My Experience Implementing Forward Facing Sonar (MEGA Live)
I finally installed a forward-facing sonar unit (a used MEGA Live). I filmed everything from initial install, testing, settings, hiccups, and my first fish catches (walleye and others on Lake Sakakawea). If you want to know what to expect when you get your first system, this should help.
I appreciate you watching my free content. If you found it helpful, I’d appreciate the support by liking, subscribing, buying some merch, buying a book, or supporting on Patreon (links below). Perhaps I’ll even see you on a guided trip sometime!
My Links:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bloemendaalfishing
Bloemendaal Fishing Universal Link: https://linktr.ee/BloemendaalFishing
Merch: https://www.bloemendaalfishing.com/merch
Book – Fishing for More: https://www.bloemendaalfishing.com/books
Omnia Pro App Information:
https://www.omniafishing.com/pro
Gear:
Epoch 105 Ah 12V Trolling Motor Batteries: https://www.epochbatteries.com/?rfsn=7943382.e02e1c
Piscifun Reels: https://www.piscifun.com/ (coupon code BF15 for 15% off orders)
Northland Eye Candy Plastics: https://amzn.to/4cmlDTF
PC 13 MEGA Live Power Cable: https://amzn.to/3WO0Svo
Net Buddy Transducer Cover for MEGA Live: https://amzn.to/3WN5SjQ
Cisco 42 Degree Lund Track Adapter: https://amzn.to/3YqDTYu
Frabill Crawler Can: https://amzn.to/3N73dLY
Northland Fireball Jig: https://amzn.to/43g6Gyf
VMC Hammerhead Jigs: https://amzn.to/399hSFV
Insta360 RS One Camera (Twin): https://amzn.to/3fj34ra
Power Pro Hi-Vis Braided Line: https://amzn.to/3su26w3
Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon Line: https://amzn.to/3yvPeJU
Fenwick HMX 7’0″ Medium Light – Fast Spinning Rod: https://amzn.to/39cnpLL
Humminbird Helix 9: https://amzn.to/3L7BWG1
*Some of these are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission, but it won’t affect the price you pay
cisco academie
And there goes your soul, sold to livescope, congrats on disappointing your grandpa
Glad you got it together! FFS is a lot of fun, definitely can lose yourself in it!
The bird mega live is so far behind Garmin, I do run 4 birds on my boat , FFS is Garmin
Wow, that was crazy informative for setup and troubleshooting. That contrast/sensitivity stuff is super important. Nice video!
Awesome video. Thanks for putting it all together and showing us the entire start to finish process.
If you put the other units on standby while you're using the mega live, the sonar wave you're getting will go away
I was surprised as a youtuber and guide that you didn't have this before.
One thing I’ve learned is keep your distance at a constant and depth somewhat constant you will learn what size and species fish your looking at A lot faster great videos!!
Ffs is amazing. You learn a ton about how fish react and it makes your outings way more efficient.
Find myself doing a lot less dragging and more sharp shooting specific schools of fish with it.
One tip that helped me a lot was the shorter the distance forward you set on the screen the easier it is to see fish on the screen because the marks are bigger. Same with depth. Set depth just a few feet below bottom.
I’ve been contemplating one myself. Necessary for targeting big fish in a tournament but not so much for just finding and catching fish. I’m going to hold out for now.
Glad you got the issue resolved. 90 percent of the time it works every time. It would have sucked to watch the remainder of this video with it sideways/skewed. 🙂
I hope you have better luck with the yak mounts than I did. They were cheap plastic and wobble bad. Then break.
Atta boy bloomy
Hey Brett. Good video. Have you tried different colour pallets ? You will find some are better on the eyes than others and show detail better. Mega live is awesome. I have it also. I find contrast at 12 and sensitivity at 12 as well to work best for me. I use the blue back ground pallet, I think it’s 12 or 13? Not sure. I also had mine on a pole. But I bought the quest ultrex and I have it mounted on the trolling motor now. Much easier now ( for me anyways ) and less crap to set up using the pole etc. Well enjoy you mega live. Only other thing I could recommend, is getting a 12” unit for reading mega live. Yup the spending never stops now. lol. Enjoy bro.
The video I been watching on different shows seems like casting to the fish is the best way to use FFS or do you think pulling spinners would work just as well
You’ve been through much of what I’ve found. If you have 2 open ports on your network, networking your ML will clean up your sonar interference. I extended my power cord and have a TKI mount on a lund track mount. Can move it anywhere in my boat and use any graph. At times the mask helps a ton. Don’t stick it on. Stick it to a piece of 3M no residue duct tape. Tape it over the ML window with a small piece of the duct tape. It’s stays on for weeks and is removable. You can also make a foam mask from a can coozy cut to size. If found the short mask and transducer at 50 degrees “5 clicks up” gives me best jig tracking. Good luck. Have fun