Lowrance hds8 gen 2 not marking fish at higher speeds

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muskieraider

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Hey everyone, I have had this unit for a couple of months now, and still can't seem to figure out why I am not marking fish/bait at speeds above 8 mph. When going slow or just drifting it is marking very well, It may be just a setting i need to change but I am not positive. The structure scan works well at those speeds and beyond, but the regular transducer seems to be having trouble marking fish at speeds. I can keep bottom just fine up to 38 mph (top end speed), but no midwater returns. I am pretty sure I have the unit in the general fishing mode, but I need to double check. I am using auto settings as well as normally keeping the transducer at the 200 khz setting. Any ideas prior to me contacting lowrance for suggestions? thanks.

wanted to add that I have a transom mount stock transducer, on a 2013 parker 21 se. I have the unit mounted on the outside edge of the step and inside of the trim tab in what I believe to be an area of clean water.
 
I have an HDS9, I usually am not going very fast when trying to locating fish on structure, 6-8knts max and my unit works great. so I cannot really relate to higher speeds, but you did say you think you have it in the general fishing mode... there is a fast trolling mode you can select, you may want to try that mode. Also when in the sonar setup make sure you have selected the exact transducer you are using, there are a bunch programmed into the unit to select from. I had to change that setting from the factory default just for a standard 50-200 transducer. Mike
 
Have you tried adjusting the angle of the transducer? When you are running at mid speed the angle of the transducer might be much different than what you have running slower. I had this issue with my sidescan. I ended up downloading a surface level app for my iPhone to check the angle of the boat while running in normal chop. I then adjusted the angle of the transducer to match the boat angle and keep it perpendicular to the bottom. I got the advice from Lowrance on fine tuning the sidescan.

I will also mention that this was one step I had while troubleshooting my sidescan. After replacing the transducer two times and doing all kinds of adjustments they finally replaced the head unit. That was the problem. I have an HDS 7 touch. Lowrance said that it is usually an adjustment or the transducer and this was the "first HDS touch" they ever had to replace. It took me about a month of troubleshooting and calls to Lowrance before the head unit was replaced.

Good luck. Mine works great now.

Steve
 
I haven't tried to play with the transducer as I don't think I need to. I have it set up as per manufacturer's specs, and Its not my first go-round with them either. If anyone has any other suggestions I would appreciate hearing them. The fish won't be around forever and I would like to have this corrected before they leave for the winter. It stinks not seeing bait or fish on the finder and having to search for fish at 5 mph.
 
Well......That is your problem....Or the hull is pushing air under it and my 2530 with a shoot thru looses at speed also.
 
muskieraider":1u7de9ln said:
I haven't tried to play with the transducer as I don't think I need to. I have it set up as per manufacturer's specs, and Its not my first go-round with them either. If anyone has any other suggestions I would appreciate hearing them. The fish won't be around forever and I would like to have this corrected before they leave for the winter. It stinks not seeing bait or fish on the finder and having to search for fish at 5 mph.

The only other suggestion would be to get someone else's head unit and test your setup. If you get the same exact readings then it IS your transducer. Either the transducer is bad or the position of the transducer is bad. When troubleshooting these things the best thing is to start simple and eliminate the various parts. Just because you have the transducer installed "per manufacturer's specs" doesn't mean that your boat hull isn't somehow causing air bubbles to cause this issue. I ended up putting a piece of starboard on the transom so I could easily move both transducers to get the best reading. 1" in either direction made a difference. If you have trim tabs, bottom paint or anything to cause bubbles (say a feed to a wash down) this will cause interference and you won't get the same reading.

Good luck. Between dealing with Lowrance and not being able to use something you paid good money for it is frustrating. I know, I spent 2 months doing the exact same thing until I convinced them that I KNEW it was the head unit. I did that by getting them to send me a new transducer (eliminated that) and then send me a new head unit (at my expense) and that fixed it. They then credited my account when I returned the bad unit. In between there were numerous calls to their tech guys while on the water changing settings.


Steve
 
for anyone still interested, here is a quick sketch I did of the mounting location. I tried mounting the ducer on the cleanest part of the hull that I could (besides at the bottom of the transom step. there is nothing to break water flow outside of the area behind the v, its just smooth hull. The step in the transom is only an issue where the mod v section of the hull is. From the transducer location outward is typical of a mod v hull. I attached a couple of images for reference. The stepped portion of the transom is approx 12" deep from front to back.
 

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The best thing to do is contact Navicos tech's. they answer with very little wait, but if it is a transducer issue they will ask for you to take photos of the boat and transducer and E-mail to them (been there) , they will mark them up with comments and E-mail them back. So if you are near your boat this weekend I would shoot a few! I had problems with my LLS2
 
made some small adjustments in the settings; picked a different ducer from the list, and reset the fishing mode. I also moved the transducer down quite a bit to try that. I have the line where the plastic halves connect just below the lower edge of the hull. I may have to bring the ducer up a little higher but will find out tomorrow. If this doesn't work I will be on the phone with lowrance to try that. Also The hull in front of the ducer is clean all the way to the bow, so I don't think it has anything to do with turbulence from up front.
 
got out this weekend with the transducer lower in the water and had the correct transducer selected from the internal menu. While I still don't get great returns (or what I would call good), It was improved and I can mark some bait schools and fish up to about 12 mph.
 
I see your problem.

It's where you mounted it on the step. You can't have it there.

Here is a steeped hull of a 162 Scout I use to own....You'll see where it's supposed to be.

This was taken just after I installed the piece of Starboard and was the 3rd Xducer installed from electronic's changes.

I got tired of the transom starting to look like Swiss cheese from the different holes.

P3060886.jpg



Airmar makes a LOT of X-Ducers for different manufactures. The P66 is the "standard" transom mount unit.

Here is the install sheet...... Look at Fig #1

http://www.airmartechnology.com/uploads ... 247-03.pdf
 
Have you watched any of the YouTube videos? because they with help you adjust your fish finder.
Grutus
 
I am currently looking for information on how well them work in saltwater I am currently in the market for a new FF combo for my boat.
 
shark.h":ooqufwpq said:
I am currently looking for information on how well them work in saltwater I am currently in the market for a new FF combo for my boat.

I have the HDS9 and am very happy with it . But if you are in the market right now, take a look at Simrad which is a cut above lowrance both are made by navico. They seem to have lowered the prices pretty drastically at the end of the year. I have seen the NSS7 for $999.00 and the NSS8 for 1,999.00. check out BOE marine online. Just a thought
 
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