How many times in your life have you fished all day and caught nothing? It has happened to me several times. At first, I didn’t have the knowledge and experience of what it took to improve my catch, but I have mastered and learned a few tricks over the years. I discovered what a fish finder is. The fish finder is a kind of locator for fish.
Ever since I started using it, kayak and boat fishing has become much more exciting. This gadget is certainly not cheap and is not something you need if you are a recreational fisherman. However, if you are passionate about this sport, invest in one of the fish finders and then follow how it is used below.
What Is a Fish Finder?
This device reveals fish with the help of sonar. Its role is to locate the place of the fish using the sounds and its echo. The device sends a sound impulse and waits for its echo. Thanks to modern technology, the data displayed to you on the fish finder are incredibly accurate.
How Do Fish Finder Work?
Installation of fish finders is effortless, and in just a few steps, I will explain the whole procedure. The installation differs depending on whether you are going to fish from a boat or a kayak.
How Does a Depth Fish Finder Work if Installed on a Boat?
Procedure for setting up fish finders if you use a boat: Place the transducer in the hull’s proper place. It would be best to choose a constantly underwater place because that is the only way the transducer will work. It would be a good idea not to be too close to the propeller to reduce the risk of possible reading interference.
Make sure it is stable and does not move when the boat is moving. Before installing the transducer, make sure the device is wired correctly. This means that the wires must be exact, adequately connected, and must not be cut, but if their length is not appropriate, they must be tied with plastic ties.
Another circumstance to pay attention to is that the wires must not be tied near the engine harness as this will undoubtedly affect its ability to report fish activity correctly. After you have correctly followed the previous two steps, the device needs to be mounted. My advice is to use a plastic block to drill two holes and thus attach the device to the boat.
Whether you use a plastic block or not, use a silicone sealant as an additional guarantee to prevent water leakage. Once we’ve tested the wires, it’s the right time to run them. There are two ways to do this. The difference is whether you will do it above the transom or through the hole that passes through it. Secure the wires with plastic ties so that they do not move.
It is recommended that you place plastic ties at approximately every fifteen inches. Route the cables from the battery to the central unit. Be careful while doing this, so by no means remove the fuse as overvoltage may occur otherwise. Also, it is essential to remember that black is negative and red is positive, after connecting to the power supply.
Once you have carefully completed all the previous steps, it is time to set up the fish finder. If your boat has a control panel, you can place the fish finder on it. On the other hand, you can buy brackets that you can mount later. Information on how to do this can usually be found in the fishfinder manual itself, so check what is stated for your model.
Also Read: Best Side Imaging Fish Finder – Top Options on the Market
How Does a Depth Fish Finder Work if Installed on a Kayak?
There are several ways you can mount a fish finder on a kayak, but today I will explain the installation of the opening for the scupper. To begin with, get a PVC pipe that matches the scupper hole. It essentially represents the housing for the transducer mount. Drill a hole in the PVC pipe and mount the transducer. It is essential to be careful and precise when drilling pipes.
The next step is to cut even half an inch deep around it because it is a surplus. Now the transducer should fit perfectly into the cut area. However, before you put it there, you need to run the wires through the pipe. Push the mounted pipe through the scupper hole. The inverter needs the transducer outside the kayak at least one centimeter below your kayak for proper functioning.
If it seems complicated to you, don’t give up here. Just a little more, and it will be over, so you will be able to go fishing, but this time with complete knowledge of how fish finders work and what is a fish finder, precisely. It’s time to close the pipe. There is not too much thinking and rethinking here. It is essential to do this with a silicone sealant to prevent water leakage. Close the pipe with a lid, and everything is ready for use.
Do You Need a Fish Finder?
The answer to this question depends on what kind of fisherman you are and what your goal is. If you like fishing in the open sea or ocean, it will be tough to see where the fish are without fish finders. It not only reveals whether the fish are in your area but also their size. This portable fish finder device works equally well in both shallow and deep water.
Slightly better-equipped fish finders also have a depth gauge, with the help of which you can determine how deep the bottom is below you. The measured bottom depth is most often displayed in the upper left corner of the fish finder screen. I suggest using the fish finder devices that have GPS in them because that way, you can go back to the same place where the fish activity was previously increased.
What Types of Fish Finders Are There?
There are three types to choose from. They differ in whether they scan sideways, downwards, or combine these two methods. You have to be careful when choosing because choosing depends on what you plan to catch. Side scanning is used in the sea when scanning sea wrecks or fishing lakes rich in weeds.
My most honest advice is to buy a large screen device and the appropriate quality for the most accurate and precise image. Of course, this applies to those who use the boat when fishing. Those who kayak fishing will not attach importance to the big screen because it will not be the most practical option. For anglers who use a kayak, it would be ideal to purchase a lightweight model covered with a waterproof mask.
How Is a Fish Finder Interpreted?
In the beginning, you may have difficulty reading the data, but like everything else related to fishing, you can reach perfection with practice. Ease of interpretation is when your device has colored scales, but it is not difficult to master those with gray scales at all. When the device detects an object of higher density and hardness, a greater echo will appear.
The stronger the echo that the device receives, the darker the color of the object, i.e., the fish, will be displayed on the screen. The bottom of the water surface we are scanning will undoubtedly be shown in the darkest color. Somewhat more modern fish seekers can display the fish icon on the screen when scanning and spotting fish.
The most advanced ones will display icons of schools of fish, rocks, and even stems. However, this device has one drawback: it can sometimes display seaweed as a school of fish. There is another type of fish finder, and that is the arch fish tracker. They display the read data on the screen as a series of arcs and lines, so they are a little harder to interpret.
The initial mistake that can happen to you is to think that the arch’s length represents the size of the fish. No, it’s not like that. You will find out the size of the fish by interpreting the width of the arch. Before you start using this device, please read the instructions carefully and find out how fish finder work. The fish tracker is a phenomenal invention that allows us to return from fishing satisfied with our catch.
Also Read: Best Fish Finder Under $500 – The Budget Friendly Guide
Conclusion
I believe that fish finder represents a revolution in the modern style of fishing. Before using it, I was convinced that I was doing everything right and justified the lack of catch by terrible weather conditions, lack of fish in the water, and similar excuses.
Now I see that I fished in some places where the activity of the fish is much lower. One learns from mistakes, so I heartily advise you to try a fish tracker if you think it would be helpful for you as well. Indeed, this thing was beneficial to me.
