new depth sounder help [Archive] - Sydney Fish Finder Fishing Forum

netic

17-07-07, 08:48 AM

Mate the sounder pictured is pretty much the lowest sounder on the market.
I had the same one and to be honest the only thing it is good for is to tell you the depth. No good at all at finding fish and finding bait etc...

I would recommend getting a bit more cash together and buying a better unit

sydfish

17-07-07, 09:11 AM

I would have to agree with netic there. But at least the brand direction is OK. Perhaps with the limited budget you would be better off talking to members who may have servicable second hand sounders, who have recently upgraded to the latest and greatest. Perhaps also we move this thread to talking electronics. I am sure that there are plenty of sounders sitting in sheds that are better than the one mentioned, for the same or a bit less than the price, any body out there in this boat?

dkfisher

17-07-07, 09:43 AM

mate the cuda aint the best on the market but it works we had one sitting on our boat there for a while and it did the job but as the other guys have said save ya money and get some think a little better but in saying that if ya happy with a finder that is a budget model this is the one it will do a ok job for ya

dk...

quintrex101

17-07-07, 03:22 PM

what about this one http://www.motackle.com.au/index.cfm?pr=catalogue&category_id=292, but anyone got a secondhand good one

netic

17-07-07, 03:26 PM

Mate what is your budget??? i have done a heap of research of sounders...perhaps i can throw you in the right direction if i knew your budget.

quintrex101

17-07-07, 03:41 PM

thanks netic but someone ofter this one to me in my budget range ,

this one here
http://www.binksonline.com.au/store/prod1046.htm
are they any good

Haji

17-07-07, 05:35 PM

Hi Quinie
I have a Furuno paper chart sounder that was the top of the range for chart units in its day. Used by many pro-fishermen as the best sounder. I had it serviced by a Furuno technician less than 12 months ago and it is 100% operational. Also has a spare paper chart.

If you are interested in having a go with this sounder before you upgrade to a more modern unit you are welcome to have it, no charge.

PS; You will not offend me by opting to stay with the more modern units.

beats

17-07-07, 05:47 PM

This is the lowest you should go in the Eagle range, anything cheaper is only a toy, like has been said cheap ones will tell you the depth but thats about it. http://www.motackle.com.au/index.cfm?pr=product&product_id=547
Remember what it's for, a fish finder is for "finding fish" & if it doesen't have enough power & definition (the higher pixel count the better) to show you bait schools of thermoclines in the water columb how can you expect to locate fish with it.
Don't buy cheap crap if you are serious about your fishing, save up and buy "Quality Gear", no matter what it is & then you won't end up with a garage full of crap you will never use again!

storms72

17-07-07, 06:10 PM

Quinnie, ask haji bout the furuno 4100, I fitted his old one to a mates boat....awesome sounder not the most expensive but from what I have been told is as good as other brands worth a lot more.

Have a look around and do some research on the web plenty of info on anything you are looking at, then ask us someone here will have experience with most brands you could mention.....Hajis old furuno is a weapon mate, give it a go and save your $$$$

Haji

18-07-07, 08:08 PM

Hi Storms
Daniel (Quintrex) is collecting my Furuno FE 400 Chart Sounder tomorrow,I got it down of the shelf for him today and it is in A1 order.

It will be interesting to see how it fares on his boat,it has a bronze transducer however I don't think that will be a problem on his alloy boat as long as he mounts it on a stainless bracket, preferably a sliding bracket so that he can test for the best setting. Any views on that?

The Furuno FE 400 will sound right out to the shelf so it is quite powerfull and has great definition, just not as convenient as the current models but should be fine for him to learn how to use a sounder and allow him to save his money to buy more fishing gear.

