I have the HDS-8/LSS-1 combo on my boat. Anybody got some tips regarding settings best suited for recognizing fish in the side scan mode?

I can see the fish echoes in the down scan mode and in the water column portion of the side scan mode (e.g., under the boat), but I've never been able to see/recognize any that may be hanging around submerged structure to the left and right of the boat.

Maybe they're there and I'm just not recognizing them?

I've seen lots of HB pictures that show fish near structure to the left and right and they show up quite clearly in white against the blue pallette that the HBs use. The Lowrance unit does not appear to have a comparable palette option.

Thx for any suggestions. Anyone have any screenshots they can post that show fish around structure in the side Scan mode?

C.

I got the same problem, hope someone helps you out.

I have seen a few fish on the SideScan. Run your contrast around 60.

Mudfish - Thx.

I see the fish in the water column of the side scan view. Are you saying that the dark spots/streaks shown to the left and the right are also fish (at least some of them)?

C.

The dark spots are shadows of the suspended fish. The light spots not in the water column are more fish closer to the bottom or even on the bottom.

Mudfish - Thx. At least now I have an idea what to look for!

C.

C,
Play with your contrast, sensativity, and the frequancy of your transducer. I can often run past a tree or brushpile, and think I may see a fish. Hit the history and run the contrast or sensativity up and down on the frozen image and the fish will pop out. I am learning that you need fast fingers to pull the most rom these units.

Am I missing something? I haven't found a sensitivity adjustment for the side scan/down scan views, only on the 2D sonar.

All I've heard/read says use 800khz for water less than 100' deep --- that is all the time! The times I've switched to 455 khz, the images don't look quite as clear.

I've also tried all of the available palettes to see if one shows fish better than the others. So far palette #6 seems to be the best.

C.

C.

mudman, "shadows" ? i am totally ignorant when it comes to the side imaging technology. please explain the shadows....

Shadows is one way of putting it. Here is another way, the fish or other objects are hit by the sound waves and the sound waves bounce back to the unit. When the sound waves hit and bounce back there is a void on the other side of the object where the sound waves did not penetrate, thus it looks like a shadow.

Note the shadow effect with this tree.

thx for the explanation. am studying this stuff. trying to somehow convince myself that i need/want it bad enuff...