Fish finder for christmas?

[rcl700]

I'm looking a getting a fish finder for Christmas and would like your thoughts on what's the best deal. I'm on a budget

It will be for local lakes no saltwater.

Do I need a gps combo? What are the benifits?

All info welcome.

 

[Starcraftguy1]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

To tell you the truth,if you are going with a fishfinder for freshwater lakes and rivers I would go with a Hummingbird something.The Matrix is a fine fishfinder and is GPS compatable if you wish to learn it first and then upgrade later.

 

[Starcraftguy1]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

A GPS is hard to learn and use correctly,if you are good at them things and can use it all the time you will always be able to get back to and stay at a spot that you caught fish before.Even at night.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

I'm looking a getting a fish finder for Christmas and would like your thoughts on what's the best deal. I'm on a budget
It will be for local lakes no saltwater.
Do I need a gps combo? What are the benefits?
All info welcome.

Hi- I personally have been using an older Garmin for GPS that doesn't take Navionics chips in combo with printed depth contour maps. I think GPS is a very important add-on, but don't spend money on a cheap sonar just to get GPS.

Questions: first, how big are the waters you usually fish? What species do you fish for? How big is your boat?

These are all factors that effect what the best approach for selecting a sonar. To a lesser degree, GPS as well.

My approach is to have separate sonar and GPS- I recently upgraded from my ancient Eagle sonar to a new Eagle Fishmark 480. I have had it out four or five times now and I am gaining confidence with it, and with its great resolution and features it will be a huge improvement once using it becomes second nature. That was only about $190. I am planning to get a new GPS next year and have picked the Eagle 640C GPS combo.

So that is the biggest question: What is your budget? If it is $500 I would say get something like the Eagle 640C which has GPS built in. Plus it takes Navionics chips.

If only $200 I would say save your pennies, get something in the range of the Fishmark 480 for resolution, and then add a GPS combo next year-

I wouldn't buy a lesser sonar - I would say save your money and get something usable in the the spring. Usable seems to start about $185-$230...

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

I have a 18ft pontoon that will be ready to go by spring. I mostly fish for crapie at night on a smaller local lake where I know my way around. I would like to get out on some of are big lakes now that I have a boat that can do it an try some striper fishing. The problem I see is getting on the big lakes and getting lost. Will the GPS help get me back to the ramp?

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

I have a 18ft pontoon that will be ready to go by spring. I mostly fish for crapie at night on a smaller local lake where I know my way around. I would like to get out on some of are big lakes now that I have a boat that can do it an try some striper fishing. The problem I see is getting on the big lakes and getting lost. Will the GPS help get me back to the ramp?

I mark the ramps so I know where to go back to. I have one ramp I use that always gave me grief finding again until I marked it with a waypoint.

I have an HDS-7 and love it as a combo unit, but it is pricey. The Eagle units are good as well, just I upgraded to a bigger screen so I can do the split view (sonar/chart) better as I tend to mark where I see fish.

 

[TexMojo]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

I use lowrance products also and I love having the gps, it will get you back to your launch, once you find those stipers, you can mark it and keep coming back to that hole. Not to mention the countours help you find those ledges, dropoffs and such where fish will ambush bait. Lowrance and Hummingbird both have side imaging now and they are awesome but I won't have one for some year since they are very pricey right now but I hear they work really well looking for structure that crappie like to hang out in. Good Luck.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

The problem I see is getting on the big lakes and getting lost. Will the GPS help get me back to the ramp?

Tacklewasher and tex answered- but yes, GPS can get you back to the ramp. The Lowrance unit mentioned as a combo is a good unit, but as he mentioned about the bigger screen... Well, that is why I like separate units- the Eagle Fishmark 480 has a fairly large display, and when I add the GPS next season I will have two large displays. By running two units (one a combo) I will have a backup sonar as well for about the same price as a GPS-only unit.

