Sounder suggestions for fishing the 500-1200m

[Dr_Shane_Griffiths]

Hi Guys,

I thought I had my boat well set up with a Lowrance LCX 25c dual freq 1000 w unit. However, I've been going to the shelf recently for the first time trolling for blue marlin and it loses it around 200 m. I've got all the settings cranked up but no better. I talked to a few blokes who reckon you need at least a 1kw transducer. Anyone do this kind of shelf fishing and what set up do you have? I have a tinny, so if my transducer is the problem, anyone know how to mount one of those huge thru-hull transducers on the transom?

Any help would be great.

Shane

[banshee]

Unfortunately a lot of companies fudge their figures to impress the public and sell their product,a 1kw Lowrance/Humminbird is not going to deliver like a 1kw JRC,Koden or Furuno if they did you would see them on commercial boats you can change the transducer but it will not increase the power of your unit it will only add clarity to what you are already receiving,I would want to test one before shelling out cash for one.I use a Furuno 582L a 600wt unit firing through an Airmar P66 transom mount transducer also rated to 600wt,I have no problem at all seeing fish in 300 to 400 metres of water in high freq as well as low freq.

[Jonli]

For that kind of depths , you need 3kW unit and for tinny , you need a 316 Stainless steel housed transducer , that wud cost a lot of dough !

Nowaday , most anglers opt for wide beam transducer to target marlin off the continental shelf , with narrow beam too much areas won't be detected , 50kHz with high power unit is a better choise .

As for mounting it on the transom , you may need an elaborate " sea chest " to house the approximately 8+" diameter 50 kHz transducer .

If it were for me , I stick to either FURUNO or JRC .

JonLi .

[Mortalkombat]

I have just upgraded my transducer on my Furuno 582l from a 600w to the Airmar 260 1 kw It makes for quite a difference like Shane I fish the shelf for Blues. My 600w would bottom out at around 300~ 350 m. Now I get over 700m the big difference will be in the winter on the 50`s the clarity of the signal has vastly improved this upgrade is not cheap but well worth it improves the 582 heaps. We tested it last Friday and raised a little Blue tagged and released around 80 kg
Nick

[Mortalkombat]

To get to 1200m would take a big transducer and a lot of money! would have to be 2 kw min i would imagine is it worth it?
Nick

[Mortalkombat]

Here is the 1 kw transducer installed

[seatime]

Black N Blue

How does the image look at speed. I wondered if turbulance caused a layer of air to be trapped on the surface of the transducer. It is mounted on the underside of the hull isn't it (i turned the monitor upside down), I've never seen a tranducer mounted that way on a planning hull. Is it tricky driving onto the trailer.
cheers Steve.

[Mortalkombat]

Steve I had the 600w transducer mounted to the side in between the rollers but this one was way to big this really was the only place I could fit it. It works just great at cruising speed around 20 knots. The gain is very sensitive way more than the 600w. On the picture of the sounder look at the gain knob it’s only a quater on, I tried auto but it was terrible. I have now removed the other transducer so it again will be interesting to see any improvement in turbulence. To get it on the trailer is no different I never drive it on alway pull her up.

[Mortalkombat]

trailer sorry trying to upload pic of boat on trailer i keep mucking it up

[Mortalkombat]

again

[Mortalkombat]

i am seriously thinking of getting the new 585 with the box to suit the 1 kw trany i reckon she will be one awesome sounder although i should give this baby a better run first we did stop at the 50`s on the way out to the canyons and the reading was awesome. still wont get any more depth just better clarity, far more pixels.
Nick

[SlimCady]

You can now add Garmin to the list of manufacturers with true 1kw/2kw capabilities with there new GSD22 black box. It can be used with the new 292/392/492/3206/3210. Garmin has really stepped up their development in the last couple of years. The have some very competitive products. http://www.garmin.com/products/gsd22/ and http://www.###############

Furuno could stand a make over to there sounders, GPS and combos. They seem to have started this year with the new 620 and 585.

[borisdog]

Erm, Correct me if I'm wrong people but I always thought that the transmitted power came from the unit not the transducer. I would think if there's an improvement in the display by changeing to a transducer that's rated at a higher output than the unit then perhaps it's because it's a better quality transducer and not because it's putting out more power. Like I said I could be wrong - Any sounder dealers/electronic warfare guys out there? Lower frequencies are generally accepted to be the go at high depth.

[Mortalkombat]

Yes far better quaility transducer it still only recieves 600w check out performance data from here
http://www.airmartechnology.com/airm...runo&PageNo=83