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Muskie Fishing -> General Discussion -> "People don't know how to use side scan"
 
Message Subject: "People don't know how to use side scan"
bloatlord
Posted 11/4/2026 9:37 AM (#1038263)
Subject: "People don't know how to use side scan"




Posts: 193


I've heard this phrase several times across musky podcasts recently. It begs the question:

1. What about side scan are they using incorrectly? Marking cover? Recognizing fish?
2. How does somebody go about systematically improving these problems?
3. Are there any "little used" areas of the electronics that you think people would benefit knowing and using more often outside of sidescan?

I've heard again and again the adage that people don't know their electronics well enough, but sometimes you don't know what you don't know, and I'd love to hear more experienced anglers' thoughts on how to fix it if you suspect the podcasts are talking about you (me).
North of 8
Posted 11/4/2026 9:58 AM (#1038264 - in reply to #1038263)
Subject: Re: "People don't know how to use side scan"




The guy at Northland Marine who checked me out when I put a new Explorer unit on my boat this spring said most anglers only use a small part of the capability. Steve Worral might address this, I think his son was looking at helping people with their electronics rather than guiding only.
Slamr
Posted 11/4/2026 12:52 PM (#1038269 - in reply to #1038263)
Subject: RE: "People don't know how to use side scan"





Posts: 7153


Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs
"How to use" is one thing, I think the questions that really need to be asked first:

-do you have the correct amount of POWER going to the unit (minimum is not enough, more than enough seems to be enough)? more power = more detail
-is your transducer at the right angle? bad angle = bad picture
-are you using the right settings to get the best view?
-are you adjusting your screen for depth versus width?

Make sure you do all of that correctly FIRST....then take a few thousand hours staring at the screen figuring out what is what!
miket55
Posted 11/4/2026 4:27 PM (#1038272 - in reply to #1038269)
Subject: RE: "People don't know how to use side scan"




Posts: 1365


Location: E. Tenn
Slamr - 11/4/2026 1:52 PM

"How to use" is one thing, I think the questions that really need to be asked first:

-do you have the correct amount of POWER going to the unit (minimum is not enough, more than enough seems to be enough)? more power = more detail
-is your transducer at the right angle? bad angle = bad picture
-are you using the right settings to get the best view?
-are you adjusting your screen for depth versus width?

Make sure you do all of that correctly FIRST....then take a few thousand hours staring at the screen figuring out what is what!


When I upgraded electronics a few years ago, and took the boat out one day, armed with only the manual downloaded to my phone. I spent several hours practicing what a former colleague from Germany jokingly called "derfingerspoken".

The most important takeaway was what not to do. I got the units dialed in, and developed a good sense into what to change for different depth, clarity and such.

A couple years ago a friend was gifted a unit identical to mine, and he asked me to "set it up" for him.. Unfortunately he's the type that can't leave a button unpushed or a switch untoggled with the predictable outcome..

Edited by miket55 11/4/2026 4:30 PM
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