I like GPS but even with GPS I have always carried a paper map in the dry locker when on unfamiliar lakes and especially at night. But the GPS I have is old- the newer ones don't blank out or get confused like the older, slower, bulkier, lower-tech units (which I have- one is over ten years old, the other might be one of the first Garmin handhelds!) GPS is a huge deal, yes, but you should still have a compass and paper maps when on big water.

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

What are your thoughts on the


H-bird 365i gps combo

$280.

I have never had a sonar or gps in the boat but need it.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

H-bird 365i gps combo $280

Pros:

1. Price
2. Some kind of GPS is better than no GPS
3. Fishfinder features OK , slightly above entry level
4. Acceptable wattage for freshwater

Cons:

1. GPS display is a compromise
2. Small screen for split screen functions
3. entry-level resolution
4. won't take navionics chips (lake depth charts)
5. I am not a fan of humminbird, but they work.

I don't mind a black-and-white sonar, since the signals are not like a "picture" anyway and good resolution ann understanding of what you see on the display will show you as much grayscale as it will in color.

GPS, however, is much better color in my opinion.

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Ok thanks for the review!!!

I need some other options around this price range. That are good units.
$300 or around.

Would it be better to get a fishfinder then get a hand held gps??

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

I need some other options around this price range. That are good units. $300 or around. Would it be better to get a fishfinder then get a hand held gps??

For not much more than $300, you can get the Eagle FishElite 480($360) which is much better unit with higher resolution than the humminbird you mentioned, AND takes the Navionics chips. Second, the Eagle 642c trumps them both for resolution and features and for the same money right now.

Buying a handheld GPS is appealing, but something geared to fishing like the Oregon 400i is still about $500 by itself, but you can get a 320x320 Eagle sonar for $130 although that is the least quality I would suggest- 480x480 and up as shown above are getting quite inexpensive...

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

thank you for all the info

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Well I got a unit!!

I got a hummingbird 788c

found it on craigslist for a very good price. Its my Christmas gift.

this thing looks brand new!

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Well I got a unit!!

I got a hummingbird 788c

found it on craigslist for a very good price. Its my Christmas gift.

this thing looks brand new!

Thanks again for the help.

Guess its too late to say say no to Humminbirds & yes to Lowrance, Eagle or Garmin

Kidding (sorta) Gud luck & safe boating

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Ya too late.

Looks like a very nice unit. high res 640 x 640 I think

GPS & color & two card slots.

so we shall see

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Ya too late.

Looks like a very nice unit. high res 640 x 640 I think

GPS & color & two card slots.

so we shall see

Was just ribbing you a little
I've owned my share of Huminbirds & really cant say anything bad about them for the money

 

[John_S]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Well I got a unit!!

I got a hummingbird 788c

found it on craigslist for a very good price. Its my Christmas gift.

this thing looks brand new!

Thanks again for the help.

That's a good unit. It has everything my 798ci has minus side imaging. I am looking to get a 788 for the bow in spring.

Register the unit on the HB site, and get the latest firmware. HB has added new features since it was released.

 

[rcl700]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Can I reg. The unit even if I'm not the first owner?

What is needed to update ( a cord ) or does it update va a SD Card?

 

[John_S]

Re: Fish finder for christmas?

Can I reg. The unit even if I'm not the first owner?

What is needed to update ( a cord ) or does it update va a SD Card?

Yes, you can register a used and already registered unit. The person I sold my 797 to, was able to register it, and I did not have to delete it from my account. If you do have problems registering, contact HB and they will straighten it out or send the files direct to you.

I prefer to use a Sandisk SD chip over the PC USB/serial cable. You don't need a large capacity SD chip. An old 1 or 2G chip is way bigger than is needed. You will need a card/reader connected to your PC. 4G and larger chips, need a newer reader and S/W driver for your PC. Save the files to the SD chip, insert into card slot, and power-up the unit. A couple of menu items, and less than a minute, it is done.

If you do recording while you are on the water, I recommend the Sandisk Extreme III for the fastest recording times. You can save waypoints which will capture the screen image, too.