Reading a Lowrance Elite 4 I apologize now for my noobness. - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

CKallday71 · 06-19-2013, 12:25 PM

Hello Yakking Fish Folks!
When I bought my Outback it came with a Lowrance Elite 4. The whole setup is GREAT, however I have some questions reading the bloody thing.

I've read the owners manual and even looked at Youtube videos and images. I'm having difficulty figuring out what different things that come on the screen are. When I slide over the kelp I can pretty easily figure that out and the bottom terrain is pretty easy as well as depth ect. I had a dolphin slip under my yak which gave me a pretty clean ping on what a REALLY big solid critter under water looks like but I occasionally get weird blobs floating in the middle of the water column. I'm thinking these could be bait schools? Or am I just kind of wishful thinking? According to everything I've read and seen a "Fish" Should look like a ( turned 90 degrees right? I've seen a little of this but nothing super conclusive.

I've never used a fish finder before now and I'm trying not to be a COMPLETE noob but occasionally my noobness comes out.

So if anyone has any pics of their fishfinders or videos explaining what's going on it would be exceptionally cool for you to share.

This has been an ABSOLUTELY AWESOME forum to learn from!

Dannowar · 06-19-2013, 12:37 PM

i always try to drop a sabiki into those blobs.

sometimes its schools of macs, sometimes its schools of sardines, sometimes its schools of the squishies. ya never know until you try. itll also give you a sense of whats in the area. over time its a lot easier to distinguish certain things like kelp, squid, finbait, etc.

fishfinders are like women, hard to read, hard to understand, but when they show you the solid curves, its all worth it.

CKallday71 · 06-19-2013, 12:41 PM

Well put Dan.

ful-rac · 06-19-2013, 12:48 PM

Your on the right track, no amount of youtube or pictures will replace OTW experience. there are many variations of fishfinders, transducers...or even how they are mounted, they all will make a difference on how they read. Try to meter known objects, like what you are doing...kelp, dolphins, rocks, sand, bait...and note what they look like. Next time you hook a fish try to get it into your sonar cone and note what it looks like. After time you'll get a sense of what things look like and what they are or likely to be. Hopefully this helps.

vincentek9 · 06-19-2013, 12:53 PM

dolphin mark and seal mark are pretty similar.
a shark the same size gives a diff mark
a wsb also gives a diff mark (squigly line... worm.. snake...)
a yt gives a very nice arc (especially if you have your chart speed increased)

big floating blobs is usually baitball. sometimes too small to hook

big floating blobs WITH ARCS under/around them... you want to target those arcs. they are big fish chasing the bait ball.

06-19-2013, 12:25 PM	#1
CKallday71 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: The 951 Posts: 430	Reading a Lowrance Elite 4 I apologize now for my noobness. Hello Yakking Fish Folks! When I bought my Outback it came with a Lowrance Elite 4. The whole setup is GREAT, however I have some questions reading the bloody thing. I've read the owners manual and even looked at Youtube videos and images. I'm having difficulty figuring out what different things that come on the screen are. When I slide over the kelp I can pretty easily figure that out and the bottom terrain is pretty easy as well as depth ect. I had a dolphin slip under my yak which gave me a pretty clean ping on what a REALLY big solid critter under water looks like but I occasionally get weird blobs floating in the middle of the water column. I'm thinking these could be bait schools? Or am I just kind of wishful thinking? According to everything I've read and seen a "Fish" Should look like a ( turned 90 degrees right? I've seen a little of this but nothing super conclusive. I've never used a fish finder before now and I'm trying not to be a COMPLETE noob but occasionally my noobness comes out. So if anyone has any pics of their fishfinders or videos explaining what's going on it would be exceptionally cool for you to share. This has been an ABSOLUTELY AWESOME forum to learn from! __________________ I fish therefore I am. Selling cars since 2006. If you love what you do you never WORK a day in your life.

06-19-2013, 12:37 PM	#2
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	i always try to drop a sabiki into those blobs. sometimes its schools of macs, sometimes its schools of sardines, sometimes its schools of the squishies. ya never know until you try. itll also give you a sense of whats in the area. over time its a lot easier to distinguish certain things like kelp, squid, finbait, etc. fishfinders are like women, hard to read, hard to understand, but when they show you the solid curves, its all worth it. __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

06-19-2013, 12:41 PM	#3
CKallday71 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: The 951 Posts: 430	Well put Dan. __________________ I fish therefore I am. Selling cars since 2006. If you love what you do you never WORK a day in your life.

06-19-2013, 12:48 PM	#4
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Your on the right track, no amount of youtube or pictures will replace OTW experience. there are many variations of fishfinders, transducers...or even how they are mounted, they all will make a difference on how they read. Try to meter known objects, like what you are doing...kelp, dolphins, rocks, sand, bait...and note what they look like. Next time you hook a fish try to get it into your sonar cone and note what it looks like. After time you'll get a sense of what things look like and what they are or likely to be. Hopefully this helps. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

06-19-2013, 12:53 PM	#5
vincentek9 MAYNEE-YAK Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: So Cal Posts: 533	dolphin mark and seal mark are pretty similar. a shark the same size gives a diff mark a wsb also gives a diff mark (squigly line... worm.. snake...) a yt gives a very nice arc (especially if you have your chart speed increased) big floating blobs is usually baitball. sometimes too small to hook big floating blobs WITH ARCS under/around them... you want to target those arcs. they are big fish chasing the bait ball. __________________