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Muskie Fishing -> Muskie Boats and Motors -> Marking muskies on sonar
 
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Message Subject: Marking muskies on sonar
Thuawk
Posted 7/27/2017 2:21 PM (#871829)
Subject: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 133


So in another thread just started, some fellas were talking about marking muskies on the sonar then and almost being able to call out which line was going to get hit. I have a solix 15 amd a onix 10 pretty high end units. And dont really know if I have ever been able to indentify a musky. The lake I fish has quite a bit of forage and I mark a hell of alot of fish. But not sure I would be able to say "oh there's a musky" the people that say that they can... Are yiu using si/di/2d sonar? And I take it that yiu are just using the size of the mark as yiur reference? Which my be very difficult in water with big northerns too!! Hahaha any way if someone could chime in would be great. Any screen shots would be awesome too
mtcook16
Posted 7/27/2017 2:37 PM (#871831 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: RE: Marking muskies on sonar





Posts: 546


Location: MN
You have a Solix 15, assuming with MEGA SI/DI imaging, so you have the best muskie finding tool on the water. The large screen and the definition and clarity of the images makes it easy. The rest is figuring out how to judge the position of the fish in relation to the boat. The video on the link below should help you dial in the unit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM3kHmMBwXg&t=5s

On Side Imaging, this can be done by looking at your SI range and relating that distance to the distance the fish is to the center line of the SI screen (aka, the boat keel).

The screen shots below are from a Helix 12 MEGA SI GPS while fishing. Even if you don't get visual follows, you can see fish in some areas while casting which lets you know where fish and where to come back to at major feeding periods.



Edited by mtcook16 7/27/2017 2:41 PM



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Gregoire
Posted 7/27/2017 2:50 PM (#871833 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 98


That is unreal picture quality. I heard that the SI was very useful in marking bait, but can't believe how clearly they can identify essox.
Pepper
Posted 7/27/2017 3:04 PM (#871835 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 1516


wow that is really something. I have a new Helix 10 mega but haven't seen anything like that yet. Almost as good as a follow
Pat Hoolihan
Posted 7/27/2017 3:06 PM (#871836 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 386


I was mainly referring to open water trolling. It's pretty obvious when you see a white streak that's 5x longer than everything else you're currently marking.
bbradley
Posted 7/27/2017 3:38 PM (#871841 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 114


what are your settings at?
Pat Hoolihan
Posted 7/27/2017 8:13 PM (#871856 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 386


Mega side imaging, 75 ft both sides, usually 13 sensivity and 10 contrast but that can vary but that's a good starting point. I run 2 side imaging transducers as well.
Thuawk
Posted 7/27/2017 8:30 PM (#871857 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 133


I've had a very hard time with mega... See structure great, but can see fish with 455 quite a bit easier. Yiu use switchfire?
mtcook16
Posted 7/27/2017 8:36 PM (#871858 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar





Posts: 546


Location: MN
Yes, settings do vary based on conditions and I tweak them for conditions and depth. Mega is better close in and more clear details. For scanning larger and wider areas, go with 455kHz.

Not into using max mode often, unless required be conditions, deeper water and soft bottom.

Edited by mtcook16 7/27/2017 8:38 PM
curleytail
Posted 7/27/2017 9:22 PM (#871864 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 2687


Location: Hayward, WI
mtcook, that's just amazing. I have a Humminbird 999 which practically seems outdated now, but never had an image like that at all. More than anything I'm seeing white lines or dots and wondering what they are.

Maybe a dumb question but wouldn't those pictures you posted be the "shadow" of the fish since they are dark?

Very cool images there.
Thuawk
Posted 7/27/2017 9:47 PM (#871869 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar




Posts: 133


Yes that definitely is the sonar shadow. Alot of times on side imaging that's what yiu try to look for especially when fish are closer to the bottom
mtcook16
Posted 7/27/2017 11:55 PM (#871885 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: Re: Marking muskies on sonar





Posts: 546


Location: MN
I can't and won't take credit for the images but trust and respect the guy who did. He's well-versed on the equipment and its effectiveness in muskie fishing. I figured it was worth sharing to help someone out and to help some folks see what the new Mega Imaging can show you.
Jerry Newman
Posted 7/30/2017 10:03 PM (#872198 - in reply to #871829)
Subject: RE: Marking muskies on sonar




Location: 31
Thuawk - 7/27/2017 2:21 PM

So in another thread just started, some fellas were talking about marking muskies on the sonar then and almost being able to call out which line was going to get hit. I have a solix 15 amd a onix 10 pretty high end units. And dont really know if I have ever been able to indentify a musky. The lake I fish has quite a bit of forage and I mark a hell of alot of fish. But not sure I would be able to say "oh there's a musky" the people that say that they can... Are yiu using si/di/2d sonar? And I take it that yiu are just using the size of the mark as yiur reference? Which my be very difficult in water with big northerns too!! Hahaha any way if someone could chime in would be great. Any screen shots would be awesome too


Here’s a couple lousy pictures I took with my cell phone from my Lowrance structure scan yesterday while trolling… very poor resolution with the picture of a smeared picture in bright sun.

For me; suspended open water fish are the easiest to identify with the side scan, but that doesn't mean you can ever be sure what type of fish it is… or if it will bite. I would say there's no way to be 100% sure unless you can see them both simultaneously... which we have. For instance; is the fish in the Helix 12 image a muskie or a pike? (Very cool/crisp image)

Speaking from experience; over the years we have developed a pretty good confidence level spotting 45+” muskies. We've seen them on the screen just before the rod goes off many times, and it's always helpful to be even more ready. With that said; it's not everyday that we see one on the side scan and then it hits, but sometimes seeing enough of them gets us to switch things up, stay around, or be more willing to return... or not.

Being very intimate with the water and knowing what lives there (or more importantly doesn't live there) is the first step in identifying a muskie with SS.

When we fish water that contains a lot of sturgeon/rough fish the confidence level drops significantly even though we can identify the larger sturgeon by the taper versus an esox, there's just too many targets with good sized sturgeon about. BTW, you would be able to make out the fins on that large sturgeon image much better in person.

With that said; a 45” class muskie on SS resembles the proportions of your finger to scale. It really helps to identify the "targets" when they are higher up so you can see their shadow, like the Helix. If the system/area does not contain Sturgeon (or large pike) and looks like the arrow fish, I would suspect it is a 40”class muskie. The large carp is circled, and there is a smaller sturgeon on the left side of that same image on the 30' line.

SS has been a game changer in my boat... hope it helps yours!



Edited by Jerry Newman 8/23/2017 2:44 PM



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