Learning About Electronics

[SkunkedAgain]

I've had a Lowrance Elite 7 for two seasons now. Admittedly, I've mostly only used sonar for depth and temperature. I'd like to get better at learning the intricacies of telling bottom structure, marking schools of bait fish, suspended fish, etc. Is there a consistently good source for tutorials?

[BobT]

I just did an online search for "How to interpret sonar images" and came up with a lot of results. I guess that's where I would start. Can also be helpful if you have a lake in which you know the bottom structure well and then can see how the sonar reacts to each condition such as what it looks like when you know you are over sand vs mud bottom, etc.

Edited March 22, 2017 by BobT

[JohnMickish]

You tube. There are some fantastic tutorials out there for all the sonar brands out there.

[AlwaysFishing23]

3 hours ago, JohnMickish said:

You tube. There are some fantastic tutorials out there for all the sonar brands out there.

 

+1 Anything you need to know or how to do or learn about youtube is your best friend.

[delcecchi]

Doc Sonar has a site.  MN guy.

[ZacAttack0201]

+2 for youtube.  I'm in the same boat, I've had a Lowrance HDS Gen 3 for 2 years and it's been pretty worthless for me.  I figure it's me and not the equipment so this winter I watched as many videos as possible on youtube.  I think I've got a decent grasp now.  Testing my learnings out in the morning for my first time out on open water this year.

Edited April 8, 2017 by ZacAttack0201

[leech~~]

I've learned the most about my new locators out on the lake on boring days when nothings happening. Just start opening windows and push buttons and see what it does over and over again! 

[delmuts]

I'll just add, that if you can get on a body of water with very good clarity ( this spring maybe?) then you can use your eyes to verify what your sonar is showing. One video I watched said to do this, and it does help.  

[ZacAttack0201]

On 4/7/2017 at 8:52 PM, ZacAttack0201 said:

+2 for youtube.  I'm in the same boat, I've had a Lowrance HDS Gen 3 for 2 years and it's been pretty worthless for me.  I figure it's me and not the equipment so this winter I watched as many videos as possible on youtube.  I think I've got a decent grasp now.  Testing my learnings out in the morning for my first time out on open water this year.

On my trip out I actually saw not only structure, but also fish.  these were the 2 you tube videos I found the most helpful:

 

1.  This one is fairly specific to the Lowrance HDS Gen 3

 

2.  If you can get through a lot of the rambling, there is some good info on the basics of sonar and how all this technology actually works.

 

Not sure if these will help others, but they did help me out.