11-15-2003, 08:38 PM
[cool][size 2]Hey Dryrod, howya doin'? I have tried a lot of different sonars...including flashers. I have kinda settled on the "low end" Eagle units...both the Fish Easy and the Cuda 168. If you go back a buncha threads in the archives, you will find more reviews and pics. But, here are pics of the two models.[/size]
[size 2]I like the Fish easy for the screen. I like the Cuda 168 for the wider cone angle and the on screen digital temp readout. Both have decent bottom dilineation, for the money. [/size]
[size 2]These are low wattage units, which makes it possible to fish all day with a small SLA battery. A higher wattage unit, with real time display and showing your lure below you will suck the life out of a small battery in a couple of hours. It's always a tradeoff.[/size]
[size 2]As I have stated before, the real value of a sonar...to me...is not so much watching the fishies on TV as making sure I am fishing in the right depth...over the right kind of bottom. I often catch fish that have not shown up on the narrow cone of my sonar in shallow water. The other side of the coin is that I get frustrated when I see more fish than I am catching. But, it's a well known fact that you can't catch them where they ain't.[/size]
[size 2]Over time, the biggest assest you enjoy from fishing with sonar is being able to relate the data you get from the screen with the results of your fishing. You come to associate fish marks holding in a certain way, with certain species. And, you come to understand that if they are stratified and not biting that they are either in a negative or neutral mode. Often that means that you need to look for some that are cruising nearer the surface...or the bottom...since they are the ones more actively feeding.[/size]
[size 2]Of course, just about the time you think you have them figured out, they will act differently...but at least you know where to start. You are making an "informed" approach, rather than the "chuck and chance it" system of fishing blind.[/size]
[size 2]I have other pics and diagrams for setting up the batteries and the transducer if you need assistance.[/size]
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[size 2]I like the Fish easy for the screen. I like the Cuda 168 for the wider cone angle and the on screen digital temp readout. Both have decent bottom dilineation, for the money. [/size]
[size 2]These are low wattage units, which makes it possible to fish all day with a small SLA battery. A higher wattage unit, with real time display and showing your lure below you will suck the life out of a small battery in a couple of hours. It's always a tradeoff.[/size]
[size 2]As I have stated before, the real value of a sonar...to me...is not so much watching the fishies on TV as making sure I am fishing in the right depth...over the right kind of bottom. I often catch fish that have not shown up on the narrow cone of my sonar in shallow water. The other side of the coin is that I get frustrated when I see more fish than I am catching. But, it's a well known fact that you can't catch them where they ain't.[/size]
[size 2]Over time, the biggest assest you enjoy from fishing with sonar is being able to relate the data you get from the screen with the results of your fishing. You come to associate fish marks holding in a certain way, with certain species. And, you come to understand that if they are stratified and not biting that they are either in a negative or neutral mode. Often that means that you need to look for some that are cruising nearer the surface...or the bottom...since they are the ones more actively feeding.[/size]
[size 2]Of course, just about the time you think you have them figured out, they will act differently...but at least you know where to start. You are making an "informed" approach, rather than the "chuck and chance it" system of fishing blind.[/size]
[size 2]I have other pics and diagrams for setting up the batteries and the transducer if you need assistance.[/size]
[signature]