Do you love big bluegill?

Hummingbird 1199 + 859

I have an 1199 and a 859 linked together with the gps puck and the I-Pilot link-all of this was just purchased this past May. Have them all working(859 reads off front mounted minnkota when it is engaged or/and of the back transducer which has down and side imaging. My biggest problem is understanding what I'm seeing on these units? Bottom contours, rocks, weeds, etc I see but fish or even baitfish I do not or at least don't know what they should look like on the screens.

The spot lock feature on the I-Pilot link works but not as well as advertised-rarely holds under to a 20 foot radius. And I still haven't figured out how to use the "follow the contour" or "go to" features of the I-Pilot? I know how to mark a spot but don't know what to do to go back to that spot other than just driving the motor to it?

Thanks for any help. Love to catch big gills but really bought this setup with the new boat for walleyes.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by dick tabbert on September 29, 2014 at 4:24pm

Kelly it sounds like you need to fine tune the sounder. You can clear up the images I put on a 14 minute video from Doug V in which he goes through for the setting up process. Kelly mine finder I have the 798Ci SI on the front and the rear I have the 997c SI. on both finders I believe there is a go to button which brings up the way points and you choose from there.

Permalink Reply by David, aka, "McScruff" on September 29, 2014 at 4:43pm

Its a good thing these sonar units are so complicated. If we ever really figured them out - there'd be no fish left!

Permalink Reply by Kelly Peterson on September 29, 2014 at 4:57pm

Yup, thanks Dick-just watched that video plus a couple more of his. Now if I can only remember what to do-don't have a smart phone or device to take on the water with me to view these vids and make changes.

Permalink Reply by Leo Nguyen on September 29, 2014 at 5:04pm

Splendid combo units. All I can say is, WOW! Lots of expenditure on the hardware. Let me explain a few things on the equipment, hopefully broaden your horizon as well, and if you can provide us a snapshot on one of the screens, we'll gladly offer you some info on what you're seeing.

Now, the fun with i-Pilot and the GPS unit. The funny thing is, everyone reported back with the same issues. What is the primary reason? Easy. Built-in GPS doesn't stay put. Do this when you're on the water, using both your smartphone and fishfinder at the same time, both at the dock (stationary), and on the water (mobile at a crawl). Turn on the GPS coordinately display for the phone and the fishfinders. The GPS reading is constantly shifting and changing, even though you're stationary. Why? The satellites overhead are moving. The units are constantly grabbing info and averaging the data out, but the data is never the same twice every second, all thanks to the GPS above. If you happen to be in the state of California, or a few states that have terrestrial stations for compensating the GPS data (similar to military grade DGPS), you get the closest info locked within a given area, IF and only IF your units are built to use such data from the terrestrial stations. Lowrance high end units do. Humminbird ultra high end units do. Your model, depending on which revision, may. So, to answer your question, your i-Pilot will respond according to the average satellite signals, and work like it should. However, your signals are confusing the crap out of the i-Pilot, thus, the +/- 20ft or greater of improper "spot lock" and "follow of contour" navigation.

Now, to follow back to the same spots you've marked on the units. Rather than typing up instruction, here's something for you to watch and visually get trained on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBh5Jx3cQ6o.

Permalink Reply by Kelly Peterson on September 29, 2014 at 5:16pm

Thanks Leo-jfyi don't have a smart phone with gps feature. I have the gps puck on the boat.

Yup spent a lot of money on electronics and new boat-sort of a retirement present-never had electronics before nor a new boat.

Permalink Reply by Leo Nguyen on September 29, 2014 at 5:21pm

Kelly, you truly need to master the options on your fishfinders. When you do, like a few of us, we want eyes under water as well (water cams). GoPro 3 and 4 is the next level with WiFi spying under water. Beside that, Patrick "Bullworm" and a few other avid ice-based anglers will show you the fun of having a peek underwater while seeing them bite your baits, and get hauled right up.

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on September 29, 2014 at 10:55pm

that is a good vid

Permalink Reply by dick tabbert on September 29, 2014 at 6:20pm

Kelly 1st time I seen it I printed out on a card step by step what to do. My attention span is not so long anymore. My only problem is I put the cards up so I would remember where they are if I needed them again, I forgot were that spot was.

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on September 30, 2014 at 6:17am

this is a great video showing the follow the contour . awesome feature

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9ucIdFNXI

Kelly... that is one dream setup you have there!

Every sonar unit has a simulation mode. i used to take my FF in the house.... and winter was a good time to do this. Set up the FF on a portable battery and play through the menus until you get used to them they become second nature. The most difficult time to do this is out in the boat with the cell phone looking at manuals etc, been there, done, that but still do.lol

Secondly it sounds like your having problems interpreting what the screen is showing you. Having my unit the Lowrance elite-7 hdi for two years now what I thought I was seeing on the screen last summer my interpretation was not totally correct. I thought I would fire this unit right out of the box and find schools of walleye and smallmouth bass etc. This didn’t really happen for me until early summer of this year. Take your system out into a small natural body of water with known populations of crappie and bluegill. These are known schooling fish and are more visible than walleye and smallmouth bass for the beginner or intermediate user. Find these schools and vertically drop bait and jigs down to them. Recognize what these schools of fish look like on your sounder. Once you are able to recognize schools of fish on your sounder and you are on your humps and sunken island etc for walleye chances are they will be walleye because you are now familiar what schools of fish look like and you are on walleye typical structure.

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on September 30, 2014 at 6:58am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDkPBA2ndds

this is another great vid showning the follow the contour feature.

makes me want this setup!

Permalink Reply by Slip Sinker on September 30, 2014 at 8:12am

here is one of my favorite screenshots from my Lawrance .... making passes and fishing large open weed pockets i was finding gill tucked up next to the weeds. recognizing they were fish. i went back and plucked them with a slip bobber and maggot rig.