Fishfinders, again

[demsvmejm]

I've read several posts regarding fishfinder recommendations, and I've received some good info and some contradictory info. I have a 19' SeaRay Seville, I operate in inland lakes only, I'm not an avid fisherman, and I am looking to purchase a fishfinder. I want temperature, speed is not important, and I like the little fishy icons better than the arches. I have a 14 year old I'd like to fish with, and a 7 year old and a 2 year old I'd like to entertain with the fishfinder. I also would like to use the depthfinder part of it to protect my investment and prop. I've read lots of rec's for the Garmin 160/240, and the Eagle 320. I'd like to spend as little as possible and still have a quality unit. I've read bad opinions about the Humminbirds and rave reviews about them too. I like the features I read about with the Humminbird PiranhaMax 15/20, and they're available for <$120.00. As a professional mechanic, I know you get[quality] what you pay for. But is the extra quality really worth the extra money in my situation? I mean a Snap-on tool may be better quality than a Craftsman, but is it worth 4-5 times the price? It all depends on how you're going to use it. For me, the professional mechanic, yes. For the average hobbyist, NO, and the reverse in this fishfinder case. If I haven't made this clear as mud, I'd really like some advice, so I hopefully don't waste my money.

 

[JB]

Re: Fishfinders, again

First advice, David, is to post this in the Boat Electronics, etc. Forum.<br /><br />I will move it for you.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fishfinders, again

David,<br /><br />There are two choices that represent very high quality and reasonably low prices. Those are the Furuno LS4100 and the Garmin 240. Those two are your very best choices in my opnion.

 

[Kesh]

Re: Fishfinders, again

I'm also a novice with fishfinders, but I have installed my second one and I think I have learned a bit. My first unit was a Humminbird wide128, an old entry level model, only $80. However, it's a sturdy unit, with enough features, very simple to operate. I have blamed on it because I wanted to saw many fishes all the time, but now that I think about it, I made several mistakes. First, I glued the transducer inside the hull. That is OK only if you do it the right way. The transducer should be pointing straigth down. Mine is angled, so that should be causing a weak return of the echoes (Humminbird sells special transducers that are purposedly angled to be used in inside-hull installations... I used my transom mount transducer to glue it inside the hull... that only works if your hull is almost flat near the transom). Second, make sure the hull is solid fiberglass and not air/wood is in the middle. I think I'm ok on that aspect. Third, do not pass the transducer cable with all the rest of cable bundles coming from engine and other boat systems (I made a mistake here). Four, treat the transducer cable with care. In a recent repair of the deck, somebody pulled hard the transducer cable, and I think it is broken at the connector terminal. <br /><br />Well, after blaming my Humminbird (which always showed depth very good and ocassionaly I actually saw and caught fish with it) I decided to buy another fishfinder. I opted for an Eagle model, just because it was recommended in many posts. The certain thing is that I decided to pay a little bit more, but not that high, just to make sure to get a little bit of more features. I selected the Eagle Seafinder 240DF, because it was $150 with good features like dual frequency, speed and temperature. Also, the screen has a bit more resolution and gray shades, so I expected more "definition/detail". My Humminbird showed only fish symbols for fish. The Eagle shows arches or symbols, whatever you select (there is a good explanation in the manual). This time I installed the transducer and speed/temp sensor on the transom, as I'm trying to avoid the angle issue and the loss of signal because of the hull. Also, that avoids remaining with a glued transducer inside your hull that you are not using anymore! <br /><br />I tested the Eagle last weekend, just a bit, because we were on a family trip. It worked perfectly, and the features are nice. I have to learn to interpret/read the screen, but it is important to keep in mind (another mistake I made here) that it DOES NOT PAINT A PICTURE OF THE BOTTOM UNDER YOUR BOAT. It just senses and then scrolls to the left. That means that everything on the screen, except for the incoming dots on the rights, is just history. It is not a video camera of the undersea world, lol... I confess I didnt tried hard to understand the screen. <br /><br />I hope my mistakes will help you. Remember, a good installation of the transducer is critical. I installed the new Eagle by myself just because I love to work on my boat. It does not mean that I'm an expert.<br /><br />Here you have a post I made last week in this same forum. I posted some pics of the installation.<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=27;t=001136

