Topic: 1st time using my 899

[hellbendernut]

My 1st time out using my 899 side-scan... only had use of the foot control motor... on a electric only lake... went to where i knew things existed to try and tune in my settings... didnt get to fish much,, this was way too fun.. WHAT ARE THE WHITE SCRATCHES ON THE RIGHT SIDE ?

[hellbendernut]

Here is another... this is a old roadbed bridge abruptment... i didnt find this... i have pictures of this with the water low...i just used it to learn....

[hellbendernut]

I have been fishing this lake for 30 years .. and found this rock pile to the right side of my boat starting in about 18 ft and going deeper... notice the shoreline to the left and how it curves at the same spot as the rock pile... ON THE LEFT is surface clutter and is always there, could that be from my livewell intake?  I cannot wait to spend some more time on lakes that im not so familar with.... a week vacation coming soon...

[Humminbird_Greg]

Pretty nice first shots with the 899 unit there hellbendernut.
What transducer are you running with your 899 unit?
Can you post some pictures of your transducer install?
Looks like you could have some possible interference issues going on there, was the Sharpness menu turned on?

Oh, white scratches/lines could be fish.

[hellbendernut]

I was getting lots of interference... and played with sensitivity a lot... yes sharpness was on...(i think)...  i reset settings to the default a few times and maybe I forgot to turn the sharpness back on...? that is possible...  the dark streaks in the tree picture i think are from toggling the foot control motor "i think"? ... i am going to hook the humminbird to a different battery then the foot control is hooked to the next time... will that help? i am running the transducer which comes with the unit.... its the 455....i have read that it covers a larger area.. and is good for deeper water on DI... and I have heard most people use it 80%+ of the time?...i figured it would do fine... for me..

  i will take a pic of my boat tonight when i go home ..... and post it... Thanks for the input...

[hellbendernut]

here is a pic of my transducer install. do you think it needs a spacer to bring it out farther?

[hellbendernut]

another view. i took off the white plastic end (screen) to the inlet tube of the live-well, because it would have really been in the way...

[newkid4si]

If your going to put a spacer at the transducer, here is a link to a product you may find interesting.

           http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Transducer-Mounting-Plates/701430.uts

I didn't use one when I started moving transducer installs around and now my transom looks a lot like
Bonnie & Clyde's car after that little issue in Bienville Parish, Louisiana .

[Humminbird_Greg]

Yes, I would install a spaced just to be sure.
Try grabbing a screen snapshot with the boat drifting and the SI Range set to 20 feet both before and after installing the spacer.  You should see a big difference is the left Si sonar.

[hellbendernut]

Do you think a lot of the interference on the whole screen is coming from using the same battery to run the foot control and depth finder on the same battery ?

[Humminbird_Greg]

It could be but it’s hard to tell for sure.   Trolling motor interference can get into the unit so many different ways that it is not always as simple as connecting one to another battery.

To me it looks like you have at least two different issues going on here: partial blockage of the left Si sonar and trolling motor interference.

[slabbacks]

Where those lines come and go do you remember running the TM during that time from?  Like said above the grainy image up top may have been due to sharpness setting.

A lot of us have had that interference to the left or right of center.  It's been everything from screens, runners ect.  Getting it out from the transom base and away from that stuff will really help.  A dedicated battery has helped a lot too.  Good luck

[Gimp]

Instead of trying different sharpness setting next time, keep it off and try different colors instead. Sometimes different colors will give better contrast without the graininess.

[hellbendernut]

THANKS  for all the help !!! ... i will be getting out again very soon.. and make some changes to see what works... be back soon...

[ITGEEK]

Hey Hellbendernut:
I had a go at Liberty Stripers a few years back.
All I could manage is one 20" Striper in like 3 years.
I tried live bait (certified of course), and trolling, and casting.
Very tough lake for me.
I'm not a Bass guy, and I got skunked more than anything.
I even got skunked with nightcrawlers.
It's pretty bad when you get skunked with nightcrawlers.
I had Striper fever bad, but Liberty burned it out of me.

I see you have a Ray electric.
Awesome motors.

[hellbendernut]

Your right catching stripers in Liberty is tough.... if you really want stripers you are better off spending your time on the chesapeake bay.... The 60 volt Ray motor is 12yo already and I have had no problems with it... it is a awesome electric motor... and Liberty reservoir is very tough to learn.. but it is a great fishery... it is a awesome smallmouth lake.. largemouth are also very plentiful... but the stripers seem to be getting a lot harder to catch then the past, i too get skunked fishing for them "many times over"...but also have caught some monsters. There are some BIG walleye in the lake also... and Every year bigger weights are needed to win bass tourneys here...so the lake is getting better for some species.....    it takes some time and persistence and add a little luck to be consistent with those elusive liberty stripers.. . i have fished the lake since i was about 12yo and im 52 now.... do some google video/picture searches and you will see some really nice fish caught from the lake..I have posted a few videos on the popular video site... the month of May is a fantastic time to fish for most species here...

[hellbendernut]

here is another pic i took on my first trip out...