Marine Electronics

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Travy Miller on March 12, 2012 at 5:53pm

not quite sure i understand what you mean

Clif Kincaid said:

What kind of fishing do you do? Do you think you need to spend the money on these?
Are you a shore pounder?

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on March 12, 2012 at 6:21pm

I feel like right now in order to be as efficient as most good tournament fisherman it is fair to say you at least need a side imaging unit.  I have a smaller aluminum boat, but I have a small Humminbird Side/Down Imaging unit with GPS at my wheel.

Permalink Reply by Travy Miller on March 12, 2012 at 6:25pm

how does it work? what was the price?

P.J. Koshi said:

I feel like right now in order to be as efficient as most good tournament fisherman it is fair to say you at least need a side imaging unit.  I have a smaller aluminum boat, but I have a small Humminbird Side/Down Imaging unit with GPS at my wheel.

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on March 12, 2012 at 8:59pm

Go online to humminbird or lowrance website. Read up an then go to cabelas website and price them out. Id also check BBC for a good used unit.

Permalink Reply by Travy Miller on March 12, 2012 at 9:00pm

ive been looking, i just dont know exactly what to look for in a unit. thus why im asking here

Permalink Reply by BARLOW on March 12, 2012 at 9:23pm

go humminbird they are a great unit more and more people are using this over lowrance, lowrance are good units don't get me wrong but humminbirds are easy to use I compare them like an humminbird is like an Iphone simple yet to the point and lowrance is like a blackberry....gosh who would own one!!! 

both do the same function FIND FISH good luck!!!

Permalink Reply by Erik Faiola on March 13, 2012 at 8:33am

I just did the same thing Travy.  I researched, checked ALL the sites for best prices etc.  I decided to go with a down imaging unit for the front electronics and have had this for about three weeks now.  While I am still figuring it out, it has been a huge help in determining what is actually down there.  The waypoints are an awesome tool as well as the internal GPS.  I went with the Humminbird 788c HD DI.  I found one on Ebay for $500 used with a chip but was too slow in getting it so I missed out on that one.  I then used Searchtempest (a large craigslist search engine) and found one in Oregon for $550.  The side imaging unit I am getting is the 898c SI.  I don't have much experience with SI but I am assuming that it will be another great tool, especially on new lakes.  If I only could get one I would definitely go with PJ's suggestion in getting a SI unit, such as the Humminbird 798ci HD SI.  It will have both the SI and the DI.  Good luck in finding the best price and unit that will meet your needs. 

Permalink Reply by Travy Miller on March 13, 2012 at 10:43am

i guess some of the key facts i am looking for are things like side image and down imaging, which one would be best for front or console? should my console be a plotter that does DI and SI? or just a plotter with DI, do i need gps for the front as well. or just a unit with DI, is SI even needed for up front?

those are the kind of things i need to know, which clearly i dont :(

but once i know what to look for, i can then search for units based on what they do.

Permalink Reply by Erik Faiola on March 13, 2012 at 11:44am

I by all means am not an expert but what I am doing with advice from very knowledgeable people is putting an SI unit at the console and the DI up front.  Both have GPS.  The SI also will have the DI built in.  But I will be using the SI the most when on new lakes and scouting new areas.   

An option I considered was getting a cheaper non DI or SI up front so you know the depth, contour, and temp and splurge on a nice SI/DI unit for the main because you can always run over the area and switch to DI to get a clearer picture.   

Do what your budget can afford.  People were catching fish well before any electronic fish finder was invented. If you don't have a unit now any unit will be an improvement.

Permalink Reply by Travy Miller on March 13, 2012 at 12:25pm

i guess ill have to narrow it down to a DI unit for the front at first, as i cannot seem to find a SI unit for near my budget, thanks for all the help!

Permalink Reply by Erik Faiola on March 13, 2012 at 12:47pm

www.thedigitaloasis.com seems to have some good deals on new units.  Cheaper than BPS.

 

Permalink Reply by Steve Hastings on March 13, 2012 at 3:48pm

@Travy  One question not answered was your question about frequency. The key is having at least one of them switchable. Example some models can be switched from 50kHz/83kHz to 200kHz, others are fixed at one or the other frequency.  Two units on the same frequency will create interference with one another.  200kHz gives a more accurate representation of the bottom, but the longer wavelength of the 50kHz/83kHz units can reach deeper depths at the same power. For bass fishing the later is un-important, since you are always fishing under 100ft. Saltwater or slimer guys might think otherwise.

If you can get two that are 200kHz with at least one switchable to 50kHz/83kHz, one strategy would be have the console one switchable, so you can search from the drivers seat with the best resolution, and then switch it and pin point those deeper water fish with the one in the front when you're on the trolling motor.  Shallow water frequency is simply less important.

As for Brand, both are good quality, I prefer Lowrance and you do see a lot more of them out there, but have had hummingbird too, and nothing bad can be said about them either.

If you're not planning on a GPS/Mapping Chartplotter you should rethink this. The combination of both are valuable tournament tools. Make sure you can network the units so your weigh points show up on the front unit also. The point of GPS is to make going back to and staying on that underwater structure a quick and accurate proposition.

Be very cautious of used units. I would not buy one that I could not see on a boat in operation. Transducer damage is so common, and a new one will set you back another $130+

Not sure where you're located but if you can find a sportsman's show to attend, this is a good way to see everything in one day.

Finally, avoid having the regret of not spending the extra couple hundred bucks, when you make your choice. You probably want to buy a unit(s) you can add side imaging too.  Replacing everything after you just bought it because you want it in a year, is a costly mistake.

Goodluck

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