 

[johnrussell505]

Re: Fishfinders, again

David, Like Kesh, I started out with a hummingbird,mine was a wide 100, I also had a Pirahna 3, made by hummingbird, both were ok but the pirahna lost the bottom signal as soon as the boat reached plane, never fixed it even though I tried several locations and transducer angles and depths, bought a Garmin fisfinder 240, Love it, and it reads depth at all speeds, at least as fast as my boat will run the resolution is light years better than the hbirds, cost about $189 and came with both speed and temp, hope this helps

 

[Kesh]

Re: Fishfinders, again

Just returned today from the beach in one of the islands. A 16 miles round trip. The Eagle always shows the bottom (very detailed) at all speeds. Never loses the signal. I think maximum speed (peak)today was 26 miles, most of the time around 19-22 mph. Being my wife, 4 kids and myself, not much time to pay attention or play with the features of the fishfinder, but I'm impressed by the detail. Saw some black suspended dots/groups of dots near the bottom besides a structure. I bet those were fish. But I haven't seen the arches yet. Depth along the path was 3-9-16-29´fathoms. I love having the temp and speed signal. It also logs the distance (and it kept in memory our trip of the last weekend!!!).<br /><br />So far I'm happy with the Eagle Seafinder 240DF.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Fishfinders, again

Thanks to all who have replied so far. I am cetain I need something, my depth finder that was on my boat when I bought it is not reliable. I was out today and it said I was cruising in consistent 8' depths up to the launch. Guess what?!!! I wasn't that deep, I was still in 5' water according to the depth finder and I hit bottom and could feel the prop and skeg bumping in the silt. So I need something more reliable. Thanks again for the replies.<br /><br />David

 

[jofish]

Re: Fishfinders, again

I purchased a Hummingbird 200DX 3 years ago and don't have any complaints.I've had it on two boats,a 15' bass boat(alum) and 17.5 fish&ski(fiberglass) and it worked fine on both,showed depth and bottom contours good, sitting or at speed, shows fish(dont'mean your gonna catchem!)I like to see the fish ID's but I use it mainly for for finding certain spot's(edge of channels,holes etc.)for which it is indespensable, all in all I'm happy with it but it's the first one I've bought so I may have tunnel vision!<br />P.S. Very easy to install and use just follow the instructions ....Good luck

 

[John_S]

Re: Fishfinders, again

"So I need something more reliable. "<br /><br />David,<br /><br />I have Humminbird and Eagle Fishfinders. I currently have a couple of Wide Potrait w/number of diff transducers, a Wide Optic Portable, and an Eagle Supra Pro Id which came on my newest boat. Prior to these, I had a Portable TCR101, which did die on me, after a good number of years service. <br /><br />With all of these, there have been times where they will not read correctly on plane. Even after spending time, finding a "good" transom location, a change in people/boat loading and water conditions, speed/trim, could cause it to loose the correct depth. Many times I've seen them lock on an old reading when it looses it. Other times I've seen them jump wildly to large depths. Also, many of the transom mount transducers can get bumped or loosen and go into an angled condition where they read exagerated depths. They work well most of the time, but would never go to 100% reliable for depth readings on plane. Maybe there is such a thing as a "perfect" transom location, but I've yet to find it. <br /><br />Maybe I am a bit parinoid from doing allot of fishing in a stained river, where depth is always variable, and structure changes every year, but I wouldn't be on plane with my finder reading only 8' and not knowing the water.<br /><br />Correction: The Eagle fishfinder is a Supra Pro, not a Fish Id, as I originally stated.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Fishfinders, again

