Basic Settings FishFinder
 

Have a lowrance and pretty new to all this. Just a basic one, Not HDS or down scanning. Don't have a real expensive one. Its a Elite 5x. Just want to know where I should start. Should I use manual or auto and most important whats a good sensitivity setting to start. The other stuff is surface clairity and noise rejection, not sure about them either.

Just curious what is your basic settings for the bay, thanks so much

Welcome to the board:)

That's a tough question not being on your boat or familiar with your unit. However, with my old Lowrance (without down and side scan), I would leave it on Auto setting. Even on Auto, there was a way to "back it off" by going -1, -2, -3.

There was too much Clutter at the Auto "normal setting". I also backed off on Clarity and noise rejection.

The good news is that with fish schooled up, it should be easy to adjust your unit during this time of the year. When you see fish breaking or birds working in an area; slide your boat over them. LEAVE YOUR RODS ALONE
Put your emphasis on your fish finder. While drifting, keep backing your unit off on the settings until you get rid of all the clutter and the fish "arches" are clear and distinct.

That's the only suggestion I have. Others will chime in with more beneficial information.
5th

What transducer do you have? 83/200, 50/200, or some sort of CHIRP transducer?

If you have the 83/200, which was commonly sold to bay fishermen, I found that transducer on my dad's old boat to be useless at 83kHz. Stick to the 200kHz.

You can check some Youtube videos on how to set up your Lowrance here too:

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...hfinder+set+up

I know a lot of the videos encourage a lot of gain to be turned up to "see more fish". I tend to think that some want their gain turned up so high hoping to see fish that arent there. While i like to see fish, I also like my unit adjusted so I can try to differentiate bait from game rather than trying to pick up every little fish. Sometimes when you turn your gain up too much the marks fill in not giving a clear picture if there are actual gamefish around bait.

Here is some info to try to help you understand your fishfinder...
http://www.cbangler.com/showthread.php?t=3048

Thanks so much, going out this week, I like the idea of going over to where the fish are and just adjusting the Fish Finder. I usually just take the rods and don't pay attention to the fish finder. Great idea, thanks to all. When you said to back off the Noise Rejection and surface clarity, did you mean to turn them off. Mine saids Low Medium High or off,. thanks