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Big Catfish on Sonar #12919020 10/01/18 06:45 PM
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RespectTheFish Offline OP
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I caught a 30 pound flathead catfish and took several sonar pics of him with various settings including DI,SI, and chirp 2D. Made a 5 minute video demonstrating what they look like on sonar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y4KP6vZ9VM


Clay
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Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12919067 10/01/18 07:20 PM
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sae Offline
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Thank you ,very helpful.

Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12919082 10/01/18 07:34 PM
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It was a game changing experiment for me....I thought I knew my sonar pretty well but I dont think I would have bet thats what a big catfish looks like. The picture at the end when it says found em is actually a screen shot I took scanning the area deciding where the ledge was I wanted to put my trotline on and happened to see those big arcs....I wasnt 100% sure if they were big hybrids or decent catfish. Thats about where on the line I caught him too and after the experiment and hindsight one of those could have been him.

I also learned to trust 2D sonar above all as it was reliably more helpful than the other technologies. SI puzzled me the most because I use often to follow hybrid schools while downrigging but it didnt make one big catfish pop off the screen no matter what I tried!

This reinforced my belief that matching boat speed to chart speed is a bad idea and results in poorer images for whatever reason. I usually run with my chart speed on 6 but I may be bumping it up to 7-8 now.

Last edited by RespectTheFish; 10/01/18 07:36 PM.

Clay
Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12919242 10/01/18 09:51 PM
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OPTIMUS PRIME Offline
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Clay, one of the cool things I learned on here a long time ago was that on a lot of the humminbird models, in order to get the down image view the processor takes one side or the ( active side ) of the side image and displays it as down image. Which basically means your down image is just showing you one side of your side image not both. Which is why you will see a lot of stuff on sonar that does not show on DI. From what I understand this was also changed on some fishfinders but I dont remember which ones. I usually just try to remember stuff about my unit... cheers Oh and you coulda made that fish show up a little better on your side image by adjusting the distance or feet it reads out to tha side of your rig...

Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: OPTIMUS PRIME] #12919451 10/02/18 01:01 AM
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I adjusted the SI down to 40 feet instead of 60 and even looked to only one side but it was so difficult to get him to show up I gave up on messing with it after countless passes... I was surprised how few times I got a look at him on SI and it was only those few times it was set to 60 feet. When I got a view of him I froze the screen and made every sensitivity and contrast setting change and those were the only screen shots I could get of him and Those are what you see in the video. I wish I would have froze the screen and changed the distance then but I had no idea how hard of a time I was going to have seeing him! it was going to be that difficult to see him on SI! It was crazy! The results of everything I did was opposite of what I would have thought. I figured slowing the 2D chart speed down to boat speed would make the best image and it made the worst. I figured DI would show more than it did and it usualky didmt shoeI figured SI would be cake seeing him and it was crazy! I kinda wonder if he swam away from the boat when I got near making the sonar beam hit him at a bad angle!?....Ive read in GPS studies that they often swam away when the tracking boat got near which may explain why I may have gotten those first few screen shots then nothing after four or five passes unless I used 2D. Those SI shots were the first thing I did.


Clay
Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12919505 10/02/18 01:39 AM
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No worries ... Flathead can be hard to see at times anyways they like to stay low...

But for starters its usually just side image in the shaller and sonar in the deep!!!!










Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12919518 10/02/18 01:45 AM
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RespectTheFish Offline OP
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Nice screen shots! Definitely some big boys swimming around there! I agree shallow water is when SI shines over other technologies. What lakes do you fish?


Clay
Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12920945 10/03/18 12:13 PM
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I fish a lotta lakes pardna... Im all over the grid!!!! duel

Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12921088 10/03/18 01:49 PM
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Nice screen shots Snarf!!!

