Readingand understanding sonar

Is there a tutorial, or simulator, which teaches the finer aspects to reading sonar? Mine is a Lowrance x-51. Distinguishing noise from fish; how to use Grayline; identifying fish with the flasher; so-on.

I belive Lowrance has instructional simulators for all their locaters at their website.

Lowrance Product Emulators

The Lowrance website is down today but the link above was the correct link for the emulators.

The Lowrance tutorial should be at this link.

Another very good resource for learning how to get the most out of Lowrance units is Doc Sampson’s DVD. I’ve viewed the DVD myself and it’s very informative, especially if you use a Lowrance GPS or Combo unit.

You should also know, the X-51 has driven a few guys nutty (including me) trying to read that unit. If you find it difficult to interpret, don’t assume it’s your fault.

Lowrance’s site does not have one exatcly for the X-51, but there is a wealth of info there, don’t expect it (on your x51) to be super easy to read, it takes alot of interpetation to read what you are seeing, It took me til this year and I’ve had my x5q for a good 2 years before hand to be able to actually interpet the readings with any accuracy. The more you play with it the more you’ll figure out stuff, I’m not so impressed with my x51, but now that I know more about it, it does what I need it to do, though I probably won’t replace it for a couple years, but I’d never buy another.

Fish arch rarely do I ever see them on the x-51, so I stopped “looking” for them, and I see a lot more now. Though there are some times lines that arch a bit, I’ve never seen them all pretty like you seem them in the stores when the finders are running in their demo modes.

FWIW I leave the sensitivity in auto now, and the grayline somewhere in the mid range, where it looks good, but not too strong, because I want it to see the junk/fish on the bottom, and the higher the setting is the more likely it seem it wants to lump the fish tight to the bottom as just being the bottom, and not the junk/fish it really is.

Oh and the flasher mode… Never got that one to work enough to actually determine anything, I can’t read or use it worth anything on the x51, I use my marcum to remove all doubt.
I think the sonar tutorial was the most helpful for me IIRC.

I also suggest keeping you eye out for the seminars held at Joes Sporting Goods every year before fishing season. Usaully there is one night dedicated to sonar and the speaker that has been doing the presentation for the last several years is very good.

Bill Diedrich does the electronic seminars at Joe’s. He has done electronic seminars for 30 years so I teamed up with him to run Lowrance Schools. If info go to http://www.hightechfishing.com. We have our schedule, a description of the School, and registration information. We have done 3 and we really enjoying this adventure. April will be the last School because I have to focus on tournament fishing. We will start them up in late fall if there is interest, hunting takes most outdoors people’s time then. Doc Samson

Hey Doc, Welcome to the site. Stop by more often and see ya this Spring

Welcome Doc!!

As a fellow Minnetrista resident, I hope you can stop by more often. I’ve heard very good things about the schools you’ve been putting on.

Again, welcome and stop by often.

John

Welcome Doc. Doc Samson has a DVD out called ”Your Lowrance, a complete basic instruction on the Lowrance system.” I hear it is super. Doc, can you please tell people how they can obtain your DVD for themselves? Thanks, Bill

Guys, I’ve invited Doc to do a Question and Answer session for us here and he has accepted. I see he stopped by to check you guys out! Hi Doc.

Anyway, the Q&A will be February 15th at 8PM. I’m working with James to try to figure out the best way to do this to make it easy for Doc to answer questions and easy for us all to read the transcript once it’s done. Details coming soon in another post.

Bill,
My DVD is available from my website.http://www.hightechfishing.com Doc

Hey doc, I sent you an email several days ago inquiring if your DVD would help me become accomplished in the operation of the Lowrance LXC-25c sonar/Gps unit I am contemplating buying? Thanks.

Thanks for the response Doc. A DVD like this is bound to help ALOT of people understand GPS and Mapping alot better and help everyone find the spots on the lakes and rivers that they are looking for. And that equals alot more fish in the boat. I want to also Thank You for your willingness to share your time and expertise with everyone here. It is very much appreciated. Thanks, Bill

Welcome Doc good to have you with us.

eyejacker,
My DVD will help you be accomplished with the new X26. It will not be outdated until Lowrance changes the buttons or the menus. The DVD cover GPS and Sonar. It is pertinent for all Lowrance and Eagle models with the same buttons on the face as the X-19. Doc

Thanks Doc, I appreciate the response!