I seem to have misplaced the instruction manual for the Sounder so if anyone has or knows where to get a copy of a manual for a Furuno FE 400 sounder I am sure that Daniel would appreciate hearing from you.
:beerchug:

storms72

19-07-07, 11:15 AM

Can get a manual from here http://www.marineelectronicshoppe.com/manuals/Furuno/Depth_Fishfinder_Manuals.htm
I couldn't find anything free on-line for it quinnie,you may have better luck.
Don't know where to get transducer mount from....start with boat supplies stores and someone should be able to point you in the right direction, as Haji said sliding would be good.

quintrex101

19-07-07, 02:31 PM

thanks for all help guys, haji, i be there in a coupple of hours, i give you a ring at 4pm

quintrex101

19-07-07, 06:07 PM

thanks to all that replyed, haji thats a top sounder you gave me and your house is very nice too, bet you love living in the Shire

storms72

04-08-07, 07:18 PM

How's that sounder going Quinnie......Have you mounted and used it yet?????Let us all know how good it is?

Dog Catcher

02-09-07, 08:29 PM

It's all great recomending better sounders to the kid
BUT bear in mind his rig & where he fish's

The FE 400's where & still are a good sounder Daniel BUT be wary you need to buy paper for them & over a period of time you'll find it will cost you just as much as if you purchased a new sounder.

Not meaning to do Haji out of a sale but thought the kid should be made aware of this factor.

Dont know what the paper rolls are worth these days but 20 years back you were looking @ $20 per roll & it dont take long to go through a roll even when you feed a roll in backwards to reuse it

Haji

12-09-07, 05:40 PM

Hi Dog

You should read the full story before you make ill informed comments about my "Sale" to Quinie.

I gave him the sounder as a present so that the young fellow could get some idea on using a sounder before he lays out his own hard earned brass. NIX, NOTHING, GRATIS, NO SALE!

The sounder had just been serviced ($120.00) and came with three new chart rolls. Now how about some pearls of wisdom from you as to how good this sounder realley was in its day?

Ron Calcutt rated it as the best chart sounder and the benchmark for comparison when the new types of sounders hit the market. The Furuno held its own for quite a while as I recall.

What did yo get to use when you were 12 years old?

storms72

12-09-07, 05:53 PM

:duel: Would you like some help removing your foot from your mouth Dog:duel: :rolling laughter: :rolling laughter:

Haji and others on this site are genuine people who like helping others....Please be sure when you are commenting on ones generosity you read the thread in full....

Jason

Dog Catcher

12-09-07, 05:59 PM

Think you mis read my intentions there Haji

I was merely pointing out that using a paper graph sounder will cost the same [buying the paper rolls] as going out & buying a new sounder esp if you're keen fisherman like the young bloke who wants to fish @ every opertunity.

With the sounders you tend to leave them on all day & thats means if using paper graph you go through quite a few rolls of paper in no time

What did yo get to use when you were 12 years old?

Who me ????

2 sticks & a nail & had to make my own machine gun with them so as I could play combat

Haji times have changed what you I & others may think are a good piece of equipement are really crap these days

I stated the FE 400 were a good sounder in their day but these days they are rubbish it's called technology we live in a disposable society & if you'd seen some of the stuff I've thrown out over the years you'd probally cry

Thanks storms but I didn't put my foot in my mouth

quintrex101

12-09-07, 06:04 PM

Not meaning to do Haji out of a sale but thought the kid should be made aware of this factor.

are u silly or what , you said not meaning to do haji out of a sale :rolling laughter:

just make sure you make a comment like that, that you have read the full story and have your :2gunsfiring_v1: firing

:duel: :rolling laughter: :rolling laughter: :rolling laughter: :duel:

Haji

12-09-07, 06:12 PM

quintrex101

12-09-07, 06:20 PM

I don't know anyone (apart from you now) who leaves their sounder on all day. In the days of the chart sounders we often re-used the charts as no two traces are the same and we could readily read bottom conditions and fish the second time around.

I found that we got quite a long use out of one chart and I venture to say that if Quinie used it he would get a couple of years use out of the charts that came with the unit.

I also told Quinie (via PM) that I would not be offended if he wished to use the Furuno as a trade in as it might be of interest to Furuno given its pristine condition. His reply was that he wanted to keep it as a vintage unit. More power to the young fella.

yea, i agree :hellyeah: :hellyeah: :hellyeah:

its in top condition, and it a such a good sounder i whould not want to sell it, , if i selled it, it prolly whould not make a different as the money i saved up now ( about $800 ) i will be able to buy some good things for my boat, which include a sounder :headbang: :headbang:

now just leave this thread for a little while ok,

cheers,

:beerchug:

Dog Catcher

12-09-07, 06:28 PM

My sounder stays on all day for a no of reasons

a] water temp [something paper sounders dont have] esp if I'm trolling & looking for currents

b] locating baitfish schools

c] bottom formation over a reef I'm drifting

d] I like to look @ the pretty screen :rolling laughter:

Even when on anchor fishing for Reds etc the sounder stays on I can even tell you when your about to get a hit by looking @ the screen.

