LOWRANCE LMS520 QUESTIONS

[hawkeye625]

I've had my lms520 for a couple of years now and still trying to figure it out. It lost bottom signal in the spring and after a few frustrating trips figured out the transducer was bad. A call to lowrance ended in a trip to cabelas (only 1 year warranty). Hated to put another $70+ into a 2 year old unit but what else can you do.

The new transducer works well, but rarely tracks downrigger balls unless fishing in the top 40fow. I did aim the transducer back a bit and started tracking a little deeper maybe 60 fow but thats about my limit.

Also have trouble picking up fish and bait if going over 5mph. Unit will shut down when going over 15mph. Didn't know if this was normal or if my settings need tweeked. I've talked with others with different units that search for fish at higher speeds before ever setting a line. We have to drop down to 5mph and putt around looking for marks.

I'm still very new to trolling and eager to learn, but it seems like being able to cruise around at higher speeds searching for bait/fish would help in finding productive water.

Thanks to all for your help over the last couple years, this is the best source of information a fisherman could have.

Jeff

[Mickey Finn]

I have the LMS520C and had transducer troubles. So far I've only been able to get one season out of a transducer. They replaced it for me twice. I've been told if it goes again, which I imagine it will, to get an Airmar transducer and the problems will be over. So, the next time it fails, I'll be looking into that. I've also been told that the Airmar will do much better at tracking fish. As for your unit shutting down over 15MPH, if you are referring to not showing depth or bottom, it might be because you tipped your transducer back too far. At high speed it is probably getting air under the transducer.

[High Bidder]

On my Lowrance unit, it will only work at higher speeds if I set in on 200KHz only. If it is on 50/200 it will blink off then come back reading 60 ft. and never change. I thought my transducer went bad until I replaced it and the new one did the same thing. I don't try to track the downrigger weights because I use a Cannon speed n temp which gives me the depth to the weight.

High Bidder

[CaliNick]

I have the LMS 525. Out Here all the rage with the lowrance units is the Airmar P-66 transducer. far superior to the stock one. It is my next boat upgrade. Nick