Helix 5 SI GPS G2 - Locating Fish

[2marshall8]

I just purchased the Helix 5 SI GPS G2 and was wondering if anyone has experience with finding fish on this model using the side imaging. I was able to locate structure but not fish using the side imaging. I just couldn't get a clear enough picture on the side imaging to make out fish. I had SI sharpness off, was using the brown color pallet, and usually had my sensitivty/contrast at 12/14. I was also trying to scan out of one side of the boat to increase screen real-estate and kept the distance out around 30ft. I was scanning mostly in shallow water where my boat was in 7ft scanning towards 2-3ft. any help is appreciated. thanks

[Kenfuel]

I had a helix 5 si g2 on the trolling motor, I could see fish on the si. You might try turning the sensitivity and contrast down some. In my experience you can't get them to high, it makes a nice picture, but the fish seem blend into the bottom. Maybe someone else will have more input.

[Wayne P.]

Sharpness makes the fish standout. Makes the whole image sort of grainy though.

Turn the Sensitivity down enough so the ligher fish returns won't be blending into the bottom.

This is just the Sensitivity lowered to show fish, could have been better with a lower setting:





Darker bottom with light fish returns:

[2marshall8]

Good advice guys. thanks. I think I see your point. the fish returns are stronger so if u weaken the background they pop more. This is a tough balance. I played around with these settings just now and here are some images of what I think is fish. correct me if I'm wrong.


S00003.pngS00004.PNG



I got one other question. When on side imaging and driving past a floating dock or a boat parked on a dock will the side imaging pickup the objects/fish underneath the floating dock or boat, or will the floating dock and boat block the signal? thanks

[Chief Brody]

it will pick them up.

[jym]

Good advice guys. thanks. I think I see your point. the fish returns are stronger so if u weaken the background they pop more. This is a tough balance. I played around with these settings just now and here are some images of what I think is fish. correct me if I'm wrong.


S00003.pngS00004.PNG



I got one other question. When on side imaging and driving past a floating dock or a boat parked on a dock will the side imaging pickup the objects/fish underneath the floating dock or boat, or will the floating dock and boat block the signal? thanks

SI can show the bottom edge of the dock floats as well as bottom of boat (Pontoon in this pic). And under the dock.
Dock-fish.jpg

[2marshall8]

Yah this is good stuff on the fish under boat docks. I used this today to scan under overhanging trees. I was out today and recorded my entire session. I noticed that the fish are appearing as verticle lines not horizontal lines and am not sure why this is. does anyone know? I had the following settings set for SI:

Depth: 8ft
Scanning out to 20ft
Frequency: 405khz
Chart speed: 2mph
Boat speed: 2mph
side_imaging_buoy_fish2.jpg



side_imaging_buoy_fish.jpg
side_imaging_buoy_fish3.jpg

[ridge_runner91]

I see lots of folks recommend matching chart speed to boat speed but I personally like to set my chart speed faster than the speed of the boat.... this will stretch anything you are marking out. Sometimes it may distort the image a little but it's way easier for me to see a long fish image than a tiny fish image.

If I want pretty images of structure I match the speed of the boat and the chart speed..... if I want to see fish I always set my chart speed higher.

Give it a try and see what you think.

[2marshall8]

good advice, thanks. I'll test that out. It does make sense. I was just wondering if I had some sonar setting wrong for them to look long like this.

[akaslyguy]

Just my personal preference, but on DI, I like to run the sensitivity on the higher side. I don't really care so much about seeing the bottom detail, as I am seeing the details in the water column. Play around with different colors as well. I'm a fan of #11, with the sensitivity on the HOT side. With that color, harder returns show up red (cover or structure) and the fish will show up bright yellow if the sensitivity is increased. Increase it more and the cover will be blown out red and the fish will look red to. Here are a couple of examples of some crappie and cover. This is on a gen2n. Pretty easy to see the fish.....

S00017.PNG

S00020.PNG

[2marshall8]

I've been running a recorded session on playback messing with the settings you just said. The target separation on those images is awesome. Thats also on mega imaging which i'm sure helps with clearer target separation. I'm just not sure how good I can get this target separation will be on this helix 5.

If the fish are 1lb or bigger bass, how big will the appear? I don't have a good gauge on fish size yet and not sure if this is dependent on the model owned. thanks

[Chief Brody]

the Helix 5 has excellent screen resolution. Just hold it closer to your eyes

[2marshall8]

when I look at these images from mega or 800mhz the target seperation is so much better than the helix 5. the helix 5 feels very pixelated making the baitfish harder to spot among all the pixelation. I'll keep working at it, using everyones advice, just not sure how much confidence I can get with the image the helix 5 can produce.

[BrownTrout]

Just my personal preference, but on DI, I like to run the sensitivity on the higher side. I don't really care so much about seeing the bottom detail, as I am seeing the details in the water column. Play around with different colors as well. I'm a fan of #11, with the sensitivity on the HOT side. With that color, harder returns show up red (cover or structure) and the fish will show up bright yellow if the sensitivity is increased. Increase it more and the cover will be blown out red and the fish will look red to. Here are a couple of examples of some crappie and cover. This is on a gen2n. Pretty easy to see the fish.....

S00017.PNG

S00020.PNG

I like the looks of that Joe. Where was your Sensitivity and Contrast set?

[Tarheel14]

SI can show the bottom edge of the dock floats as well as bottom of boat (Pontoon in this pic). And under the dock.
Dock-fish.jpg

Wish I could find a school of crappie like that............. Wow!!

[akaslyguy]

I like the looks of that Joe. Where was your Sensitivity and Contrast set?

Contrast was most likely 10.... I never mess with it much so it stays about default. I would guess sensitivity in the first pic was pretty high... maybe 17-18ish and a little lower on the bottom one. I don't really pay attention to the numbers as much as I just bounce it around until I like what I see at that moment.