Technology is a great asset for the modern fisherman and it is unimaginable how the world would be without it. Technology has played a significant role in making life more comfortable and fishing more successful.
This includes high tech rods and reels, lures that mimic bait fish behavior, attractants, and especially fish finders.
The fish finder has greatly improved the experience. In this article, you are going to learn how does a fish finder work and how to read a fish finder.
Table of Contents
What Is A Fish Finder?
A fish finder is a device that helps you in locating fish in the water by giving you a view of the structure underneath the water surface. The fish finder is a significant device in the life of a fisherman. It plays the following roles:
- Gives a clear image of objects lying under the water surface, which results in ease of identifying areas rich in fish of a given size.
- Helpful in finding an area with lots of fish, which means that you will never fish in vain.
- It helps check on the temperature of the water and its depth which is essential in marine research.
Long gone are days when fishing was practised by blindly placing a line with bait in water without a clue whether there are any fish to be caught. A clear view of the water containing fish provided by the fish finder helps make decisions on how to catch them.
It is a fantastic device that gives a clear perception of what surrounds your boat sideways and below it through the use of its high-frequency sonar. The high-frequency sonar gives clear and detailed images of the fish and other objects in the water, such as banks or logs.
Types of Fish Finders
There are various types of fish finders, but all are designed to serve the same purpose to make fishing easy and convenient. The leading roles played by fish finders include measuring the depth of the water and giving a graphical representation of the composition, and the entire structure of the ocean floor/riverbed.
Various types of fish finders exist and achieve their role with varying precision depending on their specifications. The fact that there exist different types of fish finders means that you need to decide on which to purchase. You should check on factors such as the size of the screen, its portability, price, the frequency, and screen readability.
Parts of Fish Finders
Fish finders have four main components which are the transducer, the display, the transmitter, and the receiver. The transducer and the display are connected to the transmitter and the receiver.
The transducer acts as the ears of the device while the display is a screen where you can see the presence of fish in the water underneath. The transducer is attached to the body of the fishing boat either in the hull or the motor that lies in water while fishing.
The transducer works using sonar technology which helps in recognition of objects using electronic signals. It also shows the size of the objects, which in this case is the fish and their distance which is then relayed to the screen in the form of graphics.
How Does a Fish Finder Work?
The transducer creates an electronic wave which is then passed through the water by the transmitter. At an instance where the wave gets blocked or interrupted by objects lying in its way, it bounces back to the display unit, giving an impression of the objects under the water.
Any time the sound waves hits an object which in most cases is fish, its size, shape, and depth is accounted for, and a graphical display is sent to the display unit. The accuracy of the size, distance, and shape wholly depend on the strength and frequency of the transmitting device.
The time interval between the time the signal is transmitted and the time it is shown on the screen and is used in estimating the distance of fish from the fishing vessel such as the boat. In freshwater, the speed of water is approximately 1460 m/s while in seawater it is 1500 m/s.
The display unit in the form of a screen is the part that you interact with most of the time and is where information concerning the objects in the water is shown. The images cast on the screen shows what is happening beneath the screen and is left for your interpretation.
Modern fish finders have several frequencies to make a good view possible to be used in different situations. Using a high frequency, a more accurate impression results because a narrow cone-shaped angle results.
In a case where lower rates are used, deeper penetration is possible, but the problem comes in that the long-range lowers its sensitivity.
How to Read Fish Finder?
Technology makes life easy and comfortable. It is vital to embrace it to get the best of it in everything we do. The fish finder is such an excellent tool for people who like fishing ever as a sport or an economic activity.
The information it offers is of valuable assistance in identifying areas with lots of fish. Using the device in your fishing makes it fun, and the ease of fishing is likely to transform your hustle. Get a fish finder to better your fishing experience.
Learning how to how to read your individual fish finder is a skill.
I hope you find the article informative and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Follow us for more information regarding fishing and Kayaking in our blog.