Transducer placement for VERTICAL fishing

My 2020 Outback is my first kayak with an integrated transducer mount.

The position of the transducer is such that while vertically jigging in less than 25ft, I cannot see my jig on the sonar unless I use an ice rod.

I'm contemplating using a side arm transducer attachment like I had on my i11s, but that would be such a waste of an elegant design...yet I see no way around it.

Anyone here have a side arm ducer mount on an Outback? Do you use cellblok or individual ram trac balls? How do you manage all the wires?

Greetings! perhaps it isn't a side-to-side issue but rather a bow-to-stern issue. due to the angle of the transducer, you might be scanning towards the bow or stern and not the water directly below you, missing your jig due to that. you could check that possibility on a still body of water by dropping your jig down 25', then try pedaling in a straight line, in forward and then reverse, to see if your jig appears on the sonar as the water drag on it moves it towards to bow or stern. if so, you could then adjust the angle of the transducer so that it is hitting the area directly below you. cheers, roger

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2019 Outback360 'Fish Retriever'
2016 i11s 'Go Cougs!'
2012 Oasis and 2012 PA12 (moved on but not forgotten...)

Roger, I think you're absolutely right - when the jig drifts behind me I pick it up on the sonar.

How would you go about adjusting the transducer? I was thinking about shimming the guardian plate, something small wedged towards the front of the cover so when it deploys the whole plate will sit at a slight angle. Thoughts?

If you can adjust the width of the cone of your sonar, it will cover a wider area below your kayak. Check your fish finder's manual.

I think you are on the right path, you should be able to slightly adjust the angle of the transducer or the angle of the guardian plate.

here is my tripleshot transducer on the plate:



I could cut the rear nylon tie, add like a 1/4" spacer under the back (stern) end, secure with a new nylon tie, and it would shift the sonar cone forward towards the bow. using a spacer to change the angle of the guardian plate would also have that effect but might add some drag by changing waterflow around the plate.

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2019 Outback360 'Fish Retriever'
2016 i11s 'Go Cougs!'
2012 Oasis and 2012 PA12 (moved on but not forgotten...)