Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

[Kesh]

I installed today my new Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder on the Tai-Tai. I will post some pictures of the installation thois evening.<br /><br />I will be happy to hear from those of you that have this model. I will be testing it tomorrow (we will have a beach day tomorrow morning, with family, but it will be enough to test for signal during speed, etc. We will visit a bay that is 9 miles from our marina, calm ocean bay just in front of Puerto La Cruz, with depths ranging from 4 to 19 fathoms along the route).<br /><br />This is my first Eagle, after a bad experience with a Wide128 Humminbird (I still will try to replace the transducer of the Humminbird to see if that was the problem... the unit works, but signal is erratic and sometimes an endless row of fish appears at the surface...).<br /><br />thanks in advance,

 

[Kesh]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

I finally made it to upload the pictures about the installation of the Eagle SeaFinder 240DF.<br /><br />Here is the link:<br />Remember to use the slideshow mode if you want to see the big size original pictures. The procedure is: enter the album, then click on slideshow/run slideshow, then select "original size" on the photo size selection control, then use 8 seconds or more if you want to scroll on each picture to see the details.<br /><br /> http://home2.nikonnet.com/servlet/c...SWORD=nikoneditor_-1347536573&WHO=memberguest <br /><br />Today I tested the unit and everything worked ok. Great detail of bottom. I saw a bait fish cloud on the water and on the fishfinder screen, exactly as described in the user manual. I didnt see big fish, but we were on a family trip, so couldnt test it really for fish. I will go fishing tomorrow to see how fish looks like on the screen. Bottom detail was fantastic.

 

[Kesh]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

Well, the first fishing trip will be tomorrow, as I couldnt go last weekend.<br /><br />Just a question: the manual says that fish arches are only seen when boat is moving slowly; if not moving, fish will appear as flat lines unless I have the "FishID" feature on. Would you advise to use the fishId all the time?<br /><br />Also, I was wondering if the pattern of bottom that I see on the screen is the contour of the bottom under my actual path with the boat (same direction) or is it the contour of the transversal direction?

 

[cp]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

The bottom contour shown on your screen is determined by the strongest echo returned from within the cone of your transducer. This is normally the bottom directly under the transducer which is the shortest distance, however it could be from off to one side if the echo from there is stronger. For example, if you're over the floor of a canyon but the side of the canyon is within the cone and closer to the transducer, then you'd get the side of the canyon as the botttom, instead of the floor of the canyon. In real time this means the right edge of your screen is whatever is closest to your transducer at that moment, with the rest of the screen history or what you've passed over previously. Basically the right edge of your screen is showing what you're passing over in the direction you're moving.<br /><br />By the way, fish arches are caused by the change in distance from the transducer as the fish passes through the cone. A fish can be stationary and the transducer pass over it, or the transducer can be stationary and the fish pass through the cone - either way you can get an arch. A straight line results from an object remaining a constant distance from the transducer as the screen scrolls. A moving transducer and a moving fish can give all kinds of returns, not necessarily just an arch.<br /><br />As you get more experience using the fishfinder you'll get better at recognizing and interpreting what you see. Good luck.

 

[Kesh]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

now looks more clear how to interpret the screen, thanks

 

[kalan2000]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

Kesh,<br /><br />What are you going to do with your old Wide 128 head and mounting bracket? I just lost my H-bird head and the W-128 is compatible with my thru-hull transducer. Can't afford a new unit right now. email: kalan at cwnet.com

 

[Kesh]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

kalan, I already offered the unit to a friend of mine that asked for it. I even will try to de-attach the glued transducer that is in the bilge area. He only wants a depth indicator, so he is not concerned about the fishfinding capabilities. I saw some head units in ebay, try a search there.

 

[Kesh]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

Just an update on my Eagle 240DF: went fishing today with a buddy and his son, and had the opportunity to study the screen of the fishfinder for more time than in a beach family trip; the detail of the bottom is very good, never losses signal; saw many clouds of bait fish on the screen and on the water; it was amazing the amount of bait fish we saw today and the way the fishfinder shows them; I definitely need a cast net and I'm going to purchase one soon; saw also many "stains" near the bottom which we think were big fish; however, I haven't seen any "arches" like the ones depicted on the fishfinder box; do I need to adjust the angle of the transducer?

 

[cp]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

Hi Kesh - Good to see you're making good use of the fishfinder . If you're seeing the bottom and bait fish well, IMHO your transducer angle should be OK.<br /><br />There are many different forms an "arch" can take depending on the relationship between the fish and transducer, especially if the fish and boat are both moving in relationship to each other. You'll see the best arch when your transducer passes directly over a fish from one side of the sound cone, through the center, and then out the other side. If the fish is off to one side of the cone center you'll still get an arch, but with a lower 'hump'. If the fish runs parallel to the boat, you'll see a line without much 'hump'. And if the fish swims into the cone, then right back out, that'll look still different . Most fishfinder owner's manuals and boxes depict ideal situations. That's why the more you use the 'finder the better you'll get. Have fun, good luck .

 

[Kesh]

Re: Eagle SeaFinder 240DF Fishfinder

ok, thanks. I also think that I need many more fishing trips to get better analyzing the fishfinder screen. Now I can easily understand were bait fish are. During tis trip I saw really big clouds of baitfish (covering almost all the screen, and nicely following the contour of the structure below). We also saw some small clouds hanging in the middle of the water column. Next time I will use the zoom feature to see more detail of those hanging groups of bait fish. I hope I will be able to spot big fish nearby.