Picking up D.R. balls on fish finder

[raider44]

How many of you prefer to pick up your downrigger balls on your fish finders? And, is there any benefit to this?

I've tried tweaking my fish finder, and I just cannot seem to pick the balls up.. Any suggestions? I have a Garmin 240 Fish Finder.

Thanks gents!

[seasquirrel]

Huge advantage. I like to have the FF set at dual screen. One screen for each transducer. See the balls and the proximity to the fish. Raise or lower to put your presentations right in their face.

[K Gonefishin]

I couldn't even pick up fish on a 240 when I had one and I had the good airmar transducer as well...my advice buy a different fishfinder, a good color, lowrance, bird, raymarine, etc. it will help ALOT!

[muskybob]

raider44, try tilting your transducer so it faces more to the rear. Your weights might have more blowback than you think & are out of the sonar cone.

[holy mackerel]

I like to keep track of my balls, especially when I have my meat out or a fly down.

50hz. is best for this.

[jusgrinnin]

I like to keep track of my balls, especially when I have my meat out or a fly down.

50hz. is best for this.

TOOOO funny you started my day off on the right foot thanks and you did it with class.

[Hookedup]

How many of you prefer to pick up your downrigger balls on your fish finders? And, is there any benefit to this?

I've tried tweaking my fish finder, and I just cannot seem to pick the balls up.. Any suggestions? I have a Garmin 240 Fish Finder.

Thanks gents!

First drop the riggerball down while you are not moving if you dont see it then you got problems. Then if you do tilt your trasducer back slightly you should pick it up. Might be a transducer problem I pick up the rigger balls, the sliders, and the probe.

[raider44]

Hookedup;

When you pick up the balls, sliders, and probe on your sonar, what do these appear as on the screen of the fish finder?

I really do need to learn how to keep track of my balls!

[chowder]

Raider, the rigger weights will make a line across the screen. If you don't see the lines created by the weights you are either running light weights and getting a lot of blow back or more likely you have a sonar unit which is just not designed for high demand trolling applications.

[stinger]

Here is a screen shot from my old Garmin 250 duel Freq. from about 5 years ago.

You'll see 4 riggers, bait ball and some fish looking for a easy meal.

The two lower streaks are thicker lines because those weights are 10LB fish weighs with the fins on the sides, = more reflected signal = thicker lines. The thiner upperstreaks are 10lb TrueTrac balls with a less reflected signal because of the shape.

[raider44]

thanks for the pic stinger. I will have to mess with the transducer to find the weights

[lakebound88]

stinger, that helped me out alot!!! Im picking up a new system by april i hope, the humminbird 788ci

[Iceman]

Left hand side of the screen is 50KHZ (much wider cone angle), right hand side is 200KHZ. On the left hand side, the broad lines across the screen are the downrigger weights, other lines (arches are fish) & there is a streaker fish after the top rigger. I told my buddy to watch that pole & sure enough it popped & we had a nice low 20 lb salmon on. Good sonar will greatly increase your success fishing. Be sure to get the dual transducer option, & you will have the best of both worlds. My sonar reads bottom cruising at 35 mph to depths of 500', & will also show bait & fish.