Eagle Fish Finder, and transducer question

[Alan]

When I bought my boat, a fish finder was part of the purchase, a portable one at that. It is this one..

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It seems like a decent one for a beginner. Anyway, my question is this: If I have the what I think is called the transducer mounted on the transom in the proper location, and while using the unit I see fish, just where are those fish? The transducer is on the back of the boat, so does this mean that's where the fish are? Or is the transducer looking forward, or to the sides? Sorry, I know this may sound silly, but I have never used one of these things before. And I could use some help.. How do you know where the fish are at when you see them on the screen?

[Kyle Sandberg]

Yes, that unit will work just fine for what your doing. The number (for the eagle series) refers to the pixels. The 250 is 250 pixles x 250 pixles (I think). So to get better picture, get the bigger one, although you probable won't need it.

When you place a ducer on the back of your boat, the fish you are reading are right underneath you. When you mount the ducer, point it strait down. The unit sends out a series of pings (like a bat) in a cone shape. The pings bounce off anything that is below the boat like the bottom or a fish and the unit shows you on the screen.

I think, if you want to make it easier, the fish finder will have an option to show fish like a little symbol of one. If you don't, a fish will show up as an arc if your moving or a strait line if your anchored.

[Ralph Wiggum]

If you go to Lowrance's HSOforum, they have an excellent tutorial that explains how sonar works.