Definitely gonna checkout your video when I get home RTF..Can't wait!!!!!! banana


Checkout my Youtube channel for tips and techniques on
crappie and catfish
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsHpQ1vQP7HRC_sw0fXopQ?view_as=subscriber
Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12922154 10/04/18 04:41 AM
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Awesome video man! Im guessing Gen 1 Helix 12?

What Optimus was saying about the di is correct, on the new Helix Mega units they now have dedicated crystals in the transducer for the di which gives it a true di image instead of a mirror image. It is absolutely night and day now with the di.

Ive always wanted to do that or put a few catfish on a jug and drop it down. I believe it was Tiny back in the day that suggested doing that.

Really enjoyed the video man thanks!


Check out my YouTube channel as I fish out of my Native Titan 10.5 in Texas and Oklahoma reservoirs

https://youtube.com/channel/UCqA--bCRG3lY9CLA-YcvJvQ

If you are in the market for a great used boat checkout the selecton of bass, catfish and all around fishing boats and boat trailers for all style of boats at www.facebook.com/smithboatsales


Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: Justin B] #12922617 10/04/18 05:02 PM
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RespectTheFish Offline OP
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Thanks for the feedback!

You are correct! Gen 1 helix 12 from two or three years ago. Im in Nurse Practicioner school right now but Im a year when I graduate I plan to upgrade to a mega imaging unit! I gotta say I love the Helix units ive owned. Super easy to use. I looked at the solix touch screens at bass pro and I wasnt a fan....seemed like too much features and buttons to get lost in compared to how naturally easy the helix is but we will see what happens.

The biggest thing I took away from my experiment is trust 2D over everything and crank that dang chart speed up! I think instead of keeping my chart speed on 6 all the time I will be hanging out around 8 or 10 lol. I couldnt believe how much better that fish looked at faster chart speeds!


Clay
Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12922830 10/04/18 07:35 PM
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Yeah it not showing up on si is a little bothersome


Check out my YouTube channel as I fish out of my Native Titan 10.5 in Texas and Oklahoma reservoirs

https://youtube.com/channel/UCqA--bCRG3lY9CLA-YcvJvQ

If you are in the market for a great used boat checkout the selecton of bass, catfish and all around fishing boats and boat trailers for all style of boats at www.facebook.com/smithboatsales


Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: Justin B] #12922897 10/04/18 08:55 PM
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It was shocked as well. I tried chart speed at 6 and then tried to match chart speed to boat speed around 3....when I catch another one I am going to try some more things.

I'm going again tonight so wish me luck! Maybe I can show what a 60 pounder looks like lol woot


Clay
Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12923154 10/05/18 02:22 AM
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Catfish Lynn Offline
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Clay,
I might suggest that you target the YC days of my Catfish Calendar, and especially the PYC days, as this is the underlying pattern (the PYC days) of the YellowCat's roam-feed pattern. The Calendar reveals which of the 4 sigs is strongest for that day, but the PYC days are from my experience & finding of the calendar, as well as the YellowCat pattern. It seems the roam-feed circuit switch is nature's way of kicking them out of the house and get some exercise, while eating, which Yellows tend to do- breathe & eat.


Lynn
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Re: Big Catfish on Sonar [Re: RespectTheFish] #12923163 10/05/18 02:38 AM
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Catfish Lynn Offline
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Almost forgot, according to Jeff & James (my two prize YellowCat & Catfish Calendar students), they found that they caught their largest ones in the 3 day runs usually the first day or last day. Of course, if running lines (which they did), that means either late at night, or first run of the morning. They are the ones who had the first tango with "The Giant". James got to see its head & then its tail.

I will have to remember to swing the scope around so I can see perhaps what "The Giant" might look like from it on the next rendevous. On May 5th, when I realized I had it on the line, I was trying to brace myself & maneuver (very fast) so it would not turn my new 12 foot Alumacraft flat bottom over. "The Giant" pulls like a tractor, but I am sure if it feels needed, it can fire out or down like a race car.


Lynn
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