Home › Forums › Bass Cat Boats › Humminbird vs. Drop Shot / Spoon
Jbarton81.
I am having a heck of a time getting my front graph setup to show my drop shot or spoon, rear works fine. I have messed with settings to no avail. Looking for any thoughts or insights. Just changed my TM from a MG 82 to a MK 112, have the same problem. Watched Doug V. videos which still didnt help. I can see my line for maybe 10 then its gone again, even when the lure is directly under my TM. For example:Watched a bait ball in 45 feet the other day, bottom depth was 65. Dropped a spoon w/ rod tip adjacent to my TM, boat not moving, watched it till 15 depth then it disappears to not be seen again.Boat is a 07 PIV w/ MK 112lbFront Graph is a HB 859 Back is an HB 999Any ideas or suggestions?
put your 2d into max mode. the page also has a short video.http://www.humminbird.com/Category/Tech … witchfire/
Ill give that a shot.I am wondering how many degrees the transducer can be “off” of perpendicular before it causes issues. I am kind of wondering if I need to shim the shield shaver to get the signal pointing straight down, trolling motor appears to be angled where it pulls the bow down.
What frequency is your 2-d sonar on? 83 khz is a wider beam than 200, which has a much narrower cone. I think you may only have option for 200/455 with that sonar though? Basically, the 83khz cone is as wide as the water is deep, the 200khz cone is about 1/3 as wide as the water is deep. If your unit is set to only 200khz it may be more difficult to keep the lure inside the sonar cone, especially if it isn’t pointing straight down. What options are there for sonar frequencies (I think it’s under the sonar menu under “beam select”?)?? If you have the option set it to 200/83. Turn switchfire onto MAX. Crank the sensitivity all the way up, and back off until the screen is clear enough to see the lure, but not so much that the entire screen is clear, a little clutter is normal. If that doesn’t work I’d call Humminbird CS, they are good and will walk you through setup—they’ll probably ask you to restore default settings before doing anything though. It helps to be on the water when on the phone with them so you can do it on the spot and ask questions as you go.
I thought it was on 83/200. Went home at lunch and checked, it was on 200. I may need to call HB, it appears the DI transducer only cover 200/455. I was tricked into thinking it was 83/200 because it shows my back transducer through the network. Didnt occur till you posted this, that it was a 200 only. For settings I had sensitivity way up, as well as ping speed. Used to drop shooting off graphs, just not having a good run with this one for some reason. My back unit works great.
Try the 455 setting, which is how DI is supposed to be set on thru hull pucks.
BCB probably knows more than I do, but I dont think the 455khz setting will add anything in your 2d view. This thread suggests there is a transducer available that will add 83khz capability–I would call hummingbird CS and ask them your question. http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php … transducer
To be clear is not a through hull transducer. I think the trick is the missing 83hz setting. If I get to head up this weekend Ill know more. Good thing about california, we get to fish all winter :smile_20_evil1:
You are correct in that your unit offers 200khz or 455khz in 2D. Many on the Bird forum on BBC do fine using the 200khz setting in 2D. Crank up the chart speed to high to get current data more often, and then, like Macintosh says, turn the sensitivity to full clutter and then back off until most of it is gone and you can still see your bait, and have switchfire to max if you are in more than 10 feet (clear mode if in less than 10 feet). Do you have an actual trolling motor ducer or did you just mount the standard transom mount one on the troller like many do? The transom mount ducer reduces the capability somewhat. From the way you describe what happens, I think that you are right about the angle of the ducer. It only makes sense that if you initially see it, and then lose it, that it is moving outside of the cone angle if your bait is right under the troller and the beam is not perpendicular. I would dedicate some time and try to dial in the angle first before changing the ducer. Maybe take some thin wedges with you and try them between the arm of the troller and the mount to try and get a perpendicular, or shim the ducer. Having said that, having the option of 83khz with the wide ducer will give you a wider cone angle and make it easier. If you decide to change, you need the XTM-9-WIDE-DI-20-T. You are so lucky that you can fish all winter. I dont get my Cat out of winter storage for another three months
Catdude Transducer is surface mounted (not built in) and is held in place with a shield saver. Trying to spoon fish in 60 for fish that are suspended in 100 is a real P.I.T.A. if you cant graph your bait. What frustrating is I can see the bait till 10-15 then its gone….even when I am directly over it and not moving. The cone should be getting larger as the water gets deeper, so I would expect the opposite to happen, bait show up at depth, disappear shallow.
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