Distorted Fish Shape On Fishfinder?

[Kiggsia]

I am wondering if the fish in the lower left section of the left part of my Raymarine Element 7HV is a fish that is actually wiggling like a long and relatively slender fish would do, or if this is a distortion of his body as the clay bottom of this creek mouth is apparently distorted by some action of the boat bobbing. The water was calm there, right offshore & I wasn't aware of any bobbing but I'm told that when the bottom has a wavy pattern like that, it is from boat motion. I'm now wondering if it could have been caused by me perhaps shifting around in the boat at that point on the sonar image. I would have more likely thought that the bottom actually was irregular like that, which could then mean that this fish, maybe a Dogfish or even a Snakehead, was swimming like a snake. But he parallels the wavy bottom at that point. I'm hoping that a boater with more experience with sonar imaging would know just why this fish looks like a fat snake swimming. Also, I had to do a factory reset on the screen due to erratic screen operation and I forgot to select MPH for speed rather than Knots. And the actual time of this screenshot was 8:24 PM, not 1:24 AM. Is this time here a default GMT or some other default time zone? I emailed Raymarine tech support about this issue and they only told me how to select the time zone when making the initial settings, and didn't tell me how it got itself set for 5 hours later, or perhaps 7 hours earlier.

 

[dingbat]

F

I am wondering if the fish in the lower left section of the left part of my Raymarine Element 7HV is a fish that is actually wiggling like a long and relatively slender fish would do, or if this is a distortion of his body as the clay bottom of this creek mouth is apparently distorted by some action of the boat bobbing. The water was calm there, right offshore & I wasn't aware of any bobbing but I'm told that when the bottom has a wavy pattern like that, it is from boat motion. I'm now wondering if it could have been caused by me perhaps shifting around in the boat at that point on the sonar image. I would have more likely thought that the bottom actually was irregular like that, which could then mean that this fish, maybe a Dogfish or even a Snakehead, was swimming like a snake. But he parallels the wavy bottom at that point. I'm hoping that a boater with more experience with sonar imaging would know just why this fish looks like a fat snake swimming. Also, I had to do a factory reset on the screen due to erratic screen operation and I forgot to select MPH for speed rather than KPH. And the actual time of this screenshot was 8:24 PM, not 1:24 AM. Is this time here a default GMT or some other default time zone? I emailed Raymarine tech support about this issue and they only told me how to select the time zone when making the initial settings, and didn't tell me how it got itself set for 5 hours later, or perhaps 7 hours earlie

Distortion….bottom shows mirror image below it.

Doesn’t take much movement to distort the image. One of the reasons I don’t use down view. Much better target detail using conventional CHRIP sonar.

The time (GMT) is set off the GPS satellite. You only have control over the offset (local time zone) setting. If the time is off the time zone setting is incorrect for your location
.

 

[Kiggsia]

Thanks for reply. Then you must be able to learn more about the fish characteristics from the standard sonar graphics with the fish showing as white arcs? As a newbie amatuer, i was impressed with how the side vision fish images look like crude sepia photos with a sort of actual fish shape to them. Like how on the right side of my picture, there is highly likely a small Sheephead depicted, in the middle bear the bottom. In Maumee Bay where i fish, Sheephead are abundant

 

[dingbat]

Thanks for reply. Then you must be able to learn more about the fish characteristics from the standard sonar graphics with the fish showing as white arcs?

The “white arcs” are not actually fish. They are meaning less software generated graphics.

As a newbie amatuer, i was impressed with how the side vision fish images look like crude sepia photos with a sort of actual fish shape to them.

Same targets…”sepia” on left, CHIRP” on right….. photo verse MRI

Colors note density of target. With experience can determine species by location, shape and color of returns.

Like how on the right side of my picture, there is highly likely a small Sheephead depicted, in the middle bear the bottom. In Maumee Bay where i fish, Sheephead are abundant

Had me for a minute.,. “Sheephead” (A. probatocephalus) to me are a rather large, disk shaped fish. Looks nothing like that on sonar.

 

[Kiggsia]

I know that a Sheepshead is a salt water fish. But I meant the species properly known as "Fresh Water Drum" that are also informally and probably inaccurately also known as Sheepshead or Sheephead in the Great Lakes. They are commonly regarded as a "trash fish" because to be eaten, they must be cleaned and cooked immediately after being caught. I've read that they aren't a tasty fish. Plus, they spoil and cannot be preserved by freezing like many other fresh water fish such as the prized Walleye and Perch.

 

[airshot]

I know that a Sheepshead is a salt water fish. But I meant the species properly known as "Fresh Water Drum" that are also informally and probably inaccurately also known as Sheepshead or Sheephead in the Great Lakes. They are commonly regarded as a "trash fish" because to be eaten, they must be cleaned and cooked immediately after being caught. I've read that they aren't a tasty fish. Plus, they spoil and cannot be preserved by freezing like many other fresh water fish such as the prized Walleye and Perch.

I am also a Maumee Bay fisherman, nice to see someone from this area. Well aware of the abundance of sheepshead, so many just throw them back in not realizing they eat the same food our prized perch and walleye eat.....I usually keep them for fertilizer or make sure they cant reproduce if I put them back in the water.

 

[Kiggsia]

I too am glad to see posts by a local angler. I usually launch at Cullen Park or Bayshore access and fish over around Little Cedar Point or Grassy Island at the mouth of the river. Sometimes i go out to Turtle Island but theres not much left of it anymore, its really eroding away.

 

[airshot]

Yes it is, no rocks to protect the shoreline so one day justbthe old tower is all that you will see. I remember watching that previous owner trying to build a house on there. Been a few years since I have been out there due to health issues

 

[Kiggsia]

These two pictures show the rise and fall of the almost was Turtle Island low key vacation resort!

 

[airshot]

I remember that house quite well....also remember watching it crumble away with the rest of the Island. We used to take boat rides out there about once a month to watch the build then watch the destruction over the years. Been about 3-4 years since I have been out there. Just bought another boat a couple weeks back, will gave to get back out there....thanks for the pics/ memories.....