360° Omni Directional Sonar
MAQ Sonar specializes in a group of 360° Omni directional commercial fishing sonar built to be the best solution for shallow water, near surface and pelagic species fishing. With no more blind areas to think about, the operator can focus on the tilt, range and fishing area.
MiniMAQ 90KHz
MiniMAQ
22 KHz Sonar
MAQ Sonar 22 KHz
60 KHz Sonar
MAQ Sonar 60 KHz
90 KHz Sonar
The highest-frequency MAQ Sonar ideal for difficult targets.
Operating Modes
MAQ Sonar specializes in a group of 360° Omni directional commercial fishing sonar built to be the best solution for shallow water, near surface and pelagic species fishing.
360° Stabilized Display
Trawl Mode
Vertical Profile Mode
How to Select a Sonar
Often MAQ Sonar is asked “what is the best Sonar for Tuna?” or “what is the best for Sardine?”. While there is a need to have Sonar with the correct frequency to detect one species of fish better than another there are other variables which should be considered before making a decision.
General Rules
Start with our four universal sonar principles:
- The lower the frequency of Sonar the further the detection distance.
- The narrower the vertical beam the longer distance achieved before seeing only surface and bottom.
- The higher the frequency of the Sonar the better the definition of the signal.
- The lower the frequency the more difficult it is to find smaller targets.
Dive Deeper
Consider these three factors when determining which MAQ Sonar is right for you.
1. Depth of water
MAQ Sonar has a 5° vertical beam which translates to a longer detection distance which can be achieved before seeing only surface and bottom in shallow water. This can be very important depending on what type of fish and where is the fishing. Additionally a narrow beam can detect fish closer to the bottom and closer to the surface. See the diagram below:
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2. Consider the sea floor
Rock Bottoms
On rock bottoms a MAQ Sonar will achieve 10 meters detection for every 1 meter of depth. This means when fishing in rocky bottom water at 30M deep maximum detection distance will be about 300M.
Sand/Silt Bottoms
On bottom which is sand or silt a MAQ Sonar will achieve 20 meters detection for every 1 meter of depth. This means when fishing in an area with a sand/silt bottom at 30 meters deep maximum detection distance will be about 600M.
Species of Fish
Each fish has a different acoustical signature which is the measurement of their relative target strength. Certain fish display a larger surface, bone, and swim bladder so they are a strong target which means they will be easy to find with any frequency of Sonar. However there are some species which are a strong target but are at a great distance and require specific frequency sonar to find them. Finally there are species which are a very weak target due to size, lack of swim bladder or speed they swim at and require careful consideration.
Verified Detection Distance Versus Target Strength
Based on a vessel speed of 10kts with sea state condition 3 (waves at 1.5 meters).
Example: Finding Atlantic Mackerel with Low Frequency Sonar
As an example one pelagic species which is difficult to find with low frequency sonar is the Atlantic Mackerel (also known as the Spanish Mackerel) due to its lack of a swim bladder. There are more than 60 types of Mackerel in the world and more than half do not have a swim bladder. Without a swim bladder the only parts of the fish which can reflect sound waves are its bones which are not very large. The best frequency to find Atlantic Mackerel is any frequency higher than 85 KHz. At 90 KHz for example it is possible to see a small school of Mackerel at 300M to 400M in good conditions.