HELIX 7

Only what you need on the water

J&E

Workflow

  1. 1MapFind a hump, point or weed edge on the chart view.
  2. 2StructureRead the contours — how deep, how steep, where's the top?
  3. 3SonarIdle over it and watch for arches, bait clouds and hard bottom.
  4. 4Trolling MotorDrop the bow motor and hold on the edge you found.
  5. 5FishPresent at the depth you marked fish — not deeper.
  6. 6MarkPress MARK on every fish so you can repeat the pattern.

Chart View

The map. Use it to see where you are and where the structure is.

  • Press VIEW, choose Chart, press CHECK/ENTER.
  • Your boat is the arrow. The line behind it is your track.
  • Use the +/- ZOOM keys to zoom in on a reef or point.
  • Press the cursor pad to move the crosshair and inspect a spot ahead of you.
  • Press EXIT to snap the map back to the boat.

Depth Contours

The curved lines are depth. Tight lines = steep drop. Wide lines = flat.

  • Each contour line is a depth step — read the small number printed on the line.
  • Circles inside circles out in open water = a hump or reef. Fish it.
  • A finger of shallow contour reaching into deep water = a point. Fish it.
  • Where lines bunch tightly together is the break line — walleye highway.
  • Idle across the contour, not along it, to learn how the spot is shaped.

Sonar Basics

The right side is now. Everything scrolls right to left into the past.

  • Top of the screen is the surface, bottom line is the lake floor.
  • Big number in the corner = depth under the boat.
  • A hard, thick bottom line means rock. A thin fuzzy line means mud or muck.
  • Arches = fish that passed under the boat. Full arch = you drove over it.
  • Fuzzy clouds above the bottom = baitfish. Fish near bait.
  • Leave sensitivity on Auto until you're comfortable.

Chart + Sonar Split Screen

The view you should run 90% of the time.

  • Press VIEW repeatedly, or press MENU twice > Views > Chart/Sonar Combo.
  • Highlight the combo view and press CHECK/ENTER to select it.
  • Left side shows the map, right side shows live sonar.
  • Now you can see structure on the map and fish on the sonar at the same time.

Marking a Waypoint

Save any spot in one button press.

  • Press the MARK key once — it drops a waypoint at the boat instantly.
  • To save a spot you're not sitting on: move the cursor there, then press MARK.
  • Waypoints are numbered automatically; rename later under MENU > Nav Data.
  • Mark every fish caught, every good rock pile and every weed edge.
  • Also log it in the Spots tab of this app so it survives the trip.