How to Tell Which Lowrance Forward-Facing Sonar You Have
Lowrance has four forward-facing sonar systems that anglers commonly need to identify: the original Active Target, Active Target 2, Active Target 2 XL, and Eagle Eye. The fastest answer is usually molded into the transducer housing. If that is hard to read, the shape, cable tag, external module, and display will settle it.
Do not identify the system by the screen image alone. Several of these systems can look similar on the water, and the original Active Target and Active Target 2 transducers are almost identical from a few feet away. Check the hardware first.
Which Lowrance forward-facing sonar do I have?
Read the name molded into the transducer. ACTIVE TARGET means the original system. ACTIVE TARGET 2 means the second-generation transducer. ACTIVE TARGET 2 XL is the larger, open-bottom model. An Eagle Eye uses a wedge-shaped transducer connected directly to an Eagle Eye 9 display, with no external sonar module.
| What you see | System | Common transducer or package number | Display compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
ACTIVE TARGET molded into a rectangular transducer |
Original Active Target | Transducer 000-15594-001; full system 000-15593-001 | HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, Elite FS |
ACTIVE TARGET 2 molded into a nearly identical rectangular transducer |
Active Target 2 | Transducer 000-15962-001; full system 000-15959-001 | HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, Elite FS |
ACTIVE TARGET 2 XL on a larger housing with an open area beneath the center |
Active Target 2 XL | 25-foot transducer 000-16489-001; 10-foot transducer 000-16490-001; full system 000-16488-001 | HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, Elite FS |
| Tapered wedge transducer wired to an Eagle Eye 9 display, no sonar module | Eagle Eye | U.S. package 000-16129-001; replacement transducer 000-16368-001 | Eagle Eye fishfinders only |
Which bundle option should I select?
Use the Forward Facing Sonar Bundle and match the dropdown to the hardware, not just the Lowrance display. Select Lowrance Active Target 1 or 2 for either standard Active Target generation, Lowrance Active Target 2 XL for the large XL transducer, or Lowrance Eagle Eye for the all-in-one Eagle Eye system.
The bundle combines the matching PDF settings guide with the Forward-Facing Sonar Mastery video course. The second option asks whether you also want the printed quick reference guide. Choose Yes only if you want that additional guide.
How can I identify the original Active Target?
The original transducer has ACTIVE TARGET molded into the diagonal panel, followed by a small target symbol. There is no 2 after the name. Its black rectangular housing has a large round mounting boss near the upper center and a cable exiting from the upper corner.
The transducer measures about 5.90 by 3.24 by 2.28 inches. Those dimensions do not separate it from Active Target 2 because Lowrance publishes the same body dimensions for both. The wording on the housing is the better check.
If the transducer is mounted where you cannot read it, inspect the cable tag or the original box. Common numbers are 000-15594-001 for the transducer and 000-15593-001 for the complete system. The system uses an external Active Target sonar module connected by Ethernet to a compatible HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, or Elite FS display.
For this system, select Lowrance Active Target 1 or 2 in the Forward Facing Sonar Bundle. That option supplies the matching Active Target 1 and 2 settings guide.
How can I identify Active Target 2?
Active Target 2 looks very close to the original, but the diagonal panel says ACTIVE TARGET 2. That number is the quickest reliable visual check. The housing remains rectangular, with the same published dimensions and a round mounting boss near the top.
Look for 000-15962-001 on a transducer label or 000-15959-001 on a complete-system box. Active Target 2 also uses an external sonar module and works with HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, and Elite FS displays.
Do not assume an HDS PRO means the transducer is Active Target 2. HDS PRO supports both the original Active Target and Active Target 2. The display model tells you what can work with it, not which transducer is currently installed.
For this system, select Lowrance Active Target 1 or 2 in the Forward Facing Sonar Bundle. The same settings guide covers both standard generations.
How can I identify Active Target 2 XL?
Active Target 2 XL is the easiest Active Target model to separate by shape. Its housing is visibly larger and has an open bridge beneath the center, rather than the solid rectangular body used by the first two generations. The side is molded with ACTIVE TARGET 2 XL.
The XL transducer measures about 7.08 by 4.47 by 2.68 inches. Common part numbers are 000-16489-001 for the model with a 25-foot cable, 000-16490-001 for the 10-foot cable, and 000-16488-001 for a complete transducer-and-module package.
The XL transducer works with HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, and Elite FS. It can also use an existing Active Target 2 sonar module. Lowrance reserves the dual-system Scout Live 360 view for HDS PRO, and that setup requires two transducers and two modules. A single XL transducer does not create the 360 view by itself.
For this system, select Lowrance Active Target 2 XL in the Forward Facing Sonar Bundle. Do not select the Active Target 1 or 2 option just because the boat still has an Active Target 2 module. The guide follows the transducer.
How can I identify Eagle Eye?
Eagle Eye is an all-in-one Lowrance system, not an Active Target transducer connected to a regular Eagle display. Its tapered wedge transducer plugs directly into an Eagle Eye 9 fishfinder. There is no external Active Target sonar module between the transducer and display.
The display bezel says EAGLE 9, so that text alone is not enough. Confirm that the system is the Eagle Eye model and that the matching wedge-shaped transducer is installed. A standard Eagle 9 with a SplitShot, TripleShot, or HDI transducer is not Eagle Eye and does not have forward-facing sonar.
The Eagle Eye transducer measures about 6.08 by 4.87 by 1.26 inches. Common U.S. package numbers include 000-16129-001 and 000-16232-001. The replacement transducer is commonly listed as 000-16368-001.
Lowrance states that the Eagle Eye transducer is for Eagle Eye fishfinders. It does not connect to HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, Elite FS, or an ordinary Eagle 9 as a substitute for Active Target.
For this system, select Lowrance Eagle Eye in the Forward Facing Sonar Bundle.
Can I tell Active Target 1 from Active Target 2 by size?
No. Lowrance publishes the same transducer dimensions for the original Active Target and Active Target 2. Both use a 5.90 by 3.24 by 2.28-inch rectangular housing. Read the molded name or the cable tag instead. ACTIVE TARGET is the original; ACTIVE TARGET 2 is the second generation.
This matters when the transducer is already on the trolling motor. Mounting angle, perspective, and the bracket can make one appear larger than the other in a photo. A tape measure will not solve the identification problem when the two published sizes match.
Does the sonar module identify the transducer?
Not always. The module helps separate an Active Target system from Eagle Eye because Eagle Eye has no external module. It is not enough to separate every Active Target generation. In particular, the Active Target 2 XL transducer can run through an existing Active Target 2 module.
Treat the transducer label and part number as the final answer. The module and display are supporting clues that confirm whether the system can work together.
What should I check before buying a settings guide?
Check the transducer itself first. Read the molded name, photograph the cable tag, note whether an external sonar module is installed, and record the display model. Then compare those details with the table above before choosing a product option.
Use this order:
- Read the name molded into the transducer housing.
- Check the cable tag or package number if the name is hard to see.
- Look for an external Active Target module.
- Confirm the display is compatible with that transducer.
- Select the bundle option that names the transducer you actually have.
The important split is simple: original Active Target and Active Target 2 share one guide, Active Target 2 XL has its own guide, and Eagle Eye has its own guide. Once that choice is right, the settings and menu instructions will match the hardware on your boat.
