How to Read a Humminbird Fish Finder

How to read a Humminbird fish finder is pretty simple. But before you head out on the water and start using it, make sure you read the user’s manual from cover to cover. Once you’re ready, you can power on the device and get started experimenting.

If you don’t know how to read a Humminbird fish finder, first become familiar with how the device works by reading the user’s manual. When you’re out on the water, you’ll want to pay close attention to the screen and identify the fish by color arches or the fish icon. The bottom of the body of water is also clearly identified on the screen, as are any potential dangers in the waters such as large rocks and debris. Most models will also list the water depth and temperature, in addition to boat speed. If your device is equipped with a waypoint saving feature, then you can mark areas on the map that you want to return to, in addition to places you’ll want to avoid in the future. These devices feature very basic controls, which is what makes them so beginner-friendly.

A Wealth of Data

The best fish finders by Humminbird are said to be some of the most accurate and powerful devices on the market. These models are designed to help amateur and pro anglers locate fish and view the activity directly beneath the boat and the area surrounding the vessel. If you’ve never used one of these devices, then you may not know how to read a fish finder correctly, or what you can expect in terms of features and performance. You may not even know exactly what these models are capable of. These devices can show the bottoms of reservoirs, rivers, and lakes, in addition to debris, fish, and structures in the water. They can also provide information regarding water temperature, conditions, and depth. However, in order to use one of these devices to their full potential, you’ll need to know how to read one and how to use its information to your advantage.

Display and Settings

Once you’ve powered on the device, look at the digital readings. The data the device provides will be dependent on which model you’ve purchased. Some models will display boat speed, water temp, and depth readings. These readings will be based on where the transducer is located. The transducer will send signals from the water to the device.

Now, look at the bottom of the screen and the lines that cross it. These represent the bottom of the reservoir, river, or lake and the terrain on the bottom. The lighter, thinner lines will mean the bottom is soft, while dark, thick lines will indicate a harder bottom.

Directly above the line that represents the bottom, you’ll find objects or other lines that extend up. These images can represent vegetation, rocks, timber, or structures. If there are several objects or lines that are in close proximity to each other, this will merely indicate the density of the objects, such as thick vegetation or several large rocks.

On the display, arches can represent fish, while newer models will use fish icons. Take note of where these objects are located in the water. You should also keep in mind that most devices are not able to distinguish the difference between fish and other objects in the water. The device’s accuracy can be impacted by a variety of factors such as the position of the object or fish as the boat moves over it.

How to Use Lowrance Fish Finder

Lowrance fish finders feature many of the same controls and features that you’ll find on a Humminbird model. For most fish finders, identifying the size of the fish can be difficult since the size can be altered based on sensitivity adjustments or depth range. Take note that a fish will typically look much larger at a depth range of twenty feet compared to a depth range of one hundred feet. The size of the fish can also be determined by the thickness of fish arches and their color.

What is Downscan?

Models like the Lowrance HOOK2 7 – 7-inch Fish Finder feature a downscan transducer. Since the transducer is able to generate a wider cone in order to reveal a target, learning about down imaging and how to utilize it will be very important. Understanding how to use this feature can help to improve your whole fish finder experience since the downscan feature focuses more on a specific object instead of the surroundings.

Insight Genesis

This is a feature that’s commonly found on Lowrance devices and it will allow the angler to create comprehensive maps. These maps can be of any body of water. This feature basically allows you to visualize the bottom of lakes, ponds, and rivers, with impressive accuracy. After you’ve viewed the body of water in detail, you can easily pinpoint where fish may be hiding. This is a cloud-based program, so you’ll have to register your device on the manufacturer’s website in order to access it.

Related Questions

Will a Fish Finder Make it Easier to Reel in Fish?

These devices will help with determining water depth, how many fish are in the general area, and the size of the fish, so yes, these devices will definitely come in handy, especially for the beginner who doesn’t know how to reel in a fish.

Will Fish Finders Work for Ocean Angling?

Yes. Just make sure the model you buy has a decent waterproof rating of seven or eight. This will be important since fishing in the ocean often involves dealing with choppy water conditions. If you’re not sure whether a model you’re interested in is waterproof or merely water-resistant, contact the manufacturer for more information.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to read a Humminbird fish finder and a Lowrance fish finder, you can see why anglers of all skill levels rely on these devices to help them locate fish, avoid dangerous structures in the water, and keep track of areas that are overpopulated with fish and areas that you’ll want to steer clear of. Truly, these devices can save you a lot of time out on the water and can significantly increase your chances of bringing home a large haul of fish every time.