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I am considering rigging my ice-fishing transducer differently; however, with my new method if the ice is thick it won't reach the bottom of the ice. I was reading the instructions to a Vexilar recently (a generous fellow BFT fisherman loaned me his Vexilar -- I don't own one -- mine is an Eagle) and it said that if the transducer doesn't reach the bottom of the ice hole that the signal might echo in the hole and give false readings. What has been your experience, does the transducer need to reach the bottom of the ice hole?
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I have an eagle also, I noticed that if it is not below the ice it will give me false depth readings. If the transducer is above the bottom of the ice it has to be centered right in the middle of the hole then it seems to be OK. I used about 10" of PVC to atatch mine to but I think before I go this weekend I am going to change it to 16".
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This is a good question, I'm glad somebody asked. I just bought an Eagle and was wondering the same thing. Hopefully we will get more posts from people with more experience than I have. Also, if anybody wants to post some pictures or give ideas on how to rig up a transducer and fish finder box(kit) that would be appreciated. I am trying to figure out how to set up my finder and need to make sure the transducer hangs straight.
Does it matter if the transducer goes in the same hole as your fishing pole? I drilled a hole right next to my fishing hole last time and had a hard time seeing my jigs on the bottom. Maybe I needed to get my transducer deeper. Any thoughts are appreciated, the more the merrier.
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These are very valid and concise points that were made, when using your fish finder on ice and with your home made pole, do yourself a favor and go to an RV shop and get a glue on level you have to have it level to get a good reading on your jig, otherwise you are shooting it at an angle away from your jig, also you may have to turn up the gain a little until you are able to see your jig, most transducers will give a false reading if not below the ice, but from my experiance it is at the top of the screen, as for a different hole, thats personal preferance, find what works for you, adjust your gain up and down until you are comfortable with your set up and then play with it until you very familiar with it, then have fun. [cool]
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[cool][blue][size 1]I have been using the Eagle sonars for several years for float tube fishing. The way I set up the transducer...on a piece of 1/2 inch PVC pipe, allows you to use the transducer for ice, boat or tube...with the proper means of anchoring it in place.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]In the attached pic and diagram, I show about 18" of PVC. That's long enough for tubing, but may be too short when sending the transducer down through deep ice. No reason you couldn't make a 4 or 5 foot rod...and bungee cord it to a bucket next to a hole.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have some other pics and diagrams for setting up the "skimmer" type transducer on a PVC rod, if anyone wants to PM me. Oh yeah, EmuScud even put one together at one time using the shaft of a golf club. Worked okay for the transducer but couldn't putt worth a hoot with it.[/size][/#0000ff]
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Kent,
I've never put the transducer below the ice. I've fished Fish Lake with over 3 feet of ice and only had the transducer a couple of inches under the water. It does help to have it pointing straight down, but I don't even use a level anymore. I got one with an "Icebox" fishfinder/batttery/transducer holder once. I used it with a puck style transducer with good results, but I've never used one with my X85, and I won't be using one with the X136 either.
A buddy of mine bought an X65 after we had been to Fish Lake and set his unit up with the transducer pointing to the side. It was 90 degrees from vertical, and the X65 still read the depth! It wouldn't show fish, but it did read the depth right. One more reason I prefer the high power LCDs over the 45 year old technology of the flasher.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I never have my transducer below the ice. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. You ever have a good fish get tangled up in it? I gaurantee you'll quit sticking it below the ice. I have 3/4" diameter PVC pipe sections and a couple coupler fittings for extending my transducer if I want to but never use it. I never get false bottom readings. I do get minimal surface clutter but I'm usually not fishing the first 5' so it doesn't matter.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I've fashioned my transducer holder to adjust fast and easy. I don't want a level to tell me where I'm at; that assumes my transducer is mounted perfectly perpendicular to my PVC tranducer shaft. I adjust it the good old fashion way. I move it around until my sonar sees the jig the best. Just like the old TV antennas. It's fast, simple, and reliable.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I also never use the same hole I fish from for the transducer but drill one right next to the one I'm fishing in. My gear is too expensive to toss across the ice or knock my sonar over trying to get it out of the way. [/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]With a 9 deg cone at 75 ft deep, your cone covers 11-3/4 foot diameter or a 6' radius so 12" either way is not going to matter in the slightest. Obviously, at 37-1/2 ft deep that will cut it down to about a 6 ft diameter cone circle. Still no problemo. A 20 deg cone sees a 26' diameter circle so it matters even less where the transducer is located in relation to your fishing hole.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I posted a few pics how I rigged my sonar (X98DF) up a month ago and others have posted the way the have done theirs. It's not difficult and with a little creativity, you can come up with a suitable solution for adapting you sonar from your boat to the ice.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3](edit) Here's the thread on how I rigged my sonar up:[/size][/font] [center][size 3] [/size][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=87170;search_string=search_string;#87170"][size 3]My X98 Conversion for the Ice [/size][/url]
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Here is a link to some pictures of an amateur set up:
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=91104"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=91104[/url]
I added a few short pieces of PVC on el's to put on the ends of the "T" on top of the ice. Although I don't have a level, I try to eyeball perpendicular and these short pieces, usually need only one, seem to work pretty well.
