Mega side imaging shallow soft bottom

[JD88]

I'm wondering how well the MSI works on soft bottoms in 10 feet or less. The lake I fish most often is 22 feet at the deepest, 8'-10' average, and is almost all soft bottom (decaying plant matter and mud up to several feet thick) which seems to be inhibiting the 800 kHz signal on my Lowrance, or maybe it just isn't firing like it should, I don't know yet. If you've got screenshots that would be great, especially if they're the ugly ones where it isn't working great that nobody wants to share. I'm still in my return window and with some other issues I'm having I'm about ready to return it and make the switch but I don't know if MSI is worth the extra cost for the soft nasty bottoms I fish.

[bobcoy]

If you are looking for fish, those are good fish seeing conditions. Firm bottom sticks out too. When i was up in illinois the soft bottoms showed the good hard spots and fish very well. Just few exciting things to take screenshots of. For finding fish it's all good. Bob

[JD88]

If you are looking for fish, those are good fish seeing conditions.

Right now at 800kHz on my Lowrance I'm not able to see much of anything, so I'm wondering how the mega imaging would work.

[Chief Brody]

that Lowrance needs some fine tuning

[JD88]

that Lowrance needs some fine tuning

The only tuning you can do is contrast, which is annoying.

[Chief Brody]

still have transducer angle and boat speed

[akaslyguy]

Here is an image from my mega unit that shows hard and soft bottom in the same image. Sorry, I couldn't find one in 10ft or less, but it still looks the same. Mega imaging will show both very well and have great contrast when both are present. If I'm in a large area of all soft bottom, I will adjust the sensitivity to see whatever I am looking for.

S00036.PNG

And another with hard and soft, but still not the depth you are looking for. Sensitivity up a little to high in this pic, but you can still see the hardness differences.

S00016.PNG

[Wayne P.]

The higher frequencies have less horizontal coverage so 455 kHz is best in less than 10'.

Even though Lowrance's 455 kHz does not have as much side to side coverage as Humminbird 455 kHz has, it make no sense to use 800 kHz in that depth.

This is 200' of bottom coverage in less than 4' using 455 kHz:

[Andy_C]

i fish areas all under ten feet very soft silty bottoms with the occasional clay seam.
Mega works but my Solix 455 is as good as it gets for both feature and fish location.

[Andy_C]

With 455

[JD88]

Those pictures are great, how does the Helix G3 compare image quality wise? I can return this 9" Lowrance and get a mega 7" helix for $100 more and if the image quality is better (than what I have) I think I can live with 2" less screen.

[91reddog]

Too many guys use mega as an end all be all, when actually, it should be your last option when fine tuning what you want to see. Here's 400 feet of coverage in 11 fow. Surrounded by Walleyes.

[JD88]

Too many guys use mega as an end all be all, when actually, it should be your last option when fine tuning what you want to see.

I'm just curious how it works in conditions similar to mine to know if its worth the price increase vs a Helix 7 G2 that only shoots 455 kHz. Right now if I see something on 455 kHz that I can't make out my 800 kHz doesn't provide a better image, its actually worse. I'm working with a budget around $800 max otherwise I'd love a Solix 10.

[91reddog]

I have a H12 SI on the bow, and S12 on the console. I rarely use mega, and If I do, its after filling the livewell and paying around. Im pretty sure Im the only person underwhelmed with mega. Im probably not the guy to talk you into a M unit.

[JD88]

I went out again today and got some more shots with the Lowrance 9 Ti. This is my baseline for quality so I'm hoping a Helix 7 G3 (or maybe 9 G2N, undecided) will at least be usable in 800/mega. If I can't expect to beat this I may as well get a non-mega unit and save some money.

455 kHz, acceptable.
Screenshot_2019-03-27_17.57.17.png

800kHz, garbage.
Screenshot_2019-03-27_17.52.07.png
Screenshot_2019-03-27_18.02.54.png

[Wallace]

G2n blows that out of the water

[Bob B]

If you can fit it into your budget .... consider the Helix 8 Chirp Mega SI+ G3N .... there's a lot of bang for the buck in that model and you would have the additional range from the SI+ models.

[JD88]

If you can fit it into your budget .... consider the Helix 8 Chirp Mega SI+ G3N .... there's a lot of bang for the buck in that model and you would have the additional range from the SI+ models.

Man I wish, but they go for more than what I paid for my boat and truck combined.

[Wayne P.]

Did some shallow MEGA SI+ Imaging yesterday for this thread: