Can you tell the size of the fish on vexilar screen?

[sergv]

Does that really work? Meaning if the red line gets really thick (3-5 times larger than the lure) - is it easy to say that the fish is bigger than if you see a skinny one?

[Gissert]

Not so much with my FL18. I can tell when I loose a waxie on certain jigs. As far as detecting fish sizes, I have not had much luck with that. I can usually tell how that blip 'behaves' and have a good idea of what is working below me.

On the other hand, I fished first ice with ChuckN and his LX5 this year. He could tell fish size far better than I with the MarCum.

[JeffB]

It works to a point, but not very well. You just dont know how close to the center of the cone they are or sometimes multiple small fish move in. Basically when a nice thick red band shows up I pay attention, but sometimes I get fooled both ways.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

Usually on my screen I really don't care if it's big or not until it comes out if the hole!

I Like the thrill of not knowing what's on your line until it comes up through the hole!!!

Just my 2 cents

[Cicada]

I agree with JeffB. I usually get a better idea of what might be down there by the behavior of the blip than by the size. Mulitple blips vacate followed by a larger blip usually tells me that a larger predator has chased the baitfish out and moved in. Hopefully, followed by a vicious thunk on my lure so I can verify my thoughts firsthand.

[Ed Carlson]

Yes you can, if the gain is set properly.

The Red is the reflection from the air bladder inside the fish at a low gain..larger if the gain is high and dirty.

The larger the Red the larger the fish if it is in the center of the cone. Orientation to the center of the beam is everything in reading target size.

So setting the base level gain to your jig/bait is critical to interpreting the size and orientation of near targets and there mode and speed of travel.

[ChuckN]

Quote:

On the other hand, I fished first ice with ChuckN and his LX5 this year. He could tell fish size far better than I with the MarCum.

The walleye in my avatar was one of those moments. The fish came in on the LX5 display and I told Gissert "this is a big fish", and it sure wasn't a gill or crappie!

My LX-5 displays a distinct "trail", as I like to call it, when a sizeable fish (usually walleye over 18") rises towards the lure in shallow water, or in zoom mode in deep water.

I can say after using/owning my old FL-8 for many years I could not really tell the size of the fish from seeing the display.

[jwhjr]

I could certainly tell when it was a pike coming after my jig on my LX-5 as the red line was thick and moving fast

[Ed Carlson]

Quote:

On the other hand, I fished first ice with ChuckN and his LX5 this year. He could tell fish size far better than I with the MarCum.

The walleye in my avatar was one of those moments. The fish came in on the LX5 display and I told Gissert "this is a big fish", and it sure wasn't a gill or crappie!

My LX-5 displays a distinct "trail", as I like to call it, when a sizeable fish (usually walleye over 18") rises towards the lure in shallow water, or in zoom mode in deep water.

I can say after using/owning my old FL-8 for many years I could not really tell the size of the fish from seeing the display.

The new processors on the FL-12's and 20's do a better job of target ID than the old FL-8's...huge difference in fact. Gain, puck orientation, all factors to a good sonar read, so if things are set properly not much you can't tell about the target's orientation and approximate size.

[L_Cappo]

if you look at the vex book it says it does not show the size of the fish.bigger the red line means fish are right under the cone.but i have noticed with my fl-20 if the red line is big its a big fish.

[EBass]

I can tell on my FL-18 if its a big girl. I do keep my gain way down so my jig or minnow is a lil green mark. Big girls take up alot of room when zoomed in on them, heck I can see the fins sway back and forth while it stares at said minnow. Catching it is another story.

I can tell the bottom content on the FL-18 to.

[Ed Carlson]

Like I said it depends on your gain settings in relation to your known target, the jig/bait.

If you run your gain too high, a dinkie crappie may look like a whale and your bait a dolphin...so prospective is the key.

I will admit..I can't tell ya the weight & inches..but I can venture a darn good guess as to the general size if I have it set correctly.

If'n a sumo slides on in...I'll know it.

[jigginjim]

Yes you can, if the gain is set properly.

The Red is the reflection from the air bladder inside the fish at a low gain..larger if the gain is high and dirty.

The fishes air blader has nothing to do with telling you the size of a fish. If it were based in air, you would not see your tiny jig how much air is in a leadhead jig? It will sound a different color due in part to the overall size of the object below, a larger lure send back a stronger signal. use a 1/4 oz jigging spoon, you barely see a signal, now change to a #3 jigging rap you willsee a larger signal without changing your vex.

[Ed Carlson]

The air bladder is most certainly the strongest target, as are tiny bubbles. It had to do with air vrs water density and the return signal generated from a round smooth target.

Sonar was developed to track submarines during WW II, and this is the air chamber profile they looked for with the sonar.

Round targets and flat topped targets in general have the most sonar friendly return signal signature, hence the sharp edges on a Stealth Bomber...to deflect sonar return signatures.

