Humminbird Down Imaging?

[sutor623]

Any of you fine folks have any experiences with Humminbirds down imaging on their fishfinders? I am not looking for a chartplotter/fishfinder. I am looking for a good quality fishfinder that is around the $300-$400 mark. I was thinking maybe the 345c di http://store.humminbird.com/products/482401/345c_DI

Any other brands that you guys have had a good experience with in this price range??

 

[azboater2]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I have a 798c HD SI and boy do I love it. Now, let me say I'm a lousy fisherman, but I love gadgets and that unit is easy to read, takes Navonics Hot Maps charts (Lake maps here in Arizona) has 2 SD card slots, one for your chart, one to save routes, way-points and screen captures on. It can even capture a video of your adventures for you to play back latter. The down imaging and side imaging take some thought and practice to get use to however, but after a while you start to see things pop out at you and you can get your head around what your seeing. The feature that sold me on my unit was 640 by 640 resolution, that screen looks GOOD. On a budget, which we all are, look at the 500 series, lots of times Bass Pro and others have them on sale.

Good Luck, you will be happy.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I have a 798c HD SI and boy do I love it. Now, let me say I'm a lousy fisherman, but I love gadgets and that unit is easy to read, takes Navonics Hot Maps charts (Lake maps here in Arizona) has 2 SD card slots, one for your chart, one to save routes, way-points and screen captures on. It can even capture a video of your adventures for you to play back latter. The down imaging and side imaging take some thought and practice to get use to however, but after a while you start to see things pop out at you and you can get your head around what your seeing. The feature that sold me on my unit was 640 by 640 resolution, that screen looks GOOD. On a budget, which we all are, look at the 500 series, lots of times Bass Pro and others have them on sale.

Good Luck, you will be happy.

Thanks man. Great input!!

 

[dlngr]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I have the 587,and I love it!! It'll do more than I'll ever learn to use though! As azboater says i just love gadgets too. I explored a local lake formed from a strip mine last fall,I may have actually gotten lost without the gps to lead me back to the dock. And that is with the map that comes inside the unit,no extra charts or maps .

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I bought the 597 HD DI and I love it. For me the biggest draw back to the 345 is the small screen size. I was initially thinking the 345, but I eventually bought the 597 with the DI. A friend bought the 597 without the DI and he is also pleased with that unit. The DI unit has less power, but has down imaging. He wanted the maximum depth for great lakes fishing. I wanted the DI for the small lakes I fish. I strongly recommend the Lake Master maps if they are available for your area. The Lakemaster maps have details the the Navionics do not have on my favorite lake. For example, Lake master shows a sunken island that Navionics and other sources missed.

TerryMSU

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

Sweet guys thanks for all the great input!! It sounds like humminbird Down Imaging is really a crowd pleaser, and not just a sales gimmick. I am tired of my little BS fishfinder that is so misleading that I may as well just cast blind!

 

[John_S]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

DI is good for identifing structure on the bottom. Not that good at finding suspended fish. It is best used with a split DI/2D screen, and that is why the 300 series screens are too small.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

DI is good for identifing structure on the bottom. Not that good at finding suspended fish. It is best used with a split DI/2D screen, and that is why the 300 series screens are too small.

So you believe that you need more room to acomodate for the split screen?

 

[John_S]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

So you believe that you need more room to acomodate for the split screen?

IMO, the 300 series is barely big enough to do 2D, let alone any split screen. Split screen compresses the verticle in half. Alternatively, you can mainly run in 2d and only switch to DI when you see something you want more definition on. Say the 2D shows a big blob on the bottom, DI will help determine if that is a tree, a pile of brush, rocks, weeds, sunken boat, etc.

I have a 798 and seldom use the DI only screen. If I am drifting or using the trolling motor in stop and go, will have on either split 2D/DI or 2D only displayed.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

IMO, the 300 series is barely big enough to do 2D, let alone any split screen. Split screen compresses the verticle in half. Alternatively, you can mainly run in 2d and only switch to DI when you see something you want more definition on. Say the 2D shows a big blob on the bottom, DI will help determine if that is a tree, a pile of brush, rocks, weeds, sunken boat, etc.

