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OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Where Should The Gain Control Be Set?
For ice fishing
- the gain control should be set so the bait you are
fishing with is shown in green color on the dial. This color should be set
while the lure or bait is at the normal fishing depth. As the bait is raised
toward the surface the colors will turn to orange and possibly red, just
below the surface. This happens because as the bait is raised towards the
surface the signal strength from the bait gets stronger, resulting in color
change.
For open water fishing
- set the gain control so as to get a strong bot-
tom echo along with a second echo. You may need to switch to a deep-
er range to see the second echo. The leading edge of the bottom echo will
show a solid Red band, then bleeding into the orange color, then the trail-
ing edge of the bottom will bleed from orange into the green color. Good
bottom echoes, most of the time, will show all three colors, starting with
Red, Orange, into Green.
Why Can't I See My Bait While Ice Fishing, or like I can
while ice fishing?
For Ice Fishing
- In order to see your bait it must be in the center of
the cone and you must have your gain turned up high enough to see it.
For open water
- With the position of the transducer mounted to the
boat, it is hard to get your bait there, and with the motion of the water it
makes it difficult to keep it there. If all conditions are right you will be
able to see your bait.
Why Do Some Lures Show Up Better Than Others?
The amount of Reflective Surface Area on the lure is the main rea-
son. A thin vertical lure is not as easy to see as a horizontal fat lure.
What Color Should Fish Be?
For ice fishing
- with the FL-8SE being operated with the perpen-
dicular position found, the fish target entering the outside of the cone of
sound will appear in green, as it moves towards the bait it will add some
orange into the center of the signal, and if the fish continues to the per-
pendicular line under the transducer, red will be added to the center of
the fish target. These color changes will take place automatically with-
out adjusting the gain control. This color change feature allows the oper-
ator to observe the fish moving towards or away from your bait.
For Open Water
- The fish can appear the same way on open water
as they do ice fishing. The same rules apply. Although, instead of the
nice stable platform of ice you have wave and boat motion to contend
with. Usually the boat moves more than the fish. If you see a red target
separated from the bottom you can bet that it's a fish. If all you see is
green or orange you won't know if it's a fish until it turns red
How Long Will My Battery Last On The FL-8SE?
Run Time
- The FL-8SE draws about 275 mA, about a quarter of an
amp of current The unit will run good until the battery voltage drops to
about 10 volts. Beyond that you will notice lower sensitivity, as well as,
a much dimmer display. The Vexilar Model V120, a 9 amp/hr battery,
will run the FL-8SE for about 24 hours straight.
Battery Life
- This applies only to rechargeable batteries. The largest
influence on battery life is your charging habits. To get the most out of
your battery follow these simple tips; Charge the battery as soon as pos-
sible after each use or, if it's cold, as soon as it reaches room temperature.
Do not overcharge or under charge the battery. Use a battery charger
that has an automatic shut-off feature. A battery should be stored, fully
charged, in a cool place. Charge it once a month or so when in storage
to make sure it's full.