Even when you look at a "Hook" on a Graph, you will see a more defined air bladder signature in the center. Well trained commercial fisherman sonar tech's can venture a very good guess in fact at the identity of the species of fish due to the shape of the air bladders. Commercial drift netters use this info to direct drift nets on the open ocean to stay on schools of desired fish species.

[Christopher Quast]

On vexilar site it tells you that the wider the target the bigger the red line, I used to own an FL8 and I could definately tell the difference, at times a northern or bass would show up and sometimes the line would be a good 3/4 wide while set on the lowest gain to see my hook, so definately this would be a big YES!

[Esox_Magnum]

I can normaly tell the difference between a keeper gill and a small perch on my LX-5. When a big fish swims in ( pike, northern, muskie ect) theres no mistake its a big fish.

[ICE_KING]

I think the reading has more to do with reflective surface more than anything else. Whether an airbladder or not. A jig only has so much reflective surface so no matter how much you turn the gain up you will reach a point where it dont get any bigger. So a small fish having smaller surface area can only reflect back a smaller line while a larger fish which has more surface area reflects a larger target, whether its the air bladder or not that is up for debate. Personally i believe it has the most to do with surface area of a denser than water substance...IMO

[fishgutz77]

there is no doubt that a larger fish has a much larger stronger signal and band width on the vex. I run a FL-12 with the dual beam and doesn't matter what depth I'm working for lakers or walleys or pannies you can tell which is which. In 80fow 60 down a line that never turns red is a dink. the line that turns red is a good fish because I set my 9 degree to tell me so with the gain just right. the same is true with 20 fow or less with the 19 degree ducer. I had a 29+ walleye in 22 fow water one time that the band looked so large is had multiple fringe lines on the top side and a huge thick red band. When I see that action it's like pins and needles. My fishing partner says I look like a cat ready snag one.

[hondavxr]

It has to do more with sound waves. Bigger targets like bigger fish will send back a stronger soundwaves back to the transducer. Because they have more surface area to bounce back the sound. Little jigs bounce back smaller waves. On my old FL-8 I couldnt tell if it was a small or big fish they all looked the same. On my LX5 you can tell the difference. Smaller fish will come in as a really small red line, bigger fish will come in as a bigger red with trails of green and orange on it.

[L_Cappo]

yes all the vexs tells you what kinda of bottom and they also tell you to use it with your gain way down.

[gopher_nation]

Sonar is from top to bottom. Soundwaves move vertically so a thicker line means a wider fish. But: a big fish on the outer edge of the sonar cone will be a weak(yellow) signal but a tiny perch directly under your sonar could produce that beautiful red line.

Gain should be set so that your lure produces a thin yellow line. Use it long enough and you get a feel for whats under you. I can fish a school of pannies and see one red line amongst yellow or green and pull up a bull gill by targeting that stronger signal.

[Ed Carlson]

Sonar is from top to bottom. Soundwaves move vertically so a thicker line means a wider fish. But: a big fish on the outer edge of the sonar cone will be a weak(yellow) signal but a tiny perch directly under your sonar could produce that beautiful red line.

Gain should be set so that your lure produces a thin yellow line. Use it long enough and you get a feel for whats under you. I can fish a school of pannies and see one red line amongst yellow or green and pull up a bull gill by targeting that stronger signal.

In a ice-ducer application this is true as sonar waves do primarily move to the vertical but also expand into the Horizontal.

A good way to think of a sonar signal is this...A sonar signature is more like a balloon, when you adjust the Gain by lowering the setting you deflate the balloon. When you increase the Gain you expand the balloon effect.

This is why you see a weak signal ID of a fish way out in the peripheral and if observant you may also see them sliding through the sub-bottom signal way before you see them as a defined target in the main vertical beam.

The lowest gain you can achieve is often the best to concentrat on your bait and direct presentation. Yet at times, a wider "Dirty" beam with an expanded balloon has it's benifits too. Often as a search tool.

[fishgutz77]

Those that have figured it out can also tell not only bottom content but how steep the break is that your fishing on. It wasn't until I was on a very sharp break 21-45 ft that I saw this and how to figure it out when I got on other sharper breaks.

[Burchoid]

This debate came up a few years ago. I can estimate the size of a fish fairly well... unless its 2-3 smaller fish holding tight together.

You can also have a good idea what species of fish you have down there based on how they move, what depth they come in, etc. Its not 100% accurate, but you can get pretty good by picking up on the slight subtleties between different blips.

I had a 26" walleye on Mille Lacs a few years ago that came through suspended at 15' in 30' of water. I thought for sure it was going to be tulibee, but I was wrong!

I find these fish to be the most distinct on the flasher: Pike (huge double blip), walleye, tulibee, and perch. I have a hard time telling the difference between a bluegill/crappie/bass on the flasher.

[metro 1]

I went out and got myself one of those 4x magnifier for my FL-8 and now everything I see is a BIG red band with streaming yellow & green trailers.Sure has boosted my enthusiasm on the ice, when everything is BIG!