Common Side Imaging Confusions Explained! | Bass Fishing Fish Finder Basics

Side imaging is one of these most misunderstood aspects of fish finders among new bass fisherman. In this video, I break down exactly how to interpret the side imaging view on your graph. I also explain how to know where objects that appear on your screen are in relation to your boat. Hope you enjoy!

-Jonny

Fish Finder Recommendations (I’m not sponsored by any of these brands)

Beginner/Budget Fish Finder

Lowrance Hook2 7 Series Sonar TripleShot US/Can Nav+ (Side and Down Imaging)

Intermediate Fish Finder

Lowrance Elite-9 Ti2 Fishfinder/Chartplotters

Advanced/Expert Fish Finder

Lowrance HDS-12 Live Fishfinder/Chartplotters

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Links to Videos Mentioned

How to Graph Offshore Structure With a Fish Finder | Bass Fishing Sonar Basics

How to Hit Offshore Structure First Cast Every Time! | Offshore Bass Fishing Tips

Complete Guide to Bass Fishing Electronics | SideScan, DownScan, and 2D Sonar Explained

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[stevenarden]

Thank you, young man, for helping an old guy understand this side imaging. These electronics are not as natural and easy for us to understand. You are a gifted fisherman and teacher.

[Bulldog]

Once again...there is no one else out there producing this kind of content. Thank you Professor.

[daved]

Good video but a couple points to clarify. The center dark part is actually not just straight down, but a narrow cone (same as down imaging) which is why sometimes you will see items in the right dark area that aren't in the left part or at least not as bright in the left part. Second point is the side imaging doesn't ping straight to bottom and then shoot the right and left. It just aims the sensor at an angle, so it shoots from the transducer beam at a wide angle that ends up touching the entire bottom from below your boat to whatever range is specified. There is no technology that allows you to change the direction of sound waves once they leave the transducer. Also, even if they could shoot down and then to right, you wouldn't want that because you'd miss everything above the bottom to the left and right of the boat.

[TheTomahawkTech]

Nice explanation. I just wanted to point out that the beam doesn't go to the bottom, and then kick out to the side. Sound waves don't move that way. It's actually using more than one beam, and combining the results.

[balamont]

Attention Lowrance, Humminbird, and Garmin: This video should come with every unit y’all sell!!

[jeffprest]

I now understand more in your 15 minute video than I learned reading every article i could find in the past 5 days. Thank you for explaining this in the detail you did.

[rory]

this was the best explanation i’ve seen. it’s so simple but nobody was able to explain it was well

[ChrisGenXer]

This is one of the all time BEST explanations I’ve ever seen! Huge help, thank you.

[giovannim]

Fishing for 52 years and always you learn something new all the time . Thanks for the video....

[JB-pgju]

This guy deserves an oscar...can't believe he wud go through this much trouble just to show us how this hi-tech stuff works...thank u sir for showing us what the manufacturer doesn't care if we know or not long as they get our money....u should get 15% of every penny they make.

[gregsnider]

By far the best fishing tutorials on the Internet. Easy to understand, concise, detailed. Thank you for sharing your knowledge...

[MichaelRankinad]

Sir, you are a natural teacher and this video has taught me more than any other I've watched. I am saving it and going to re watch it just in case I missed something.

[TheSilverSurfisher]

Man Nobody does it thorough and as Splendidly Perfect like you....Period! You are a GOD-send amonst men good sir and THANK YOU for ALL you do for the Angling and good kind human being Community!

[jinxthecat]

You have cut my learning curve down so much. Always been a shore-beater. But with these videos I'll be setting up offshore and gaining confidence in my overall ability. Other youtubers give info but don't teach. You understand that info is nothing without practical application. Your approach is by FAR the best I've seen. Thanks!

[steveboeckmann]

I have to say I am an avid fisherman and spend hours watching fishing YouTube videos, you do the best job at teaching and making some complicated information easy to understand! You have a very bright future keep up the good work I love your videos!!

[RH-qklt]

This is a fantastic explanation and illustration, exactly what I needed! This explains why my side imagining wasn't picking up known structure very well to the side while salmon fishing in 120 feet of water when my SI setting was at 100' left and right. I never knew that. Glad I watched this.

[dandanPT]

I’ve been using Lowrance electronics for years now. I thought I completely understood side imaging. But I have to say that in all my years I never picked up on the fact that you have to subtract the depth of the water column from the distance that you have the side imaging going out on the side. Head slap! Thanks so much and I’m a subscriber for life!

[sjbelaire]

You still have total range, just the nadir region or water column will grow/shrink based on depth or altitude of transducer relative to the bottom. A easier understanding is to basically say that the first return (colored area) range is going to be equal to the water depth or altitude of the transducer relative to the bottom. With that said, the object of interest is still going to be the actual distance shown on the display. People also need to keep in mind when taking or marking waypoints/locating objects by waypoint or coordinate, the actual position is skewed if using the internal GPS due to the offset/lever-arm of the transducer to the GPS sensor. This is why I like to have an external puck mounted near the transducer. Great video! 👍

[kenmccarthyfishing]

This Incredible, your giving me information I've never understood before, I've already saved this and all your videos to my favorites, I'm kinda upset that companies don't explain "FINE DETAILS " like this to help fisherman to understand COMPLETELY what were looking at, thank you Jonny 👊👊👍

[jwcoop]

You have so much information in your brain it is unbelievable. There's a big difference between you and me. I LOVE to fish...You LOVE to fish and KNOW how to do it!! Great Job!