Even back in the old days using paper graph the sounder stayed on all day how else would you find the schools of Kung Fu Fush when jigging ??

Dont know how often you fished Haji but I used to go through a sh*tload of paper rolls & like I said back 20 years ago they were $20 each

quintrex101

12-09-07, 06:34 PM

Dont know how often you fished Haji but I used to go through a sh*tload of paper rolls & like I said back 20 years ago they were $20 each

mate haji had a game boat that was about 23 ft long and go out to the shelf in it, i would not be leaving it on all day wen you out in 1000 meters of water, :munky:

:beerchug:

Haji

12-09-07, 06:36 PM

Thanks for the lesson, I did go out once or twice.

I can see that you need a lot of paper.

:rolling laughter: :rolling laughter: :rolling laughter:

quintrex101

12-09-07, 06:42 PM

thats better no fighting http://www.sydneyfishfinder.com.au/sffforum/images/smilies/rolling%20laughter.gif, u r both very good people and know alot about fishing and boating,

no more fighting here and just learning more, u 2 chould learn something some each other http://www.sydneyfishfinder.com.au/sffforum/images/icons/icon14.gif

Dog Catcher

12-09-07, 06:53 PM

mate haji had a game boat that was about 23 ft long and go out to the shelf in it, i would not be leaving it on all day wen you out in 1000 meters of water,

Think you've still got a lot to learn young Danial the FE400 is a toy by todays standards cant recall it's power prob around 300 watts.

How could you even make a comment like that when you've never been out wide or even know how it's fished out there ????

from memory the FE 400 was only good out to around 150 meters of water after that it shat itself :rolling laughter:

And as far as trying to Q my expirience using sounders or gamefishing here's a little tip for you

Dont even go there

Well what can I say exept I dont buy things to lock up in the cupboard.

I buy them to use them

mulloway mayhem

12-09-07, 07:31 PM

dogcatcher obviousely you know your stuff but i think all ur doin is stirring trouble........leave little quinny alone and pick on someone ur own size mate......

plus u do alot of big noting........:2gunsfiring_v1:

dogcatcher ur the greatest......we here att sff are not worthy.....................:idiot:

storms72

12-09-07, 07:33 PM

Ok guys....A friendly debate on a topic is fine but this is getting to the point where its no longer fun!

Dog, Daniel is a young guy and is more than keen to learn whatever anyone here wants to share with him, this does not extend to what he may take as an insult!

SFF is a friendly site and we want to encourage young members to join and feel comfortable contributing to conversations without being made to feel they're silly, uneducated or not welcome.

You may not have meant your post to sound the way I have read and understood it but if you did please lets ease up on the young fella and just take his comment in your stride....I know I have numerous times!

Cheers
Jason

Dog Catcher

12-09-07, 07:39 PM

storms the day you hear me swear is the day you'll know I'm having a dig @ somebody else I'm playing with peeps.

Since I haven't sworn here it means I'm playing with the boys thats all

They're entitled to their views just like I am & it's obvios I fish completly different to them hence my views

storms72

12-09-07, 07:50 PM

No problems mate:coool: .....Some of us don't know you as well as others do, maybe for us who know nothing bout you maybe use some smilies in your posts-may save a misunderstanding. :ohhh yeah:
Like you I was just sharing my views on what I was reading.:headbang:

Jason

quintrex101

12-09-07, 07:55 PM

leave this thread alone now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dog Catcher

12-09-07, 08:04 PM

No probs I'll leave this thread alone but just to clarify one more time

Danial a sale can be many things & when I stated I didn't want to do Haji out of a sale.

Well to me he was trying to sell you on the idea that a graph sounder was good enough & what I did was point outt here was cost involved cause you had to buy the paper.

And the money you spent on paper could've gone towards a new sounder