Have you installed a fish finder but don’t know how to read it? The display is all confusing, and you are struggling with how to interpret it? Worry not, as we will teach you how to understand and interpret the display. Just keep reading and explore the beginner’s guide to reading a Humminbird fish finder with ease.
Basics Of Humminbird Fish Finders
Humminbird fish finders are a favorite for many boaters and anglers as they clearly show the bottom of the reservoir, lakes, and rivers. Not only can you see the structure and vegetation, but all the marine creatures in the water body.
However, when you first use this fish finder, you may struggle a bit at the start. You may think, “What? Where are all the fish? All these displays are dots and wavy lines!”
To understand what these lines and dots are, you will have to understand how fish finders work.
Fish finders measure the speed and strength of the acoustic waves they send out into the water. The readings that appear on the display are the “echoes” of these acoustic waves. The slowest echoes are the bottom of the water body, while everything in between is objects and the fish.
Of course, just like any other gadget, these fish finders also have a learning curve. However, once you learn how to read them, they are extremely useful and are sure to further enhance your fishing experience. Now, let’s learn how to read a Humminbird fish finder.
How To Read A Humminbird Fish Finder?
Firstly, click the “on” button to turn on your device.
Digital readings will start appearing on your screen. Depending on the model of fish finder you have, these readings might display how deep the water is, what the temperature of the water body is, or the speed at which your boat is traveling.
Look at the bottom of the screen; the line that appears here represents the bottom of the water body. A thick, dark line shows that the bottom is tough and hard, while a thin, light line shows that the bottom is soft.
Start looking upwards from the bottom of the screen. These lines represent hard structures such as submerged rocks, wood, and water vegetation. If there are a lot of lines grouped together, this shows the density of these things in the water body. A lot of lines in close proximity depict that the wood, rocks, and vegetation are all close together and dense.
The icons on the screen display the fish. However, not in all cases. As fish finders cannot distinguish between marine creatures and other objects in the water, what you think is a fish could be another marine creature or a rock or vegetation.
Even the size of the fish is difficult to recognize simply by looking at the display. This is because the fish appears larger if it is at the water surface, while it looks smaller if it is at a greater depth.
A good way to get an idea of the size of the fish is to look at the color of its icon. For example, if you have set the color range to yellow, red, and blue, the less yellow the icon appears, the smaller the fish.
How To Interpret The Fish Finder Display?
Now that you have gotten a basic understanding of what the display of the fish finder represents, let’s learn how to interpret it. It may seem challenging at first, but it gets easier and more fun with practice.
Humminbird fish finders usually have a unit in the transducer that senses the depth of the water body. It tells you how deep the water under your boat or kayak is. The depth is usually displayed on your screen’s left. Confirm if the reading on your display is in meters or feet so you get a clearer idea of the depth.
The speed sensor provides a digital reading when you speed through the water. The ultra-thin beam images the area on the sides of your boat and displays the readings on your screen. The area that this beam scans depends on the fish finder design that you purchase.
Information Display Sequence
When you are moving, the fish finder will show what is exactly below you at the extreme right part of the screen. The objects that you have just left behind will be displayed on the left. If your display is not showing the fish clearly, try increasing the sensitivity on the display menu.
Final Thoughts
Humminbird fish finders are complex gadgets. You may get intimidated at the beginning and think about not using this device. However, if you have chosen a good design, it is most likely that you will learn to use it effectively after a short while.
We hope that our guide has helped you get the basics of how to read and interpret the Humminbird fish finders.