Using a fish finder can be a game changer for your fishing. It helps you locate fish and get more catches than you could ever dream of. In this article, you can find information on how these types of devices work and how they can help you get a ‘big fish’. Don’t miss this thorough article about installing a fish finder from fishing experts. Get ready your fishing tackle!
Understanding How Sonar Works
The word SONAR is created from the first letters of SOund NAvigation Ranging. A device sends sound waves through the water, and when the wave hits an object, it comes back to the surface (the device). Your fish finder then knows how far away the object is by analyzing how long it took the pulse of the wave to travel down and back.
The device can also understand how hard the object is, as the stronger the return pulse is, the harder is the object. Usually, a fish finder sends multiple wave pulses per second. This way it can get a better understanding of what is under the water. When the pulse comes back from under the water, the fish finder turns it into electrical signals to display an image. On the device, anglers can see how deep and hard is the seabed, as well as what objects are located in between.
Remember that sonar produces imaging from a wider area around the sonar. So the image you see on a display is not necessarily located right under your device. Be aware that the deeper the water, the wider the area is scanned by the device. Why is it like that? Sound travels in waves, not in straight lines. They usually expand in cones that can get wider and wider, depending on the space there is.
Many fish finders have an option to change the scanning beam frequency, which allows anglers to control the range which the sonar can scan. Depending on what you want to find underwater, you might need different scanning settings.
Fish Finder Display
You already know that sound waves come back to a device that then changes it into an electronic signal. Under the water, you can find many objects aside from fish, like stones, corals, plants, or even some items left there by humans. To make sure that you properly understand what the device wants to say, fish are displayed on the screen differently than other objects.
Most fish finders show the presence of a fish using the symbol of a fish. The image is always very simple to read, so you won’t have any doubts on what is under water.
What to Consider While Choosing a Fish Finder?
While choosing a fish finder, consider all your needs. The market has a lot to offer, so you need to set your objectives and budget, and only then choose the best option. You should consider features such as GPS, size of the fish finder’s footprint, type of screen (black and white or color), resolution of the screen, what power is needed to use it, and what are the wave frequencies. The latter should be adjusted to the region you are usually fishing (inland, deepwater, coast, etc.).
Can I See a Fish Size on a Fish Finder Device?
On some fish finders, you can check if you are seeing a big or a small fish. If you see a wide arch on your device, and it has a vibrant color, you are most likely looking at a large fish. Smaller arches with less intense colors are usually smaller fish. While a fish finder device can’t tell you how long a fish is, you can read how wide it is.
Read More:
How to prepare for your first fishing trip
