Colour differences in bottom readings

 hi all

Would love to know what everyone's opinions are on the differences in colours on bottom readings are.

I run a Garmin 1020xs and I am still new to the unit, I would like to know what colours are associated with what type of bottom I am reading. What colour does soft coral show up as, sand, gravel etc. 

 

 


sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 The way it goes with

Sun, 2017-02-12 14:55

 The way it goes with sounders usually is lighter the colour the softer the bottom and deep dark colours are strong soundings from a hard bottom.

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CC106's picture

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Date Joined: 07/01/14

 So what would sponge show as

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:18

 So what would sponge show as compared with sand?

sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Funny you mention this as

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:25

 Funny you mention this as I'm pretty sure one of the spots I have pegged up north for Reds has a spongy bottom. It shows a darker colour as its apparently only a thinish layer. I'll have  a closer look when I'm up there next time.

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Love the West!

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Date Joined: 06/11/13

 Agree with Sea-Kem.  My

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:19

 Agree with Sea-Kem.  My experience is light colours eg yellow are typically sand, clay, mud etc moving to darker colours eg reds, darker greens etc typically reef, rock etc   

 

 

Ashen's picture

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Date Joined: 22/03/13

Colour

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:24

 Tony, is the above based on your experiences with the Northstar product? If so, you have saved me a lot of time in differentiating the colours on navman/northstar sounders! 

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A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!

Posts: 124

Date Joined: 06/11/13

i might be wrong but

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:27

Sponges, ribbon sea grasses would be yellow baseline with light red line mixed in.   others might provide a more expert opinion and guidance.  

Kev, honestly I dont actually 100% remember what it was on the 650 unit but am reasonably confident it was what I've described ....my lowrance is yellowish soft bottom and red hard bottom, so sure it was the same. 

Ashen's picture

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Great!

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:38

 Thanks mate!

 

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A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!

Posts: 124

Date Joined: 06/11/13

One way to prove it

Sun, 2017-02-12 15:33

I suppose is jump over the side with a tank on and have a look!  LOL.    ...probably also wearing a SS too would be the go 

CC106's picture

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Date Joined: 07/01/14

 Thanks

Sun, 2017-02-12 16:58

 Thanks

Posts: 5738

Date Joined: 18/01/12

 Just tie a go pro to your

Sun, 2017-02-12 18:12

 Just tie a go pro to your line and drop it down for a look

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

CC106's picture

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Date Joined: 07/01/14

 Does the go pro at depth

Sun, 2017-02-12 19:49

 Does the go pro at depth actually work?!

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Date Joined: 08/09/13

 You can get them under water

Sun, 2017-02-12 21:06

 You can get them under water cameras very cheap that go to 60 m spose to be good for wat ur trying to do

DTrain's picture

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Date Joined: 10/02/12

I tend to focus on the

Mon, 2017-02-13 11:31

I tend to focus on the thickness of the bottom and the 'tails' underneath the bottom sounding.

Sand tends to have a thinner bottom return, reef tends to have a thicker return with tails underneath the bottom sounding.

DTrain's picture

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Date Joined: 10/02/12

This photo gives you an idea

Mon, 2017-02-13 11:33

This photo gives you an idea of what I'm talking about. Sandy bottom on the left and rock on the right.