Installation
A fish finder has four components: A transducer, a receiver, a transmitter and a display. Proper operation requires that the transducer is not affected by turbulence caused by the engine of the boat or rivets in the hull that create air bubbles passing over the surface of the transducer housing. The transducer may need to be mounted lower on the boat's hull and away from any area where it can be damaged. Route the cable from the transducer away from other wire in the boat to the receiver.
Use
Drive the boat to a cove where you want to fish and turn the engine to idle. Turn on "Fish-Symbol ID" mode; it can be confusing to see fish icons all over the screen and realize they aren't actually fish. It is best to learn how to read the arch symbols on the screen.
Sensitivity
Adjust the sensitivity of the unit so that a good grayline is displayed for the bottom and objects are seen near the surface. This is typically around 80 percent of the unit's sensitivity, but may differ depending on location. Higher sensitivity can give you more detail, but also clutter the display.
Zoom
Turn on the zoom feature of the unit, which amplifies the signals and helps give you more clearly defined symbols on the display screen.
Arches
Fish finder work by sending sonar waves through the water and bouncing them off the bottom. A fish will be displayed as an arch on the display screen, hanging in the water. The arch is caused by motion of the fish through the cone of the sonar. If the fish and boat are stationary, it may not show at all or show as a partial arch.
