Lowrance Transducers - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Calico Killer Kevin · 01-09-2014, 10:16 PM

Hey guys, been trying to map and dial in my local areas but I've been having trouble getting adequate bottom detail in 180-220ft. I'm running a Lowrance Elite 5 finder with the transducer that it came with which I'm pretty sure is an 83/200khz. Compared to the detail I'm getting in, say, 60-80ft, my deep water detail is very diminished. I can hardly discern hard bottom from soft let alone rockpiles. I am seeing bait schools and what I assume are smaller predators around them, but I'm not totally sure.

I've played with most all the settings from the preset "deep water" to various manual settings like sensitivity, colorline, etc.

Am I doing something wrong? May I ask, what settings are you running at these depths and are you getting good readings? Is it that I absolutely need to pick up a 50/200 transducer which I'm seeing costs at least $100?

TJones · 01-10-2014, 05:09 AM

Wet mount ? Directly in water without obstructions?

jorluivil · 01-10-2014, 08:04 AM

The 83/200 has a wider beam so you will lose detail in waters deeper than 100', the 50/200 has a narrow beam so it will provide more detail in waters deeper than 100'. I have the 50/200 on my Outback and depending on the depth that I'm in I have to switch back and forth between the 50Khz and 200Khz.

TJones · 01-10-2014, 09:24 AM

83 on pa / 50 on outback. I have not tried the 83 yet. Get rid of it ? Thx for help

Calico Killer Kevin · 01-10-2014, 12:21 PM

It's mounted in a scupper in the water with no obstructions as far as I can tell. It doesn't really matter which way the transducer is facing right (forward or backward)?

Is 50khz night/day difference compared to the 83khz? I'm just trying to justify the cost of a new transducer. Maybe I can sell this one and only pay the difference, but I assume the 83/200 isn't in much demand.

At this point, in 200ft I'm not really getting much bottom feedback at all. Anyway, I'll keep playing with my current setup to rule out user error.

Thanks guys.

jorluivil · 01-10-2014, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calico Killer Kevin

It's mounted in a scupper in the water with no obstructions as far as I can tell. It doesn't really matter which way the transducer is facing right (forward or backward)?

Is 50khz night/day difference compared to the 83khz? I'm just trying to justify the cost of a new transducer. Maybe I can sell this one and only pay the difference, but I assume the 83/200 isn't in much demand.

At this point, in 200ft I'm not really getting much bottom feedback at all. Anyway, I'll keep playing with my current setup to rule out user error.

Thanks guys.

Not likely that its user error, it’s just that the 83/200 has a narrower beam so you will not get the same return on the pings.

Have you ever yelled at someone from a distance and in order to have your words/yelling travel further you’ll cup your hands and yell into the openings of your hands. By cupping your hands the sound travels as a narrow beam and will travel further and the person you’re yelling at will likely hear you and respond faster, that’s the 50/200 transducer.

Now, if you yell at the same person from the same distance without cupping your hands the words/yelling will not travel as far or as fast to its intended receiver or destination so the person at the receiving end will get a weak signal thus not acknowledging you as fast, thats the 83/200 transducer.>>

Make sense?

Yeah, I know, it’s a corny explanation but the boss is out, its Friday and I ain’t got …………………………………

01-09-2014, 10:16 PM	#1
Calico Killer Kevin Junior Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 10	Lowrance Transducers Hey guys, been trying to map and dial in my local areas but I've been having trouble getting adequate bottom detail in 180-220ft. I'm running a Lowrance Elite 5 finder with the transducer that it came with which I'm pretty sure is an 83/200khz. Compared to the detail I'm getting in, say, 60-80ft, my deep water detail is very diminished. I can hardly discern hard bottom from soft let alone rockpiles. I am seeing bait schools and what I assume are smaller predators around them, but I'm not totally sure. I've played with most all the settings from the preset "deep water" to various manual settings like sensitivity, colorline, etc. Am I doing something wrong? May I ask, what settings are you running at these depths and are you getting good readings? Is it that I absolutely need to pick up a 50/200 transducer which I'm seeing costs at least $100?

01-10-2014, 05:09 AM	#2
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,523	How is it mounted? Wet mount ? Directly in water without obstructions?

01-10-2014, 08:04 AM	#3
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,855	The 83/200 has a wider beam so you will lose detail in waters deeper than 100', the 50/200 has a narrow beam so it will provide more detail in waters deeper than 100'. I have the 50/200 on my Outback and depending on the depth that I'm in I have to switch back and forth between the 50Khz and 200Khz. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer Last edited by jorluivil; 01-10-2014 at 12:52 PM.

01-10-2014, 09:24 AM	#4
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,523	I have both 83 on pa / 50 on outback. I have not tried the 83 yet. Get rid of it ? Thx for help

01-10-2014, 12:21 PM	#5
Calico Killer Kevin Junior Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 10	It's mounted in a scupper in the water with no obstructions as far as I can tell. It doesn't really matter which way the transducer is facing right (forward or backward)? Is 50khz night/day difference compared to the 83khz? I'm just trying to justify the cost of a new transducer. Maybe I can sell this one and only pay the difference, but I assume the 83/200 isn't in much demand. At this point, in 200ft I'm not really getting much bottom feedback at all. Anyway, I'll keep playing with my current setup to rule out user error. Thanks guys.