8 Sonar questions, please help!

[Henry1]

I just purchased my first fish finder (Garmin 300C).
The manual does a pretty good job of explaining how to program and activate the settings, but it tells me nothing about WHEN or WHY I should, or want, to use certain settings in a real-life fishing situation.
Most of the settings have an "Auto Set" feature, but I would like to have more personal control.
Below are listed 8 specific questions on which I am confused and I sure would appreciate any advice you folks could give me. I have the transducer mounted on the transom if that helps.

Q1: Setting range of the Depth Scale.
Say I am fishing in 30 feet of water. How would you set the Depth Scale and why? What would be the advantage (if any) of setting it manually, rather than just leaving it on Auto.

Q2: Setting the Beam Width:
The Garmin 300C offers a selection of "Narrow" or "Wide."
I understand that the "Wide" lets me view a larger area and "Narrow" lets me view more detail. But I am confused as to when to use one or the other. Example: If I am underway should I use the "Wide" and then switch to "Narrow" to more closely view a certain area? Or should I just leave it on "Narrow" all the time?

Q3: It has a zoom feature offering:
"No Zoom" or 2x or 4x. It also offers "Bottom Lock." It is the "Bottom Lock" that confuses me most. What does "Bottom Lock" do for me? Why or when would I use it? I am not even sure what it means?

Q4: Adjusting Zoom Depth:
Does this mean that I zoom only to a certain depth? Say I am in 30 feet of water and only want to zoom to see better whatever is at 15 feet, not all the way to the bottom? When would I want to use this feature?

Q5: Depth Line:
Manual says: "To reference a specific depth on the screen":
Any thoughts on what this does or is for?

Q6: Setting the Whiteline:
Manual says: The "High" setting "...ALMOST all strong returns are highlighted in white. The LOW setting "... only the STRONGEST returns are highlighted in white. When should I use one or the other?

Q7: Sonar Scroll Speed: Here is where I am totally lost.
Selections are: Ultrascroll, Fast, Medium, slow (or Auto).
I do NOT have a speed-control transducer, so I am assuming that the Auto-- which automatically adjust to the speed of the boat--would be of no use to me at all.
Am I correct on that?
I am not even sure what the Scroll Speed does or tells me. Any explanations would sure be appreciated.

Q8: Fish Symbols:
I have been advised to leave this feature Off. What is your advice?

[jim]

My advice for all your questions is to go to the Lowrance website.Lots of the questions you ask are generic and it doesnt matter that you have a Garmin.There is also very good info here available to you through the search button and the library.Every thing you ask has been asked dozens if not hundreds of times and the info is stored for you.It would take someone a long time to specifically answer each of your questions in a reply so go to the website and educate yourself.THEN come back here for refinement.Lowrance does an excellent job of telling you what each feature is and how and when to use it.Particularly well covered is the subject of beam width and cone angles.:smile2::big_smile:

[Pirate Jerry]

Another bit of advice to use with any new piece of electronics on your boat. Take the manual with you, take the boat out on the water but DO NOT TAKE FISHING TACKLE. Spend a few hours just learning how to use the equipment. It will make you much more productive the next time you go "Fishing"...

[GMC FishHauler]

q1-i leave my lowrance and eagle both on Auto, i dont wanna have to mess with the depth scale

q2-i would leave it on wide all the time unless u r in really deep water or salt water, but u might wanna do something else

q3-i dont even mess with this cuz i wanna see the whole picture from under the boat to the bottom. give me a better idea of whats goin on down there

q4-i dunno, that is something i am unfamiliar with

q5-that is prob to find out how deep suspended fish are

q6-that would prob be personal preferance, i dunno

q7-that is how fast the picture on ur screen moves, i leave mine on the highest setting

q8-def leave off so that u get use to reading archs and other returns, this will help alot in the long run

[willcat]

garmin's website is very informative, just insert whatever model you have & it will tell you all bout it!!! or lowrance is also a good one, it's a very good tool!

[Doctor]

Q1: Setting range of the Depth Scale.
Say I am fishing in 30 feet of water. How would you set the Depth Scale and why? What would be the advantage (if any) of setting it manually, rather than just leaving it on Auto.
Generally you can run it in auto, when fishing for Catfish they can range from the bottom to the top and sometimes at mid depth, if they are running at middepth and your drifting setting the depthscale will concentrate the beam to the area you have programmed and you can see fish and your baits

Q2: Setting the Beam Width:
The Garmin 300C offers a selection of "Narrow" or "Wide."
I understand that the "Wide" lets me view a larger area and "Narrow" lets me view more detail. But I am confused as to when to use one or the other. Example: If I am underway should I use the "Wide" and then switch to "Narrow" to more closely view a certain area? Or should I just leave it on "Narrow" all the time?
I would leave it on wide all the time narrow is good if your fishing depths of 100 feet or more

Q3: It has a zoom feature offering:
"No Zoom" or 2x or 4x. It also offers "Bottom Lock." It is the "Bottom Lock" that confuses me most. What does "Bottom Lock" do for me? Why or when would I use it? I am not even sure what it means?
Bottom lock is what it says it is locks onto the bottom and the signal is mainly concentrated there very good if a fish is laying on the bottom near structure as he will stick out better and not blend in

Q4: Adjusting Zoom Depth:
Does this mean that I zoom only to a certain depth? Say I am in 30 feet of water and only want to zoom to see better whatever is at 15 feet, not all the way to the bottom? When would I want to use this feature?
Yes it is like turning the power up on a telescope gives you a much better picture

Q5: Depth Line:
Manual says: "To reference a specific depth on the screen":
Any thoughts on what this does or is for?
suspended fish you can take the line and put it on an arch to see what depth the fish is at very good tool if your drifting

Q6: Setting the Whiteline:
Manual says: The "High" setting "...ALMOST all strong returns are highlighted in white. The LOW setting "... only the STRONGEST returns are highlighted in white. When should I use one or the other?
Sounds like the greyline setting for a Lowrance Garmin uses white rather than grey helps you to see strong vs weak signals like going from a hard substrate rock to a soft substrate mud

Q7: Sonar Scroll Speed: Here is where I am totally lost.
Selections are: Ultrascroll, Fast, Medium, slow (or Auto).
I do NOT have a speed-control transducer, so I am assuming that the Auto-- which automatically adjust to the speed of the boat--would be of no use to me at all.
Am I correct on that?
I am not even sure what the Scroll Speed does or tells me. Any explanations would sure be appreciated.Scroll speed is the speed in which information is placed on your screen reads from right to left new information is on the right old on the left of your screen, when your running down a lake or river you want it in fast mode ultra is real fast if you have a boat that does 50 mph then the Ultra would be my pick I would run it in fast mode so that you get all the information on the screen

Q8: Fish Symbols:
I have been advised to leave this feature Off. What is your advice?Takes a lot of power to paint those pretty fish symbols on the screen plus anything that passes under the transducer will show up as a fish, using arches is much more manageable

Doc