Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

[suddendebt]

I have a lowrance gps/sonar unit and am looking for upgraded maps to put in it for fishing/navigation. I see Map Create and Hotspots advertised a lot, but don't know anyone who has used them. What are your recomendations for combination lakes and bays?

 

[HONKER1]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I purchased the Navionics HotMaps for the West. It helps with lakes that I haven't fished before to find the deep holes. There seems to be enough information to keep a person out of trouble.
Will be interesting to follow your thread and see what other members say.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I have Map Create that I use on my Lowrance H2O C. It is really more for land navigation. Street maps and Hicking trails. It has elevation contures but no water depths or conture lines. The shore line are more detailed but out in the middle of a large lake or ocean looks the same as base map to me.

 

[John_S]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I agree with Boatist, about Map Create. Go to Navionics website and see what runs on your gps. You will have to pick between fishing maps and navigation.

 

[tommays]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

While other maps will work i have found the Lowrance SD maps to have the best function with there units

Meaning they will mark locations and zoom in without the hickups of non-lowrance stuff

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I use Fishing Hot Spots Elite. While it is great for major lakes, it is no better than the base map for a lot of the reservoirs and rivers I fish.

 

[suddendebt]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

How much difference is ther between the fishing and navigational maps.
I can find fish, I just want to know what the bottom looks like.
Do they both give detailed contours?
Does one have more contours?
Thanks. It's great to be able to bounce questions off experienced people.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

They give them for some bodies of water but not all. If it is an enhanced map it will have contours. What body of water are you most interested?

 

[suddendebt]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I would like to see a lot of Galveston Bay, TX. I've fished there a lot, but it's big, more like 3 or 4 bays together. With Hurricane Ike having ruined most of the ramps and bait camps I'm used to, I need to move to new waters.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I have a Lowrance with Map Create - the cartography is outdated (by over ten years) and generally atrocious - many bouys are inland!
I also have a Sitex with a Navionics cart. This is the way to go.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I have the Lowrance 520C DF with the Fishing Hotspots and I also bought Map Create. If you're looking for the ulitmate fishing guide, this is not it unless you just happen to be on the right lake. My favorite lake is on it but without contours. However, you can record sonar and over time you can create some pretty decent maps with map create.

 

[CaptainMorgan3]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

Backround: I have a Lowrance Elite-4 HDI. First off I love the unit!!! The base maps is decent to good but I want to try and get something a little more detailed. I fish on the larger Arizona lakes. ie. Roosevelt, Pleasant, Bartlett, Powell. As well as coastal waters off of Puerto Penasco, Mexico and San Diego.

Problem: My marine dealer is trying to convince me of 2 things.

1. That I will be able to get inland lakes and coastal waters in detailed charts with the Navionics Gold Chip.
2. He knows Absolutely what he is talking about when it comes to Navionics charts chips.

From what I can read on the internet this is simply not true and many people have had a great deal of trouble with all sorts of issues such as this.

Does anyone have the chip and can test it for me or just know the chip well enough to tell me? That way I can put my worries to bed and get to fishing? I have a feeling I will need to buy 2 chips in order to get done what I am trying to get done.

Thanks,

Captain Morgan

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

Give this a shot for Navionics. It's a web app that you can zoom in just about any lake to see the detail/lack of detail for that lake. WebApp | Navionics For example, if I look at Lake Allatoona on NW GA, the lake is mapped fairly well except at the extreme northern areas.

Everything I see (no experience) is the Navionics Gold covers only coastal and Great Lakes. One of the vendors I look at has this warning - "PLEASE NOTE: THE GOLD CHARTS ARE MAPS FOR COASTAL WATERS AND THE GREAT LAKES. FRESH WATER LAKES ARE NOT COVERED ON THIS MAP PROGRAM."

 

[OllieC]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

I use Lake Insight for my Elite 7. Works great on both Lake Superior and the Mississippi River. I'm not sure if the Elite 4 supports it, but if you want more bottom contour detail, get the Insight Genesis. Insight Genesis allows you to custom map the bottom of your lake.

 

[sentrysam]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

i have Lowrance units on my 1900 cc Keywest ,the HDS 7 and a 25 c ,navionics is what i use on each one ,plus self loaded waypoints I've discovered and borrowed from others.HDS 7 has a lot of things on it already but the chips help even better .FYI ,i have an extra navioncs chip I'd be willing to sell for a real reasonable price .It's the MSD/1XG,all USA and Northern Bahamas .and another Fishing hotspots chip,FHSP-E Eastern USA,,840 premier lakes if anyone is in interest .I had a 220Proline that I sold and took my chips out before it left my yard .PM me if you would like to ask any thing about them ..tight lines ....ss

 

[JB]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

Hey, guys. This is a 5 year old thread!!

 

[OllieC]

Re: Best Maps for Lowrance GPS/Sonar

hey, guys. this is a 5 year old thread!!

lol!!!!

 

[Coast Ranger]

A 5 year old thread - a year and a half ago - and still some good info. I just picked up an Elite 5 HDI and want to get a chart chip that will show lakes and rivers close to the coast. My boat won't go off shore, but we fish the inlets right up to the jettys. Any suggestions are appreciated.

CR

 

[GA_Boater]

A 5 year old thread - a year and a half ago - and still some good info. I just picked up an Elite 5 HDI and want to get a chart chip that will show lakes and rivers close to the coast. My boat won't go off shore, but we fish the inlets right up to the jettys. Any suggestions are appreciated.

CR

Good information or not, read the rules and guidelines, then start a new thread.