What did I see on sonar? Bass, salmon...

My humminbird 386ciDI has a fish ID feature that alarms and displays fish icons with depth when something meeting its criteria swims under the kayak.  Yesterday, as I paddled south out of HMB in 50' of water I floated over several groups of "large" (according to the fish ID feature) fish suspended at 35' over a sandy bottom.  I tried to jig them, but all I had were diamond jigs and rootbeer scampies.  I got nothin'.

Think they were sport fish?  What would be 15' off a featureless bottom?

Think they were sport fish?  What would be 15' off a featureless bottom?

Smelt, kingfish?

The icons are not really the most reliable.  Better to learn how to work the gain/sensitivity controls to find out whats in the water column....bait v particles/debris.   

 

  While using my Eagle cuda 250 (Old I know) I don't trust the "Fish ID" feature and keep it turned off.  Anything underwater can be identified as a fish if it'll return a signal. Trash, glops of algee, end of a submerged branch etc.  When using the "Raw signal mode" (Whatever that might be on you FF), you'll see arches that will represent fish.  With practice, you'll be able to identify what is really fish and whats not.

Well, I know for fact there are tons of market squid outside hmb right now. So they coulda maybe been ghosts...

My FF expertise is just about nil:

But I do keep the ID function turned off because the screen then shows more detail of what it sees instead of big and little fish pics.  Some times it's obvious it's fish, any other time I consider it trash. 

One thing to play with is to see if your FF will track your jig.  I'm amazed at what mine will see, IE a 2 oz target at 40 ft under the boat.  Of course lead is denser than flesh.   

With fish ID on, schools of batifish will show up as one large fish.  I personally prefer to never use the fish ID feature.  Once you learn to read the sonar feedback (arches) you will, more than likely, never go back.  I'd agree that it was more than likely squid.

Just my humble opinion....

~Bill

 

  I've seen my offerings displayed on my FF screen as a solid line angling downward to the depth I stopped it at.  Had I had my "Fish ID" on it would have been a solid string of fish symbols angling downward!  I should mention that 99% of my FF use has been in fresh water. 

The "Pepperidge farm" mode has never worked well for me.  It shows fish everywhere.

Well, I know for fact there are tons of market squid outside hmb right now. So they coulda maybe been ghosts...

  That little tip may bag someone a BIG fish

The FF wasn't going crazy with fish icons all day, only in a specific area and showed them staggered in a loose group of maybe 10 individuals across 5 vertical feet of water.

Anyway, was fun thinking something big and catchable was lurking down there.

Thanks for the replies.

...are you sure it wasn't just BigJim swimming by?

That little tip may bag someone a BIG fish

Just tryin ta help!

Could have just been a school of blacks or blues (with lockjaw).

Well, I know for fact there are tons of market squid outside hmb right now. So they coulda maybe been ghosts...

If they're squid can we catch them?  I'd score major points if I brought home fresh squid.