Sonar sound tiping off fish

Fishin' Dave · Post by **Fishin' Dave** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:45 pm

Does anyone else believe, or have done research about "pinging" from the new high power graphs keying off the fish? I have a x135 on the bow, which replaced the x-85. There is WAY more pinging which comes from more power. I do not see a difference in deeper water. It seems to me that 25ft and less (the shallower you get the worse it is) I catch more fish with the graph off than I do with it on. So, am I crazy, or is this issue becomming bigger with more angler pressure?

troutnut · Post by **troutnut** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:39 pm

turn down your gain. In shallow water, it doesn't need to be on 97%. I keep my X-18c on 30% in water less than 30 feet deep.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:07 pm

I think alot of people are keying in on this sort of thing these days. Nobody has proven that the pinging affects fish, but when you think about it, they have to hear/feel it. Now, think about how many people fish a place like Clear Lake. Through repetition, the bass have to pick up on whats going on. Loud engine, slam noise of a trolling motor, whir of a trolling motor, pinging noise, then a bunch of baits whizzing by them. Its been shown that bass can be conditioned, and anything I can do to prevent such noises, I do.

If Im covering water and need to know the depth and contours, theres nothing I can do about the noises. I need my electronics on. But if I know a spot, and I know it well, I kill the big engine very far away, ease in with trolling motor on low and electronics OFF, then ease an anchor down slowly. Does this help in putting fish in the boat? I have no idea, but one thing I do know is that it cant hurt.

millsryno · Post by **millsryno** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:45 pm

I can't agree with you more. I purchased a new boat 11 months ago and it has 2 x-135s. I have caught less fish over that time than ever in my life. That hurts, too, when it's out of a new boat! I first heard the pinging noise when I took a dip into the lake and heard it echoing in the water. I could not beleive it. I contacted Lowrance about it and they tell me that it does not affect the fish. BS, I say. On their website they say that humans and fish cannot hear the radio wave they transmit into the water...OK, that is fine, but what about the damn clicking noise it makes?!?! Maybe I'm just a noob boat owner, but I tell ya, I can't beleive the fish don't hear that and spook a little.

I am vowing not to use my finders while fishing this year. I'll locate the structure and fish and then return later with the finders off if I can. Also, I have only heard complaints on teh Lowrance brand. Anybody get this problem with other brands?

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:00 pm

I have an X15. According to the manual, the signal generated is the same power all the time. Turning up the sensitivity just turns up the "volume" of your receiver, your sonar screen. It doesn't affect the volume of the transmission. Is gain the same as sensitivity? If it is, turning it up or down doesn't affect the strength of the ping your unit sends out.
I can hear my X15 from the bow, even though it's on the console, and the transducer is transom mounted. I have an X98 on the bow, and I only hear it if the trolling motor is up when I'm motoring.
I have to think fish hear the ping. I turn off the big unit when I'm fishing. I use the X15 when I'm motoring, to identify structure and locate baitfish.
I've noticed that when I have a co-angler, and leave the console on for him, we seem to catch less fish than when I turn it off. Maybe it's just me, but it sure seems to affect fish.

millsryno · Post by **millsryno** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:14 pm

mark poulson wrote:According to the manual, the signal generated is the same power all the time. Turning up the sensitivity just turns up the "volume" of your receiver, your sonar screen. It doesn't affect the volume of the transmission.

Mark, next time your trolling motor is out of the water with the finder on, feel the transducer. You can clearly feel it pulse with your hand. The faster you set your ping speed, the faster it is. The higher you set your sensitivity, the stronger it is. The sound is definately coming out of the transducer.

Fishin' Dave · Post by **Fishin' Dave** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:44 pm

You're the Mother Lode depth finder expert, what do you think? Since you've switched from the x-85 are you now catching 11lbers instead of 15lbers? HA!

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:57 am

Millsryno,
Thanks for the tip. I'll try that this weekend.
I understand about the ping speed, but I thought the ping strength was the same, and that the only thing that changed when you adjusted the sensitivity was how much signal your unit showed, not how much it sent.
Is sensitivity the same as gain?

Tobe · Post by **Tobe** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:39 am

For me, I relate the pinging sound of my sonar the same as banging rods and slamming locker lids on the deck.

If I am in shallow water I turn everything thing off including my sonar and I am as quite as possible, I know I must frustrate most who fish in the back of my boat but I am a firm believer in stealth on skinny water.

On the other hand, when I am in deeper water I use my sonar to my advantage and catch many fish that are displayed on my graph.

In short, I think it is a tool for certain applied situations and should be turned off while fishing shallow water.