WHAT IT DOES
LiveSight allows anglers to see
what’s happening live on their screen.
Instead of standard sonar readings
that ping downward and create an
image based on the size and shape of
objects below, LiveSight shows what’s
happening in real time. This makes it
easier to view underwater movement
and adds the ability to see what’s in
front of the boat.
Plus, with the option to pan in dif-
ferent directions by turning the trolling
motor – the transducer is typically
attached to the trolling motor’s lower
unit – the new technology allows
anglers to see everything that’s hap-
pening around them, in front of and
below the boat. There are many bene-
fits to this technology, but one of the
most practical is the ability to see
exactly where fish are in relation to the
bottom or pieces of structure and
cover. With that comes the ability to
also view the reactions of fish to the
lures you’re offering.
HARDWARE AND EQUIPMENT
The newest version of Lowrance’s
HDS lineup is the HDS LIVE, which the
company developed with the LiveSight
transducer in mind. If you have that
unit, it’s as simple as mounting the
transducer to your trolling motor and
plugging it in. If you’re running the pre-
vious version, the HDS Carbon, you’ll
need the Performance Sonar Interface
from Lowrance.
The LiveSight transducer can be
mounted in two different ways: for-
ward-looking mode and down-looking
mode. The forward-facing option is
adjusted at an offset angle and is best
suited for bow-mounted trolling motors.
This option allows the user to see
what’s below and in front of the boat.
The second method is designed to be
attached to the transom, below a trolling
motor or thru-hull. Mounting it this way
will show what’s below the boat.
INSTALLING LIVESIGHT
Installing the LiveSight transducer
is easy. Use two hose clamps to attach
it to the trolling motor, then secure the
cable around the trolling motor shaft
with zip ties or electrical tape.
MLF Bass Pro Tour pro Luke
Clausen was one of the first to learn
40
about the new product and was also
one of the first to install LiveSight on
his boat. He mounted a prototype ver-
sion on an aluminum boat that he
uses to fish around his house, and
spent countless hours on the water
learning the intricacies of this new
technology.
Clausen estimates the install por-
tion took 10 minutes, but the placement
of the transducer on the trolling motor
shaft was the most crucial part of the
process. It took a little trial and error for
him to get it right.
“You have to find the balance on
your specific boat and trolling motor
shaft to put it in the right spot,” he
says. “If it is mounted too high, it will
not get the best picture. And when
fishing rough water, it will come out of
the water, and you won’t be able to see
anything at all.
“If it is mounted too low, the sonar
cone will hit the top of the trolling
motor, and you will see a line on your
screen,” he adds. “Another thing to
consider is the shape of the trolling
motor head, as they are all a little bit
different depending on the brand and
how old they are.” The sensitivity setting ranges from
zero to 100 percent. Clausen feels it’s
best to keep it high – about 95 percent
– to make sure he doesn’t miss some-
thing on his screen.
SETTING IT UP Surface Clarity
LiveSight and all the Lowrance tech-
nologies come from the factory with
default settings in place, but adjusting
settings can help users get the best
performance for specific conditions.
The first adjustment to make is
changing the user mode from “auto” to
“custom.” From there, the significant
adjustments you can make are for-
ward/cross range, down range, sensi-
tivity, surface clarity and noise rejection. All of Lowrance’s electronics have a
surface clarity setting that helps to clear
the top portion of the screen. Clausen
adjusts it based on the conditions.
“I keep it set at medium most often,
but in some instances I will set it to
high,” he explains. “That could be when
there is pollen on the surface or if there
is a heavy algae bloom.”
Cross Range
Cross range is also called forward
range and is simply the distance for-
ward that is shown on the screen. It’s
only available when in the forward-
looking mode. Clausen sets cross
range at 40 feet, which keeps the
screen compact and stays within easy
casting distance.
Down Range
Down range is the same setting as
“range” on DownScan and 2-D sonar.
The automatic setting is generally best
and quickly adjusts for depth changes.
Sensitivity
Noise Rejection
Noise rejection can reduce some of
the clutter on the screen, but with it
comes less sensitivity. It can be set at
off, low, medium or high. Clausen
prefers to keep it off for LiveSight – and
all other sonar for that matter.
ADDITIONAL SETTINGS
Other ways to customize your set-
tings include adjusting the color
palette, adding a range grid and
enabling target trails.
There are five color palette options.
Two are “sonar style” palettes with
white and black backgrounds that were
developed for seeing fish moving in
FLWFISHING.COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2020