A fish that enters the detection cone of the Active Target appears directly on the screen. It's live! The sonar's accuracy is so good that you can see its ripples to propel itself! No need to interpret the screen scroll (as you would with a fishfinder) or the boat's motion, with the Active Target, what you see on the screen is what's happening right under your feet. It's (almost) that basic.
An adjustable probe
We tried this product installed on a semi-rigid in La Rochelle. The sensor was placed on a swivel base to better understand its reading. In a final installation, this sensor could be mounted on the front electric motor, or even better on a bracket placed on the side of the boat and accessible from the helm. In this way, the fisherman can keep the possibility of orienting the probe at hand while viewing the feedback on the screen.
135° x 19° cone
Because to take advantage of this quality of reading, it is necessary above all to understand the cone swept by the probe. This one has a lateral opening of 135° and a "thickness" (width) of 19°.
It can be installed in 3 positions:
- Foward . In this case, the covered triangle looks vertically toward the front of the sonar. This is ideal for discovering a spot and understanding its configuration.
- Down . This is the vertical view, just below the transducer. This view is ideal for prospecting and seeing fish activity below the boat.
- Scout . This 3rd view looks wide and ahead. It's less immediate to read, but the cone of the transducer covers the angler's casting area forward. You can then place the lure in front of the fish.
To switch from one position to another, you physically change the position of the probe by unscrewing a knob and adjusting it with a polarizer to one of three positions. You then select one of the three modes on the connected Lowrance display.
For sea and fresh water
Using the Active Target is particularly effective when approaching a rock head or wreck. You can see the shape of the rock and, more importantly, which side the fish are on. Using very high frequencies and low power, this sonar does not frighten the fish. The sounder is connected to a black box that communicates with the screens via an Ethernet connection (video is transmitted through the cables).
Sea tests were performed by the Lowrance team in the Brest harbor in water depths of more than 45 meters. The probe still worked. But it is in fresh water, in much shallower depths, that the full power of the installation will be exploited.
