What bottom machine do you use.

[swancaller]

What bottom machine do you use and do you mark the different types of fish?? Charters Captains please put some input? Any suggestions on what settings to use? The last trip we were able to get the bottom machine to show us some great detail by zooming in on the first 20 fathoms!!

[Captain Jay Kavanagh]

Furuno 582, with a hot****** transducer that boosts in to 1000watts. great machine will mark the bottom to 450 fathoms and will mark bait on the bottom up to about 300 fathoms. Really good in the normal range we fish. Day light viewable LCD too.

Key is in transducer placement. Mine is in the keel right in the middle of the boat, I can mark stuff just as good at 24 knots as 6 knots.

[swancaller]

Thanks Captain Jay, do you have any type of setting you keep them on??

[Darren]

Old boat had a 582 with transom mount transducer, and worked well. New boat has the 600 with a 1,000 watt thru hull. It's been impressive so far, will mark with a clear screen all the way to 28 knots. I would love to see what the 582 would do plugged into this transducer. One thing I have learned though, when you're running hard and mark a small pod of bait, go back over it slowly. Normally you'll find that 28 knot small pod of bait is much larger going at 7 knots. No matter what machine you have, it's only going to be as good as your transducer and it's placement.

[TommyTuna]

Furuno 582L on the little boat, 292 on the big one. 582's are 600W units, if u want true 1000W (or 2kw or 3kw) u need a 292, FCV1100 or 1200.

Its hard to knock the new Raymarine stuff too - i have been on a couple boats and its detail and brightness are amazing

[jtwalker80]

JUST DROPED OURS INN. WE HAVE THE RAYMARINE C120 WITH THE 1KW UTRA HIGH DEF. I LET YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE THIS WEEKEND. SHOULD BE NEAT. HEARD LOTS OF GREAT THINGS ABOUT EM'.

[Carson MAC]

Just hooked up the raymarine c80 with Lucian's help. Took it into Rudee inlet to tweak it, and I was real impressed. The marked fish had depth numbers beside them and TT is right, the high def gives unbelievable clarity. If the wind would chill, we could see how it performs in the deep. Doesn't look like I'm going to be disappointed.

Carson Mac

[ReelEscape]

i guess i'm in the minority also, but i really enjoy the definition and quality of the c120 w/the 250 / now 300 dsm black box module......it paints a really good picture, but go with the through hull instead of transom mount if you can.

hope the input is helpful to you.

[Regulator]

Great topic, I’m running a C80 with the DMS250 & Airmar P66 transom mount transducer. I am pretty happy with its performance especially after some guidance from Swancaller last week, but not getting as deep as I hoped. It is good to about 600 feet than I lose contact with the bottom. Would like to have gone with Airmar M256, but was told that is not compatible with the bottom of my 1998 23 Regulator. Is 600 feet all I should expect out of the 600 watt P66 transducer?

Thanks,
Tony

[b8 boy]

I had the Furuno 1650F in my old boat and loved it. I could run it up over 30mph and still see bottom(less then 100 ft depth) clear as day. I had the 600 W thru hull transducer. Trying to find out the details of trying to place a thru hull in the Fountain so I can bring the unit over to this boat. A good machine can make the difference if your gonna find the fish for sure. Last year heading back to Rudy from the 4A cruising at 36mph saw a pod of bait in the deep part of the channel(70-80ft), turned around dropped lines and bang had fish on big time. I dont regret spending the $$$'s at all. Martin