Why do fish show up as vertical lines on my sonar?

Zion

New member
Mar 6, 2025
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Why do fish sometimes look like vertical lines? I don’t have the depth and range set weird which would distort the view.

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That is how it is supposed to look at distance. Around 30’ or less you can see the complete fish if they are sideways. Fish pointed Straight at you or away will be more rounded. The large the fish, the larger the return. I see a lot of people wasting time fishing for baitfish, etc…. Throw a swim jig and compare your bait size to the fish. That will eliminate a lot. Also, baitballs can look like bass at 100-60’. Once the fish gets closer, you can tell the difference. Nothing like time on the water.