What did my Vex see?

[Uncle Grump]

Hey gang

Was on a small lake/pond yesterday where the water and ice are crystal clear. You could easily see the bottom at 14'.

I have an FL8SLT, and up until now I've had complete faith in what it tells me - a red blip is either my jig or a fish - until yesterday.

Yesterday - in that clear water, I could see
weeds, rocks, my jigs or AE's - and fish when they came in. With a "clear" hole (no fish) - my Vex sometimes showed red blips on the screen - yet I didn't see a thing.

I will admit I could see out and to my right (thru the hole) better than to my left and under me (its possible that fish were there - but on the edge of the sound cone they should have been orange), yet it bugs me - what was the Vex seeing?

Any one else experienced this?

UG

Oh yeah - caught 1 rainbow on the red glow AE, son got a perch on a hammered gold AE, but fishing was real slow - not even the perch would take a minnow.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Only thing I could think of is that they were just out of your sight or, small enuogh that you couldn't see it but the Vex could. Them minnows can be very steathly at times...

It could have been an inter. prob with another unit, but from what you describe, that doesn't sound like the prob.

[Uncle Grump]

Jim W

Your right - perch could have been the culprit. It just seemed so odd.

I did see some perch later in the morning - had given the Vex to my son for a while - the perch I saw were right on the bottom - bellies to it. The blips I saw earlier when I had the Vex were a foot or two off the bottom. I know it weren't clumps of weeds - cause they (blips) would come and go.

I was distracted too - it was hard to concentrate on the Vex when the whole bottom was on display under us. Which do I watch now???? the jigging hole, the Vex or my rod w/ a bobber.

UG

[Guest]

What setting did you have your gain on? In 14', you should be able to have it turned way down low. I usually only turn mine up high enough so that my jig and waxie show up as a small green line. I wouldn't want it up so high that something as small as a minnow would show up as red.

[Pig_sticka]

it could have been one of them penguins that lake is known for vexilars haven't won me over yet, im trying to let them but they dont like me yet. wonder if i have to buy it something for christmas to make it like me. if it says u have something down there dont argue it lol. better than not seeing anything and being bored. good luck.

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Good luck sticking pigs this year!

[Uncle Grump]

Fargin...

I have a S-cable on my Vex cause most the time I do fish shallow water. Gain yesterday was set to 2 or less.

When I said I saw my lure/bait in red - I ment (but didn't say) that it was when I was
jigging it. Standing still - not moving - it was a green line.

Sorry for the confusion.

UG

[Guest]

UG,

I was using my FL8 yesterday morning in 14' and had my dial set to S1 (Shallow)and I had too strong of a reading even with my gain set to lowest point. I was getting false readings all over the place so I switched to D1 (Deep) and it cleared up right away.

Just something to try next time to see if it helps!

Good Luck!

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Chells

[IceNutt]

Uncle you brought up some good points. Vex needs to come up with googles that display the screen. kinda like what fighter pilots use. They also need to have a remote control to adjust the gain, so us old guys don't have to bend over. Whadya think about that?

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IceNut

[Guest]

Icenut,
I think a tap system would be a nice addition as well. I'm sick of having to lug all of these empty beer cans all over the lake.

[IceNutt]

farginicehole, Got Kids?

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IceNut

[Guest]

Nope. Why? Do you make them carry your empties for you? That's good thinkin'!!!

[Raven]

I have seen some hits that seem to rise from the bottom, sometimes orange, sometimes red. Turned out to be bubbles. I was fishing at dark in about 30' of water the first time it happened and it took awhile to figure it out.

[Guest]

Noticed you said you caught a Rainbow. I assume you were refering to Rainbow Trout. Unless you can confirm at the same time the red targets showed up at the exact same time you were looking down the hole, i would guess the targets to be Trout moving through. Trout are very quick swimmers and like to circle a bait in lakes in the winter to confirm or peak its interest. I have witnessed many times sight fishing for Trout, they will come in on your bait and dart away in a blink of an eye. I would say this is possibly what you experienced?

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[Snowman]

Grump,

It is possible that your Vex was picking up freshwater shrimp (scuds) or other aquatic "critters" of the like. I have seen this same thing in bodies of water that have them, up at Devils Lake it drove me crazy until I got an underwater camera and looked for myself.

[Jim W]

Grump,
That body of water you were fishing holds a lot of very small perch. That would be my guess.

Jim W

[Guest]

That if funny you mention that. When I sight fish I always have my vex on in the LP mode. I can't believe how many times the vex says there is a fish there and I don't see it with my eyes. Usually they are sitting at the edge of the cone and appear to be closer to the bottom then they really are. But, I have had fish sneak right in and are under my nose. They just blend in real well.

Believe me, I have gotten down on the floor to look around and sure enough, the vex wasn't lying. My guess is you had a looker!Scott Steil