The range of accessories for the fisherman is slowly being replenished with electronic devices - first there were devices for knitting hooks, then pagers and signaling devices. Now the turn of echo sounders has come. Every self-respecting fisherman who prefers fishing from a boat or in the winter, has his own sonar.
In this article, the reader will become more familiar with the wonderful device "ER-6 Pro (echo sounder) Practitioner". Reviews of fishermen, review and characteristics of electronic devices will allow customers to navigate the market of accessories for fishing.
Distinctive feature
Compactness, resistance to extreme conditions and ease of management are important criteria when choosing an echo sounder for buyers. However, expensive devices will fall under such requirements. Therefore, users tend to trust owner reviews. Indeed, it is not customary to praise products on the domestic market: there is no negative - that means the device is worthy of a purchase.
For many buyers, it doesn’t matter at all what kind of feedback the “Practitioner ER-6 Pro” echo sounder has. The price of an electronic device becomes the main criterion when choosing a device on the market (6000 rubles). Simplicity of design and ease of use also belong to those qualities that users are guided by when purchasing.
Specifications
For many fishermen who are accustomed for several days not to leave the boat ashore, the autonomy of the electronic device is a priority. The device is powered by one 1.5 V finger-type battery, and it also supports a similar sized battery (1.2 V). As for working on a single battery, it all depends on the ambient temperature. In principle, the positive has a fishfinder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" reviews. In summer, on one battery, the device will work for 200 hours, and in the winter, in severe frosts, it can stretch for 120 hours.
The scanning depth is from 1 to 25 meters. Sonar has only one beam, which works in the range of 0-40 degrees. The fish finder is equipped with a system for determining the size of fish and the depth at which it is located. Also, the beam can determine the composition of the bottom and shows all the artifacts that can prevent the fisherman from pulling the catch (driftwood, stones, metal structures).
Additional functionality
The presence of image scaling on the small display of the device is considered a miracle for all fishermen who have purchased the "ER-6 Pro (echo sounder) Practitioner". Reviews on this functionality describe a lot of advantages. Firstly, an increase in the scan area selected on the device. It is very convenient to consider bottom irregularities in search of holes where a predator can hide. In addition, this functionality allows you to consider the reasons for the sensor to trigger - often when zooming in, you can see schools of small fish that were initially displayed as a shapeless lump.
The Depth Gauge mode, which fishermen often overlook, helps determine the exact distance to the bottom. This functionality is in demand by people who create pilot maps of the bottom of the reservoir. After all, it is easier to take measurements only once, and then, from year to year, look for fishing spots on the map, and not probe the bottom again.
Unique screen
The liquid crystal display of the device is one of the advantages that the Practiceman ER-6 Pro echo sounder has. A review of the characteristics, owner reviews and watching a video about the device will never give the feeling that the user will experience when studying the sonar independently. The 30x50 mm black-and-white screen is not only informative, but also multifunctional; working with it is a pleasure.
As for the lack of color, this is also an advantage, because it is this parameter that provides greater autonomy to the device. The screen has protection not only from dust and moisture, but also is reliably protected from shock when dropped. But you shouldn’t drop it anyway, it’s after all the electronics - the internal components can be damaged by impact.
Control Panel
But many users do not like the management of the echo sounder, because it is very inconvenient to make settings with two buttons. From the outside, it resembles the control of an old electronic clock “Electronics” - one button switches the modes, and the second button makes a choice. Moreover, this problem is relevant for all models of the sonar line of the manufacturer.
Regardless of the modification, whether it is the “Practitioner ER-6” and “ER-6 Pro” echo sounders, the instruction, functionality and settings management are identical. This is very convenient for many fishermen who own several fishfinders or have switched from an old sonar to an improved modification. Users get used to control quickly, but they still carry the user manual with them, as there are minor difficulties in setting up.
Sensor operation
Yes, the echo sounder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" fishermen reviews regarding the sensor is not the best. Just one beam and a weak angle do not allow you to scan the bottom, passing a boat on a glider along the river surface. It will take more than one hour to search for pits and convenient places for fishing, not to mention the presence of fish. But this is better than playing the lottery, throwing bait and tackle into the unknown.
The sensor is shockproof, but still has its own margin of safety. It is easy to break it on the body of a metal floating vehicle in case of unsuccessful casting into the water. There are no warnings about this in the manual, however, the owners of the Practik ER-6 Pro echo sounder recommend being extremely accurate with the sensor.
