fl-8 problem

[korn_fish]

I don't know if this is related to vexliar or just the lake circumstances.

I use my vex day and night with no problems.

Every year I go to a lake up north of Aitken with some friends to catch crappies. the vex works fine durring the day, but a little after dark, there seems to be soo much interference that all you see is green on the vex. Crappies shut down as well at that time so we just head for the cabin and drink

My question is what could it be causing all the green on the vex? Tulibees? And what would you all do in that case.

We never did much adventuring in the past becuase we only had a permanent house we were using. This year I am taking my portable so I can adventure out and see if I can find the craps at night.

[Jim W]

Could be schools of small baitfish or plankton etc.

I call that "Star Wars". To me when walleye fishing, I become that much more in tune with my jigging and the vex. Usually not long after the onset of light green dashes, a large mark will make an appearance.

Jim W

[Granny]

I posted a similar question on the BWCA-Duluth page a while back. I have the same thing happen to me on a lake out in that area. I think the response was zooplankton. I guess it happens on a few lakes in the area. Dang hard to catch fish once the vex turns red.

[Guest]

As dusk sets in plankton and other tiny critter's rise off the bottom and form bio layers that can indicate temperature changes and fish movement patterns. All this is picked up by the sensitive receiver.

Knowing where these bands are is often helpful, it may reflect the movements of night feeder like crappie. Knowing where it is set up at is also helpful. I feel you do not wish to completely eliminate the ability to read this information. Yet I know, bio clutter is a pain.

As you say you use a FL-8 you have options at your disposal to refine the signal and tune out some of this clutter. The S-Cable will allow you to recalibrate the gain sensitivity and reduce clutter. For very deep water fishing this signal suppression has it's limitations, it all depends on what deep is for you in that situation.

If you fish deep a combination of the more concentrated 9 degree transducer and the S-Cable may help focus the signal more tightly and allow for a finner tuned gain. The two may clean up the bio clutter issue fairly well.

I recommend you read up on this topic in your booklet included with the FL-8 unit. If you have lost it there are great tips at the Vexilar web site that may help explain this phenomenon far better then I can.

Another tip is every so often wipe the surface of your transducer off. Them critters like light and they build up in the hole and on the surface of the transducer. This will also mess with the signal and it pays to clean it from time to time at night.

I hope this is of some help to you.

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Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
[email protected]
><,sUMo,>

[Guest]

Ed pretty much summed it up. Your seeing plankton. Plankton have air pockets in their bodies that allow them to float to the surface. What your actually seeing is the air pockets inside the plankton. Vexilar flashers are so sensitive, they can read those tiny air pockets. Ed stated a very good point, these plankton can stick to the bottom of your transducer and removing them will help to get a better display.
You can also turn the gain down and switch to a jig like a Fatboy that holds more lead. You can tune out the plankton and still see your jig.
Another tip is to trying fishing past dark longer into the night. Some of the biggest Bluegills in your lake will bite late at night when those plankton are active.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
320-293-3287
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Jim W]

Ed and Derek,

Thanks for the detailed descriptors!!

Jim W