Northwest Fishing Reports

My fish finder is having SERIOUS issues! The surface clarity is not use able and I cant mark fish when I know they are there! If i turn my sensitivity up, the screen is destroyed with markings, but if i turn it down to clear it up, I can't even mark a log! (Maybe a bit over exaggerated). Any help on this?

Is it knew,if so take it back.

I've heard of a few of these having the same problem :(

The sensitivity should be set in the 90% and up range. There usually is always some surface clutter.

Did anyone ever give you a demo on how to use it? The "demo mode" on the fishfinder is a perfect world situation and one never sees things that way.

Also each of those things cluttering up the screen are returns.

Sorry that you are having probs. with this unit. I just had to comment because I sold my Elite 5 a couple months ago. This was the worst fishfinder I have ever worked with. It just did not have any sort of options of adjustment, as compared to other units, like a Humminbird. The manual is only about 7 pages thick. Yes, there prob. is a sensitivity adjustment, but very limited otherwise. Take your craigslist money and run!

THester wrote:My fish finder is having SERIOUS issues! The surface clarity is not use able and I cant mark fish when I know they are there! If i turn my sensitivity up, the screen is destroyed with markings, but if i turn it down to clear it up, I can't even mark a log! (Maybe a bit over exaggerated). Any help on this?

As Zen Leecher mentioned, you are always going to have surface clutter, especially on a windy day. Marking fish near the surface is always dicey as the new sonar units are so sensitive that they can pick up the water disturbaces caused by wave action, boat props and even diving birds. Add to this the typical differences in water temps between the first few feet and the rest of the water column and it all just becomes a mess up top. Your sonar is really designed to show you bottom structure, thermoclines and fish/bait that are suspended or hugging the bottom of the waters you are fishing. Check out some of the sonar pics that I have posted with my Lake Washington reports for reference.

Next time any of you guys go to the Puyallup Sportsman show take time to sign up for the Lowrance class. It will be the best insight into using any of the fishfinder/gps's.

Don't think you will learn everything in one class. I've had about 5 of them so far from small ones in the salmon university classes to the 4 hour class Jeff and the other guy offer. 3 others were the ones at the sportsman show.

Just a heads up. The time will be well spent.