LX-7 trouble keeping jig on the screen?

[Deal Ninja]

Yesterday in 10 fow fishing 6” to 12” off the bottom, I couldn’t keep my jig on the screen consistently.  Had sensitivity up to 25 at one point.  Switched from Gain 1 to Gain 2, nothing I tried seemed to improve it.  The strange part is that it would vanish off my screen, then reappear if I moved it or jigged it.  Then it would disappear again if I stopped jigging it.  Oh, the jig was a 1/8 oz. Venom glow minnow fwiw.  There shouldn’t be any current where I was fishing to move my jig out of the cone.  Speaking of cones, I also tried switching to 8 degree cone and back to 20 degree cone with no improvement.  I had a good read of the bottom and marked fish with no problem, just couldn’t keep my jig on the screen consistently.  Anybody ever have a similar experience?  Solution?  The only thing I can think of is that my transducer may have been touching the side of the hole occasionally enough to tilt it ever so slightly, but that’s a reach I think.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks.

DN

[3300]

check for cuts yet, in the transducer cable?
did you do a floor test yet?
is the jig a slender or skinny from above profile?
did you try different shaped jigs?
was the battery and it's connects in good shape?
was ice built up under the transducer?
has the transducer ever been knocked against ice or hit?

i think you have two? if so swap the transducers or battery or head unit to see what's going on better.

it sounds like a transducer or battery problem tho.

[Deal Ninja]

Thanks 3300.  Everything looks fine, but this was the one I picked up used.  First time I’ve had it on the ice. Don’t know much about it’s past...  It has a brand new Dakota LI battery in it.  I was hoping to take it out again today to try and see if I had it happen again, but the ice is deteriorating rapidly today.  I’ll try the transducer swap with my first one the next time I get to go out.   Like I said, bottom reading was good and was marking plenty of fish, so it was head scratching that my jig kept vanishing.  It would be green, then blue, then just disappear, but as soon as I’d jig it, it would show back up again.  Weird, huh?

[fishslap]

I’ve had similar issues with my new lx7. Dynamic range mode is also useless even when in >10 FOW.  It will work for a while then I have to run in manual.  I’m about ready to return it and go back to my lx5.  Calling marcum on Monday.  Very disappointed in this piece of equipment.

[3300]

mark, you can still do a floor test to evaluate the transducers. pay attention to the gain needed between the two.

when you look at this dead stick image of my jig near bottom, you can see it change values on it's own some. it looks like the heavy plankton are interfering with the it some.



if your transducer is weak from abuse or age, i would send the whole used unit in and they are supposed to give you a transducer and those cost more than the service/tune-up does. i would call to confirm they still do that first.
125$ is the price for their tune-up.

i think it is the transducer now, if you have a new battery. just make sure the connectors are tight. having to turn it to max to try to see a jig that close means a problem. maybe why it was sold.

I’ve had similar issues with my new lx7. Dynamic range mode is also useless even when in >10 FOW.  It will work for a while then I have to run in manual.  I’m about ready to return it and go back to my lx5.  Calling marcum on Monday.  Very disappointed in this piece of equipment.

that is the only mode i use for depth. (dynamic manual)
you know about the mode 1 and mode 2 right? i think it is mode 1 for shallow water of 10 feet or less. the other mode is for over 10 feet of water.
i don't use the lx7, i use the lx9 and it uses different firmware, so i don't have mode 1 or 2 yet. it's still called open water mode and ice mode. their new firmware changed those mode names for the lx6/7.

take your time to learn it more and i think you'll be good with it. the type you came from is a flasher and nothing to dial in hardly and so no real learning curve per say.
not sure if you read this before, but maybe it will help get it dialed in better for you.
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=319913.0

[Deal Ninja]

“just make sure the connectors are tight.”  BOTH connectors were loose; power and ducer.  The plugs were in the sockets, but the locking rings were not turned far enough clockwise to reach that final “Snap” detent.  I still wonder if that was my problem, but one less thing to check!  I had never disassembled it and checked the plugs before.  Didn’t think I had a reason to! LOL. Thanks Drew!!!   I checked my other one and it’s fine.  Will try it again before bothering Marcum.

[3300]

awesome! i would still do floor tests just to have peace of mind. with both of them so you have a good reference point.

not having it tight might have opened the connectors some too, maybe.

marcum m1 test procedure. will be enough info to translate over to your lx7
https://marcum.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/177

[Deal Ninja]

I just did the floor test and I think I figured out my problem.  The previous owner had covered the connection at the top of the transducer with a glob of liquid electrical tape just for protection I think? and when it dried, it wouldn't let the transducer hang vertically or perfectly parallel to the floor depending on your point of view.  I couldn’t get a floor reading with the one in question and had them both going side by side.  When I stripped off the glob of liquid electrical tape I got an identical reading to my other one.  Lesson learned.  The transducers MUST hang perfectly vertical from the support arm for them to read properly.  I’m guessing yesterday when I would move my jig, I would pull it back into to the slightly crooked cone making it show up again.  They are both functioning identically now.  Whew.  Thanks again for your help and ideas Drew.  You might have just saved me a big unnecessary bill.    I have two solid green marks both at about 9 feet which is what I think I’m supposed to have.

[tbern]

Glad you got it figured out and thanks for sharing what you had to do to it.

[3300]

last owner may have seen some pictures of others that ruined their transducers where the cable enters the puck. if you cram it in tight under the head unit enough times it will split the casing open. or if you push the support arm against that area it could do the same thing.

the other thing this means is the seller thought he was selling a lemon and you made lemonade! i hope it's from someone on here and reads this.
i take that back, i hope it isn't anyone from here, but i do hope they read this.

if the transducer is hanging at 2 feet, your sonar should show it between 8 -10 feet (depends on how hard the surface is). the gain should be much lower now when you get it back on ice to see your jig. you have the luxury of having two units to help diagnose issues. if you document the gain readings on the floor tests you'll be able to duplicate that same test and see if the transducer(s) are getting weak with age or knocks.

a cut in the cable will also throw the cone angle aim too far off. i wrap the cable around the arm a few times and use velcro one wrap to keep it from slipping. you just have to remember to not fold the arm back over the cable and damage it internally.

glad you found out what was going on yourself. i almost called you to help on the phone instead of typing so much lol.

[hardwater diehard]

[hardwater diehard]