David<br />The Garmins and the Eagle you mention are all good units. If you are fishing inland only and waters under 100 feet then they are all good. If you should fish deeper then the resolution becomes important. Hummingbirds units I hope have improved but a year or so back there were so many hummingbird owners on here all saying the same thing. "I can not see bottom at anything over trolling speed." Everyone tried to help get transducer in a position they would work. My conclution was that the transducer it self must be creating turbulance and bubbles so you could not see bottom.<br /><br />If you plan to do any trolling then I think the speed transducer is a good thing to have. Also nice to have when when passing a marina or in a 5 mph speed zone. GPS will give you ground speed but not water speed.<br /><br />I know you said you like Fish symbols not arches But to me is like drawing a stick figure of a pretty Lady in a Bikini verses a nice color picture. The fish symbols will come up for a leaf, stick, tree limb, plastic bag or anything that give a return that is not on the bottom. You will think there are fish everywhere but you can not catch them. I guess it really does not matter when picking a unit as I do not know of a unit that does not allow you to see raw returns.<br /><br />Last thing is color. Not cheap but so much easier to see I think worth the extra. If you care for your unit it will last a long time. My 1981 unit same as new today.<br /><br />Lowrance and Eagle, same company have simulator you can download to your PC and see what each button does so you can test drive it on your PC. All simulators show fish everywhere and it that were so would be no need for a fish finder.<br /><br />Water depth is from the transducer down so if your boat has a 2 foot draft and it is showing 3.0 feet that is really 5 feet. You can adjust ofset to show actual depth. Running at planning speeds in shallow water not a good idea. To start with what you see in the right most pixel in under the transducer usually at the stern of the boat. What you see in the middle of the screen at planning speeds could be 1/4 mile behind the boat.

 

[farginicehole]

Re: Fishfinders, again

The UPS man just delivered my new Furuno LS4100 yesterday. Other than ThomWV, no one else has commented on these. I hope I made a good choice! I do inland lake and river fishing and sometimes go out and troll for salmon on Lake Michigan.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Fishfinders, again

I guess I should clarify my statement about cruising, I was not on plane, but I was running faster than I probably should have been. I was approaching a launch at a 90* angle and thought I was in the same area I was when I left the same launch with no problem. So I was exercising some caution, just relying on my depthfinder a little too much, C'est La Vie, I'll know better next time, and I didn't do any noticeable damage to the boat. And the primary use of the fishfinder would be for entertainment purposes of the tricycle motor. He gets bored on the boat easily and I thought he'd be amused. but I do want to use it to fish with the 14 year son too. Than you to all who've tried to help me.

 

[John_S]

Re: Fishfinders, again

David,<br />Thanks for clarifing your speed. Cruise to me is somewhere between on-plane and WOT. at any speed at all, a fishfinder is only good for showing you what you just hit. By depthfinder, I assume you mean one of those digital readout gauges. Never had one, but think they use a similar transducer. Consistant over depth readings on a fishfinder usually means the transducer is out of alignment, ie pointing at an angle. Sometimes they will read less depth, when going over a thick weed bed. <br /><br />I don't have problems with readings, below plane speeds. I sometimes travel through streaches of 1-3 feet of water (motor in shallow water position, idle speed). At 2' the motor gets shutoff, and its drift or oar. At 1' the motor is lifted completly out of the water. Works "most" of the times for my conditions, but it is not flawless.<br /><br />I agree with you on the fish symbols and not just for 2 year olds. When you are putting through a familiar channel, kids of all ages tend to get bored. They will watch the display, and jump "there's a BIG one!!". At that point, it doesn't matter that it might be a group of small fish, a cross section of a log, or anything else. Want to really amaze them? When traveling in familiar water that is usually vacant of fish, throw it in simulator mode ;-) <br /><br />BTW, I am not advocating or slamming any brands or models. Was just trying to point out a "common" issue I have seen.

 

[SingleShot]

Re: Fishfinders, again

I can run 45 with my Garmin 240 and I've never lost the bottom yet. Transom mount. For the money I don't think you can go wrong.<br /><br />JK