# Advice for the fisin buddy 120



## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

So my wife got me a Humminbird fishin buddy 120 fish finder. It is the little portable one that clamps onto a canoe. I'm planning on using it for ice fishing but also I have a canoe so I'll use it in the softwater season. I'm just wanting to know if it will work or is it a piece of junk? Will it let me see my jig like a flasher does? I don't want to hurt her feelers by taking it back and getting a different one but I also don't want to not even be able to use it and it is a waste of money.

I'm going to Mantua soon so I'd like to not waste a trip with a useless finder.

Thanks !!


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

I've only seen them used and I don't believe it allow you to see your jig like a flasher does. I did a little internet surfing and found this review for you to check out.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewbottomline1200.html


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I have had a couple of them, the cone is only 9 degrees and so you view a small area below you, especially in shallow lakes. I use it on my float tube and ice fishing. The angle direction feature is what has been most helpful ice fishing. I have been ice fishing and nothing happening and it shows quite a few fish, say 60 to 90 feet away in one direction, I have moved that distance and drilled a hole and started catching fish.


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## duneman101 (Nov 6, 2009)

you'll do great, i have been using an old fishin buddy 1 first generation, i can usually see most of my jig, sometimes vertical presentation is a little harder to get tuned in on though. i don't have the clamp so i just put a ubolt through the side of my bucket and put the bucket next to my hole... from what i've heard the 110, 120, and 140 are light years better. when i use the zoom i can see fish pretty easily.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

sweet I know it is not as good as a nice flasher but it is versitile for the canoe so I will give it a try and post my reports!!


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Be sure that you know where the gain control is and how to use it.
With the gain set at a high lever, you should be able to see your jig in up to 25' of water.
Your unit may have a 12* cone. If it does, that's a lot better than the 9* on the old units.
Don't use the fish ID mode. Just watch for an arc to show up on the screen. That will be a fish. The unit will display how deep the fish is. now just reel up to the fish.
In the winter, turn the back light on. This will protect the screen from freezing and causing damage to the unit.
Carry some extra batteries with you.

There are a lot of better finders on the market but the Buddy works fine and is very easy to transport and use. You will like it on the canoe.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

Grandpa D said:


> Be sure that you know where the gain control is and how to use it.
> With the gain set at a high lever, you should be able to see your jig in up to 25' of water.
> Your unit may have a 12* cone. If it does, that's a lot better than the 9* on the old units.
> Don't use the fish ID mode. Just watch for an arc to show up on the screen. That will be a fish. The unit will display how deep the fish is. now just reel up to the fish.
> ...


Thanks!!!! I am going tomorrow morning for a few hours to Mantua!! I can't wait to test it out, now I don't have any excuses for getting skunked though!!


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## climberike (Mar 29, 2010)

this is how i set up the 130 its way better than using a bucket. The bucket falls down without weight and is a pain to move around, screwing it to the 2x4 made the bracket a handle so it was easy to move. I got tired of changing batteries so i kinda did what i was not supose to do but it works better by cutting and soldering the wires from the battery holders to connectors so that i could use a rechargeable battery. The battery is the kind used for a lucky duck 6v 2amp, the 12v is to much for the 130. My 130 has worked awsome for the last few years on the float tube and ice, today was the first time using the humminbird 597 in flasher mode and that was cool.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=36461


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