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I have an Eagle portable fishfinder. I rigged a bent rod to go in the 2 rings on the side of the machine. I welded a flange to one end of the rod to fasten the transducer on. With the bend in the rod, the transducer only went about 10" or so into the hole. As long as I make sure that I keep it level, it works great! (I bought a leveling bubble to put on top of the transducer to make that part easier!) And I've fished with it on more than 20" of ice without problems.
Good luck!
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Hey dude,
I just bought a Cuda 168 last week and then today saw a bunch of your posts on it. I have only used it once and had ok results but I think that's due to the fact that I was ice fishing and just learning how to really use it. I can't wait to get it hooked up on my float tube when we get rid of some ice. I saw some of your hook up methods and will probably steal some of your ideas. Thanks for the input and any more advice on the 168 is always helpful.
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Hey Kent,
I'm like BLM, I never put the ducer deeper than the bottom of the ice. I too have seen a little surface clutter with deeper ice, but it's not bad, and it never gives me false depth readings. It has also never interferred with my being able to see the fish. I also drill a hole next to my fishing hole for the ducer. It's worth the extra work if you ask me.
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Thanks for all of the great feedback. My current arrangement is manageable; however, if I can come up with the time, I may fine tune it a little. BTW -- I also do not put my transducer below the bottom of the ice, and didn't intend to start now. I thought that BLM was using his last Friday above the bottom of the ice, but I wanted to see if others with less powerful fish finders, had experienced any problems doing the same. I'm pleased to find out that many others have done the same without any significant negative problems.
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I find all of this info very interesting because in the past I have had good success getting depth readings THROUGH the ice as long as the ice is clear. Sonar goes through water and ice, but NOT air. So if the ice is good clear ice it works. And I have done that. I sometimes have to put down a small puddle of water so there is now air under the ice but it beats drilling a hole just to get a reading. However, the last time I was out at Rockport I couldn't get this trick to work because of the frozen layer of slush on the ice. There was too much. So what I am saying is that I doubt that any echos you are getting are coming from not having the transducer below the ice.
If you are getting echo from the ice then your gain is probably up too high, or someone else around you has theirs up too much. I have had echos in plain water when the gain is too high.
m
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[blue][size 1]If you haven't already done so, hop over to the float tube board. We have quite a bit of chatter on setting up sonar on tubes. If you scroll back through some of the past pages you will find a complete review of the 168, with a lot more pics.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]Let me know when you get ready to make the big installation and I can probably provide some more assistance. The 168 has served me will on my tube so far. The digital temp readout, on a low end unit, has been a real plus for me.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As you probably know, there is a built in tutorial. Hook it up to 12 volts and keep tapping the menu button until you come to DEMO mode. That will allow you to put it through the paces and get familiar with the options without being on the water. NEAT.[/size][/#0000ff]
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I used an old extedable handle from a paint roller it retracts far enough to fit in my box and extends to at least 30 in. if ice is thicker than 24 in. guess ill try sutin else it works well ...
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I just purchased a through-the-hull transducer for my [size 1]Raytheon L470 fishfinder (the one that I typically use on my boat). Never again will I be frustrated when fishing for those macks because of using a low power fishfinder. I plan on mounting the transducer through the lid of a five-gallon bucket when I am fishing. Everything, except for the lid will fit inside of a tool box/ammo box, and the display will be mounted on top of the tool box/ammo box. Can't wait to give it a go. [/size]
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