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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Equipment => Ice Fishing With Electronics => Topic started by: gofish33 on Dec 04, 2016, 02:51 PM

Title: How do i read bottom consistency with sonar
Post by: gofish33 on Dec 04, 2016, 02:51 PM

I've been looking for a video on how to read the type of bottom with a sonar and can't find anything.

I know a solid red line means bottom, but I'm pretty sure you can interpret muddy/gravel/rocky bottom based on the thickness of the red line.  Has anyone got a link to a vid about that  ?  Or have suggestions on reading the bottom structure ?

gofish33

Title: Re: How do i read bottom consistency with sonar
Post by: mistertwister on Dec 04, 2016, 02:54 PM

Colors can vary depending on what unit you are using. I have a 3 color (green, yellow, red) generally speaking a solid red tells me it is a hard bottom, green/yellow will show a softer bottom. I think you can tell weeds as well if it's showing small stacked yellow and green. I was actually wanting to do some research myself to get a little more information on what I'm seeing. Maybe someone else knows?!? :tipup:

Title: Re: How do i read bottom consistency with sonar
Post by: Monticatgeek on Dec 04, 2016, 05:35 PM

Here is one video for now.

 I know there is one out there that talks about going to double the depth setting and looking for a double echo. if I can find it I will post the link for it too.

Title: Re: How do i read bottom consistency with sonar
Post by: esox_xtm on Dec 04, 2016, 05:52 PM

Quote from: gofish33 on Dec 04, 2016, 02:51 PM

I've been looking for a video on how to read the type of bottom with a sonar and can't find anything.

I know a solid red line means bottom, but I'm pretty sure you can interpret muddy/gravel/rocky bottom based on the thickness of the red line.  Has anyone got a link to a vid about that  ?  Or have suggestions on reading the bottom structure ?

gofish33

First question: what locator you runnin'? Most are similar but some may have some unique quirks.

For the most part red means bottom. I've been in weeds so thick I get red from that too.

Back to the bottom. The thicker the line the harder the bottom is if gain (signal strength) is equal. If the bottom is really hard and you turn up the gain a little you will get a mark at double the actual depth. It helps if you have half an idea where you are so if you see that it will be information instead of a curiosity.

I ran flashers for years on my boat, didn't have fancy colors then either. All you had was bottom and in-between. Everything was relative to the width of the return. I sure do like my graph. Flasher is great for open water but oin thick weeds I can still see fishies coming quite easily.

Or maybe I'm just lazy...

Title: Re: How do i read bottom consistency with sonar
Post by: hardwater diehard on Dec 04, 2016, 05:58 PM

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=334480.msg3544659#msg3544659

53:00 mark sticky bottom  technique

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=159834.0

Title: Re: How do i read bottom consistency with sonar
Post by: crappieslayer37 on Dec 07, 2016, 09:21 PM

Vexilar has a video on this subject. Wish I could provide a link but we won't start that thread again with ice around the corner lol.