using a Garmin 178C fishfinder

Chris · 25 April 2007, 16:41

I have a Garmin 178C with the dual frequency fishfinder fitted. I ahve read the book but am still a little in the dark into how the fishfinder should be set up and how to get the bet out of it.

Anyone in the know?

Chris

Andy Moore · 25 April 2007, 17:06

I don't think anyone has ever actually seen a fish on a fishfinder.

I heard that someone had once but I think they were bulls***ing.

Hightower · 25 April 2007, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

I don't think anyone has ever actually seen a fish on a fishfinder.

I heard that someone had once but I think they were bulls***ing.

No! I've definately got Fish on my fishinder. They're grey in colour and move from right to left in demo mode

jwalker · 25 April 2007, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

I don't think anyone has ever actually seen a fish on a fishfinder.

Are you being serious?

Pete7 · 25 April 2007, 19:19

Brilliant bits of kit, we even get a little diver swim across the screen when someone swims under the rib

osprey__viper · 25 April 2007, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

I don't think anyone has ever actually seen a fish on a fishfinder.

I heard that someone had once but I think they were bulls***ing.

Hmmmmm must have had mine set up wrong then.

matt h · 25 April 2007, 22:08

chris, they should work really well, will pm you

AndrewH · 26 April 2007, 11:52

Chris

Have you tried it on the water? I found that with pretty much the default settings I was able to get a good read out of fish etc. However if you have a tweak with the sonar pane within the main menu you can "fine tune" to get best possible performance as well as f@rting around with the display issues (e.g. whether you have a little number alongside the fish etc)

Drop me a PM if you need more info

Andrew

Chris · 26 April 2007, 12:20

Andrew I found that if I had the Fish Symbol option turned on I saw a number of fish but when I turned this off and looked for the arches that signify fish I did not see a single one. I think the fish symbol generated quite a lot of false fish!

matt h · 26 April 2007, 15:10

what it will pick up is floating debris and make out its a fish

Andy Moore · 26 April 2007, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt h

what it will pick up is floating debris and make out its a fish

Correct. The proper way to use a fishfinder is with 'fish arches' turned on.

Chris · 26 April 2007, 19:00

Thanks Matt and for your kind offer, I think I have the unit pretty much set up right having spoken to Garmin and it is more a case of trying it again when I am out at sea.

Will let you know how I get on.

Chris

AndrewH · 26 April 2007, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

Correct. The proper way to use a fishfinder is with 'fish arches' turned on.

Quite right - you get a very different return from the swim bladder of a fish that you do from general muck and crud that is floating under the transom. This is what gives rise to the arches. I know its always difficult but try trolling round somewhere known to have a high fish density (e.g. round the base of an old pier - just watch out for divers though

). Switching to arches mode should give you a fine set of returns. If it doesn't then let us know your settings and we can all take it from there

Regards

Andrew