How to Use a Fish Finder

Fish finders are handy tools used to determine the water depth and where fish are while you are out on a boat. They work through bouncing sound waves off the bottom of the lake. These finders can help ensure that your fishing trip results in a lot of caught fish to bring home.

1. First: Mount the finder

   Mount the finder's transducer in a location that is not too close to the engine. The engine could cause turbulence and radio interference, making it difficult to pick up the location of fish. You can mount the transducer on the side of the boat, or even inside with only one layer of hull separating the finder from the bottom of the boat. The transducer is responsible for bouncing the sound waves and then sending information back to the finder.

2. Second: Adjust your controls

   Adjust the sensitivity control to somewhere between 75 and 100 percent. A higher sensitivity increases your chances of finding fish in the water. You also need to adjust the chart speed according to how fast your boat is going. Use a slower chart speed when you are going fast, and a faster chart speed when you are going slow.

3. Third: Learn to read your finder

   The fish finder shows a graphic whenever it locates fish in the area. If there is a large school of fish, the finder shows multiple fish on the screen. For small schools of fish, only one or two fish appear on the screen. If you fish often in the same area, it is helpful to write down what you see on the fish finder for future usage. Knowing that certain areas hold large schools of fish can save you time on your next fishing trip.