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Finding Fish with the Sidefinder
The Buddy uses Bottom Line's patented
Sidefinder technology to scan where you cast
and, with good accuracy, determine which
echoes are from fish and which are from other
objects. Fish that are startled by your boat and
move away would not be seen with a
conventional depthfinder. Sidefinder
technology can provide up to a 60 times
improvement in fish finding coverage in
shallow water.
Figure 5.
Buddy transducer at end of shaft
The Sidefinder SONAR beam comes out from the flat side of the
transducer housing at the bottom of the shaft (see Figure 5). When
searching for fish, make sure the flat side points toward the area of your
search. Since the screen moves with the transducer, the Sidefinder cone
displayed on the screen points in the direction that you are looking.
Sidefinder - Viewing the Shoreline
Each shoreline has its own unique characteristics. The Buddy can see all
the way up to the shore when the drop-off is sharp or if there are ledges
(see Figure 6). When the slope of the bottom is gentle, the Buddy will not
see all the way to the shoreline. The Buddy can normally detect spawning
fish that build beds near the shoreline. Direct experience with each
shoreline will teach you the Buddy's capabilities.
Figure 6.
Sidefinder coverage near steep and mild shorelines
Sidefinder - Weeds and Other Obstructions
The best way to understand how your Buddy "sees" is to imagine that the
transducer is a flashlight and the water is clear. If you are trying to "see"
into weeds, the ability of your flashlight beam to penetrate depends on the
thickness of the weeds. If the weeds are thin, your flashlight beam will
penetrate further. If you are trying to see past an underwater rise to view