I have a 798 and seldom use the DI only screen. If I am drifting or using the trolling motor in stop and go, will have on either split 2D/DI or 2D only displayed.

Oh. Well I thought the down imaging looked pretty damn awesome. But the thing is, I really care more about distinguishing between game fish and bait fish. I want a reliable unit that allows me to see what fish are under me. Any recommendations for that John? I like the DI, but it sounds like it is not exactly what I am after. I just want a more defined "fish icon" on the screen. It is cool to know what objects are under you, but I am more concerned about the fish.

 

[John_S]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

DI can help determine if it is bait ball vs larger fish, directly under the boat. DI is very narrow beam, so its not good at finding fish to either side of the boat. No matter what the sonar, it takes time and expeirence to use it to its full potential.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

John, what about the side sonar that kind of looks like video camera images? What is the deal with that type of technology?

 

[John_S]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

John, what about the side sonar that kind of looks like video camera images? What is the deal with that type of technology?

I have been using that for a few years and like it. I fish allot in rivers, which structure/cover changes year to year, or more appropriatly, flood to flood. I am able to cover a wide swath and find new structure/cover. With 2D I had to go right over top of it before I knew it was there. Its a great tool for learning new water, as well.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I have been using that for a few years and like it. I fish allot in rivers, which structure/cover changes year to year, or more appropriatly, flood to flood. I am able to cover a wide swath and find new structure/cover. With 2D I had to go right over top of it before I knew it was there. Its a great tool for learning new water, as well.

Yeah that is where I am headed. I think I am just going to wait until I save up 6 or 700 for a really nice finder. That or maybe just keep my eyes open on CL.

 

[azboater2]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

Oh. Well I thought the down imaging looked pretty damn awesome. But the thing is, I really care more about distinguishing between game fish and bait fish. I want a reliable unit that allows me to see what fish are under me. Any recommendations for that John? I like the DI, but it sounds like it is not exactly what I am after. I just want a more defined "fish icon" on the screen. It is cool to know what objects are under you, but I am more concerned about the fish.

You don't have to use the DI or SI screen, it's just an option, you can look at the regular sonar screens or both if you have screen room. My 797 has a dual frequency sonar beam, and I could see my kids soda bottle with rocks in it as he lowered it on a string (minnow catcher).

So the DI screen is used to locate structure, the map screen to get you there and back, and the sonar screen to catch the fish. In other words all DI/SI units, either Humminbird of Lowrance are also great sonar units, but the have additional DI/SI screens.

Personaly, since I don't fish much because the fish don't like me, I usually use the Map/Sonar split screen, that way I nav around the lakes and keep an eye on the bottom to stay out of trouble, then switch to DI of I notice something cool.

 

[John_S]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

Yea, the 797 has dual freq 2D, 200kHz/83kHz. The HB DI units only have the 200kHz, single beam for 2D. The DI is 455KHz, same as your two SI beams. To get the DI, you have to give up the wide 83kHz beam, which is good for finding suspended fish.

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I am in a similar price range and I am looking at the Lowrance Elite-5x DSI vs the Regular Elite-5x

http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Elite5x-DSI-Color-Fishfinder/product/10209989/101189

I am confused as to why they are both the same price I can't find anything that explains why the Elite-5x would be a better unit (besides the fact it is missing DS)

I guess i was under the impression that much like GPS the DS and SI were 'features' that added price. Often at the cost of other things if price is the same (sonar power etc).

I am primarly bassfishing shallow often visible weedlines, docks, shoreline, lillypads etc....so I don't know if its better for me to focus on best possible 'regular' sonar as possible for performance at speed, clarity, etc.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

The only difference is more than likely the DSI. If you don't like a pretty "picture" of what structure is under you, than don't worry about the DSI.

 

[doomanmxz99]

Re: Humminbird Down Imaging?

I have the 570DI and it has DI and switchfire dual beam for 2D. It does work great for all kinds of fishing and scouting. If you are interested I am selling it because I upgraded to 998c SI and it was on the boat for one summer. The screen is big enough to have DI and 2D at the same time with no problems. Now something to remember is DI only works at slows speeds.