Bought a like-new fishfinder from a buddy for $25, its a Hummingbird LCR 400 ID portable. I mounted the tranducer (exactly as instructed in the manual) on the back lower left on the transom, drilled in 2 cable clips to keep it against the transom, drilled a small hole at the top of the transom to bring the cable into the boat, sealed all with silicone-ready to go! I took it out on the water, it works perfect- love it!, but I seem lost on what settings to use, how far ahead am I seeing under my boat compared to whats on my screen? Why when both anchors are down does the structure still move across the screen even when display speed is on slowest and I'm not moving? Any advice on settings, alarms, sensitvity, ect... would help this newbie alot! This is my first boat , first fishfinder. Thank fellas! D. 8-)

I would search the forum here. It has been talked about many times. This should get you started.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1214966359

http://www.lei-extras.com/tips/sonartut/fisharches.asp

Don't know if you have the manual or not but it can be downloaded from Humminbird. I had the same unit on a previous boat and went through the same thing. I mainly used it for depth and structure.

Thanks, lots of info on fishfinders on those two sites from the forum! I have the manual, but it just explains the basics, just wanted to know a little more when I'm experimenting with it. Thanks again bro. D. 8-)

Thanks, lots of info on fishfinders on those two sites from the forum! I have the manual, but it just explains the basics, just wanted to know a little more when I'm experimenting with it. Thanks again bro. D. 8-)

You just said it. Play with the thing with the manual in hand.  It's also not a bad idea to troll around in areas where you know what type of bottom is present just to see how that bottom type displays on the screen.  

The screen is always moving, whether you are moving or not, it's just the continous reading of the transducer signal.  The new readings replace the old readings, thus the screen moves.  When you are anchored, you are seeing directly under the transducer, when you are moving, you see what is behind you, depending on how fast you are going, thats how far behind the boat the screen is showing you.  When you are anchored, play with the settings, you will learn what is good for you.  Try this, manually set the depth at more than double the depth of water you are in.  Increase the sensitivity.  You should see a second echo below the bottom reading.  On a clean bottom, this is your best settting.  In weeds, you have to dail back on the sensitivity.  The unit will do some of this on the automatic settings, but not as well as you can do it manually.

  How about links or advice that help you turn those arches into fish in the livewell? I can tell you from mine. I can find HUGE numbers of fish in a about a dozen areas that I could sit at and throw every bait I got and not catch a single thing.

  The easy part is getting them on the graph, the tough part is translating that to actually catch the fish.

Thanks fellas for all the help, sounds like learning how to read the structure is way more important than looking for fish. I'm learnin -thanks to you guys on this site! D. 8-)