Topic: Humminbird 2d sonar

[Rough House]

Got a question for you guys.  I have an 1198c and while perch fishing on lake Erie this weekend I noticed something.  We were fishing in 60 fow and lake Erie is pretty clear nowadays.  I noticed that i could see my jig while bottom fishing on my 2d sonar.  Now my unit was on clear mode, not max mode, and i had to turn down the sensitivity to 2 until the unit wouldn't pick it up anymore.  I usually run it around 10-12 while trolling for walleyes but have to turn it down not to pick up my jig.  What my question is is anyone else seeing there jig in clear mode?  Im impressed on how sensitive my unit is. I have pics but im typing on a phone now.  Ill post when i get to a computer.

[ITGEEK]

I keep my unit on clear mode, and I have seen my jig while
verticle jigging.  A jig is a hard object, so I don't think it's
that difficult for the sonar to pick up.

I think that Max mode picks up algae, thermoclines, and any
small and soft organisms.

For me, Max mode just clutters up the screen too much.

[Rough House]

Yea we hardly ever use max mode. I agree that its way to cluttered and very hard to tell fish in relation to everything else going on.  Reason im asking this is because we moved from an older garmin unit and never picked up jigging ever on it even with the sensitivity maxed.  I wouldn't have thought that you could see the jig in 60fow in clear mode but I guess the new HB units are really sensitive.  Kinda like it.

[Weekend Warrior]

That is really cool Andy...  I haven't seen my jig on my unit yet in clear mode, but I guess I really haven't gone out of my way to try to either.  Amazing how sensitive these units are.  Wow!  My transducer is at the rear of my starboard pontoon log and fishing directly underneath of it isn't practical on my boat....

Mark
Mercer, PA   

[ITGEEK]

Rough House, you have to consider too, the angle of the transducer,
and the water conditions (waves, wind, current).

Maybe everything lined up perfectly recently when you saw your jig with the HB transducer,
and wasn't lined up when you used the Garmin.

[Rough House]

I could see that but we used the garmin for 5 years and it never picked us up jigging before.  Replaced the garmin transducer in the same location with the new HB, Pretty close to the same angle.  Wind, weather, and waves are always changing on Erie. But the last 2 trips were pretty much dead calm, and the one before it we had 3 footers.  All 3 trips we were able to see them jigging.  To be totally honest with you i really feel that the HB is just better.  Like i said never before with the Garmin.

[Humminbird_Greg]

I keep my unit on clear mode, and I have seen my jig while
verticle jigging.  A jig is a hard object, so I don't think it's
that difficult for the sonar to pick up.

I think that Max mode picks up algae, thermoclines, and any
small and soft organisms.

For me, Max mode just clutters up the screen too much.

Not only are jigs typically made of a hard material that is a good reflector of sonar but their shape and the angle they are to the transducer will affect how well they show on the sonar (along with water depth, depth scale used on the unit, location within the sonar beam and water conditions, plus all those unit settings…).

Take a Hopkins jig: made of hard metal right?  Depending on the size it could have a fairly large area to reflect the sonar.  However when deployed and allow to hang straight down the sonar only has the leading edge of the jig to reflect sonar.  Work that jig up and down and as it flutters and falls it is presenting its side profile to the transducer and will show larger/stronger/better.

Round headed jigs show better than others because they always have a good reflective surface angled back to the transducer.

[Double Digit]

A few Weeks back we were jigging stripers using 2 oz diamond jigs.We were  in 90 fow I had my unit in clear mode and in the 200-83 combo sonar not the split screen but where its blended together.My friend and I couldnt believe how clear we could see our jigs on the screen.At one point the bass were suspended at 40 ft we would drop our jigs to the bottom and start reeling we watched our jigs come up in the water column as they reached the school of bass it was FISH ON!!!....It was the coolest thing ever my friend was completely blown away with my unit as was i.I have jigged plenty of times but never seen my jig so clear for whatever reason when I use the 200-83 blended screen thats the results I get....It is such an advantage to mark the fish and be able to watch your jig....Almost feels like im cheating....

[sonar2000]

Next time take a snapshot and post.  Mightly good ad for HB.

Chuck

[Rough House]

thats what were using as well the 200/83