Topic: icefishing with side imaging

[nontypical]

hey all new to the forum.i was wondering has anyone used theres for icefishing im looking at investing in one but not sure what model would be best.also trying to figure out the best way to set it up for icefishing.also anyone know of any videos that were made while using it icefishing i cant find anything on the web :-[thanks in advance for any help

[ITGEEK]

Unfortunately for side-imaging, the transducer must be moving through the water to work.  It takes very small vertical slices and puts them together to form an image.  I'm not sure, but I think the down imaging is created from the side images so that too probably needs transducer movement through the water to work properly.  I've seen where if the transducer is stationary and a fish swims through the beam that it may show up on side-imaging.

I wouldn't think that side-imaging would be the best bet for ice-fishing, but I have seen people use sonar flashers for ice fishing.

I recently read that some of the new humminbirds will have a dedicated part of the transducer for down-imaging.  If this is so, then the down-imaging may be separate from the side-imaging and may work very well for ice-fishing.

I honestly don't know enough about it.  Hopefully somebody with more experience will chime in.

Best of luck.

[Wayne P.]

The new DI units do not have Side Imaging but use the SI frequencies for that function (800 khz/455 khz) plus a single 2D frequency (200 khz)

For stationary fishing, a flasher unit is the best.

[FuzzyGrub]

If you are just using it for ice fishing, agree with Wayne, a flasher is best.  SI and/or DI will not provide recognizable data being stationary.  If you plan to use this during the soft water months, then you might still want a SI/DI unit.   You could outfit it with a 2D transducer for ice fishing, and use the typical 2D screens with zoom, or the flasher screen mode.   With GPS, find and mark your favorite brush pile or other structure during the summer, and you can then hone in on them during the winter, with much less cutting of holes. 

[nontypical]

thanks for the replys guys.i have a flasher and love it!i dont fish much on the softwater but would like to use the side imaging to save time on drilling a million holes.im fishing in alot of icefishing tournys and thought it would help finding weed lines and structure as most of the lakes ive never seen before.also i thought it would help with not spooking fish(drilling).

[nontypical]

so if i got it with the 2d mode it would work for ice fishing?sorry im totally ignorent on the workings of it.i understand that it has to be moving but it seems like you should be able to capture the side view some how?

[Wayne P.]

IF you think SI will help with ice fishing, then you can do what I do with my 798ci SI on the trolling motor. While setting still, I turn the motor very slowly to scan the area for fish or bottom features that may hold fish. Rotating the transducer simulates motion.
You would need to have the transducer on a pole of sorts to get it below the bottom of the ice so it can "see" off to the sides.
As far a using 2D, anything above the bottom will be just a straight line on the 2D screen unless it moves.
The problem with a LCR display is that only the first right vertical row of pixels will indicate what is in real time and all images to the left of that row is just history.
Some units have a simulated round flasher view that can be used just like a dedicated flasher. The 798ci SI is one of them. That unit also has a RTS column on the right side of the 2D screen that is somewhat of a flasher but a vertical bar.

[nontypical]

ok that is what i was thinking was mount it on a pole of some kind with a directional thingamajig so i know where its pointing.i believe i can save images on a chip right?im just really looking for an advantage here and i thank you all for the help.keep the replys coming!

[Wayne P.]

Yes, you can save snapshots on a SD card and also do a recording that can be played back on the unit or with free software on your computer.

[Bob B]

Here's a rig someone made.   http://www.accuemap.com/Ice_fishing_with_Humminbird_997.html

[FuzzyGrub]

FWIW: For the little ice fishing I do, I prefer the 2D screen with RTS set to wide.  The RTS is a straight line version of the flasher screen.  Not ever having a flasher, the circle format is more foriegn to me.   The 2D screen also provides X number of seconds of history.   It gives you a 2nd chance to see what a quick blip was.  It also provides rise and fall patterns for your jig.  And you also can see when a fish is staring at your bait.  You do get long horizontal lines, but you quickly know what is bottom and stationary structure.  As a new line appears you focus more on the width of the line vs length, to determine fish size.  Is it a perch or walleye.

If you go forward with SI and apparatus for searching, post back with your results and a few images. 

[Rickard]

Hi,

Two years ago a couple of us discussed and developed methods for sidescanning under ice here: http://www.xumba.scholleco.com/viewtopic.php?t=851
The aim was primarily to scan for wrecks, not fish, but perhaps an ice fisherman can learn something from that discussion. The full wreck-scanning technique is hardly practical when ice fishing, though.

Rickard