Dreams don't always come true
As for the functionality that can determine schools of fish, search for a large predator at the depth and indicate the direction of its movement, then a potential buyer often has questions. And they are understandable, because an inexpensive device cannot possess such potential. Practically the echo sounder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" has positive feedback about this functionality: the sonar emits an alert when the fish moves under it, shows the owner fragments of large moving objects that fall into its "field of vision", and also knows how to determine the physical size of the fish.
However, there are also artifacts that the echo sounder perceives as fish and gives a sound signal, drawing huge silhouettes of a predator to the device owner. And then the human brain already brings the outline to the ideal, and the fisherman, on the eve of prey, is engaged in catching a mystical creature instead of re-scanning the bottom of the reservoir.
Features of winter fishing
Many buyers who want to use the sonar in the cold season are interested in what kind of feedback the “Practitioner ER-6 Pro” echo sounder has. In winter, not every device is able to turn on, not to mention working in twenty-degree frost. Yes, due to the cold, the battery life is halved, and the LCD screen can turn off spontaneously, but not everything is so scary. After all, the same instructions spell out recommendations for the owner, which are aimed at maintaining the sonar’s performance under extreme conditions.
It is better to keep the echo sounder in warm gloves or place it in your pocket (if you focus on the sound alarm). As for the wire, it does not freeze, so you can not worry about it. The same goes for the sensor - it withstands both cold water and icing. True, it is not worth warming it around the fire. It has a plastic casing and can burn out.
Fishermen's recommendations
Many owners believe that the winter sounder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro", reviews of which have more advantages than negative, is quite capable of working without immersion in the water. That is, it is not necessary to drill a hole under it, as well as to take it overboard. The media has many recommendations for improving fishing processes with this wonderful device. If you refer to the instructions, it is written in black and white that the sensor only works after immersion in water, but there is not a word that it should be in the pond.
Naturally, craftsmen, through research, came to the conclusion that the sonar could scan the bottom directly from the boat or on the surface of the ice. To do this, pour water into a plastic bag, place a sensor in it and tighten the container tightly so that water does not leak. The package is placed in a boat or on an ice floe. In the latter case, it is necessary to control the process of freezing water, because then it will be difficult to warm the sonar later.
Sound setting
While setting up the “ER-6 Pro (echo sounder) Practitioner” device, there are positive and positive reviews, however, a beginner will certainly encounter control flaws that can only be eliminated with the help of special experiments. This is a sound alert. If you do not fine-tune the sensor, the echo sounder will signal any interference that may be present in the water (driftwood, plastic bottle).
Fishermen recommend using a small spinner, which must be fixed with a fishing line and lowered to the bottom of the pond. After that, the echo sounder is turned on, and the spinner gently rises from the bottom. When an audible warning appears, it is necessary to stop the rise, fixing the spinner at the same depth. Adjust the sensitivity of the sensor so that it does not respond to a non-moving element. Continue uphill and make sure that the warning light is triggered only by movement.
Sounder Disadvantages
It is worth noting that a device worth 6,000 rubles is unlikely to have serious shortcomings, which are worth paying attention to customers who have decided to purchase an echo sounder "Practician ER-6 Pro". Owner reviews, a review and sonar specifications describe only the merits of this unique fishing accessory. But there are many minor flaws, which together can become an obstacle for many users who wish to use the sonar when fishing.
Problems with the settings lead to the fact that before use the owner must constantly make manipulations with setting the sensitivity of the sensor. Either the density of the water is different, or the temperature has changed - a sonar produces strange readings without adjustments. There are many negatives of users to the battery pack - the spring holding the battery is constantly weakening, which leads to the opening of the electric circuit and the sounder disconnecting. Naturally, you need to fix the problem immediately after purchasing the device.
Finally
Users have already noticed that there is no middle ground in the echo sounders market. Either the buyer chooses a device worth up to 10,000 rubles with poor functionality, or prefers the elite worth 30,000 rubles or more. Therefore, no one has the right to judge the "ER-6 Pro (echo sounder) Practitioner", reviews of which have practically no negative. Yes, the screen is small and not color, there is no GPS navigation and map support, but this is a representative of the budget class, whose task is to detect movement under water at a depth of up to 25 meters. Here it is up to the buyer to decide which device he needs for fishing.