belly boat? * What can I do to enhance the results? Should I lower the chart speed? * Is this the best place to place the transducer?. (See picture). I'm worried about the turbulence caused by the fins. Is it going to show in the sonar's display? Thanks [signature] Re: [natito] Fish arches when using sonar - idahoron - 06-29-2011 I use my 480 on both my pontoon and my FC4. I can see arches with both of mine but you have to play with the chart speed and ping speed. Also another thing that might be messing you up is your float tube might not be level.I cant see the transducer in the picture. The FC4 does have the tendency to lean back, your transducer could be angled a bit causing a line instead of an arch. The speed that your going over an object does make a difference but you should still see arches once and a while. I use my 480 on raw sonar most of the time. Ron [signature] Re: [natito] Fish arches when using sonar - TubeDude - 06-29-2011 [cool][#0000ff]Welcome aboard.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]What are the arches? They are a visual display of the air bladder inside the fish...the larger the arch the larger the air bladder. [/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]The display on a moving boat is more likely to be an arch because of the speed. In a float tube, at lower speeds, it will show up as a line...or series of dots...even with the chart speed adjusted. Most sonars are not designed for stationary or slow movement...like tubing.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]For this reason, usually leave my display set on Fish ID. Serious boaters scoff at that but if you learn to use it and read it the ID feature is more tuber-friendly.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]Where you have the transducer mounted there is no danger of "turbulence" from the fins. However, there is more potential of damage to the transducer while you are launching or beaching your tube. I suggest rigging a rotating arm for your transducer, like the one in the picture attached. This allows you to raise and lower the transducer...and to adjust it if it is not shooting straight down.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]You can actually mount the transducer to the end of a piece of wood and attach it in the middle to your strap so that it swivels up and down.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff] [signature] Re: [idahoron] Fish arches when using sonar - natito - 06-29-2011 [quote idahoron]I use my 480 on both my pontoon and my FC4. I can see arches with both of mine but you have to play with the chart speed and ping speed. Also another thing that might be messing you up is your float tube might not be level.I cant see the transducer in the picture. The FC4 does have the tendency to lean back, your transducer could be angled a bit causing a line instead of an arch. The speed that your going over an object does make a difference but you should still see arches once and a while. I use my 480 on raw sonar most of the time. Ron[/quote] I always put the transducer parallel to the hull (bottom) of the float tube. But if you say that the FC4 has tendency to lean back, it should mean that the transducer is pointing a bit uppwards when I'm fishing. To compensate this I should angle the transducer a bit down, am I right? What are your chart speed and ping speed settings? What do you mean when you say that you use your 480 "on raw sonar" most of the time? [signature] Re: [natito] Fish arches when using sonar - idahoron - 06-30-2011 Having someone take your picture when you fishing will tell you if your ride is level. You want it to point as straight down as you can. I adjust my ping and chart depending on the water conditions. There are some great tutorials on youtube. Raw sonar is with the fish ID off. It will give you a better picture of what is down there. The down side is there is WAY more "stuff" to translate. Once you get the hang of it you will like the raw sonar. Here is a picture of my tub leaning back. Ron [signature]