Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

[bonz_d]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

I have a Humminbird 581HD DI and the GPS is just "OK". It shows the outline of the lake and the boat's position, but that's it. Still saving my pennies for the $150 Navionics map.....

That one was also on my list to look at. Tell us more please.
Think I'll take a closer look at the Lowrance Elite.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Tell us more please.

More, as in???

I bought the 581 HD DI combo last year as it was the best bang for the buck HD DI GPS combo available at that time, Lowrance didn't have anything that compared in features. It's monochrome, so no pretty colors, but it has split screen so you can view HD sonar and DI at the same time, or GPS and sonar at the same time, or each separately. I'm happy with the purchase, but still need to buy the map. DI is pretty cool, though DI doesn't work if the boat is pitching around in waves, which is what I'm usually fishing in....

At one time I had 3 sonar's on the boat, but pulled all the old ones off and installed the 581 HD DI combo at the helm and a 571 HD DI on the dog house. One thing I didn't like about the old sonars is I could only run them one at a time (they would interfere with each other) but I can set the Humminbirds to different frequencies and they play nice together. They both use the same xducers and bases, so I can swap them back and forth also,,, IE: if the 581 dies I can swap it with the 571.

Cons;
- The 5" screen makes things look small if in split screen. Kind of a petty grudge as I would rather have the option of split screen and deal with it, then to not have it. Split screen would look better in a 7 or 8" screen...... But I'm not dropping that much money into a sonar.
- You'll need to spend another $100-150 for mapping software is you want the GPS to show lake structure.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Thanks fishrdan, AC I don't mean to hijack your thread, just thought we could both learn something from an actual user.
I find that interesting about the DI and a rocking boat, I did not know that .

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

I find that interesting about the DI and a rocking boat, I did not know that .

DI takes thin slices of the water column to make the DI image, those slices should be directly under the boat (transducer). If the boat is pitching fore-aft, then it's taking the slice images; in front, underneath and behind the boat, so the image on the screen is going to be all jumbled up. DI also needs to have the boat moving to produce a DI image, if the boat is standing still DI won't work, or if the boat is side-drifting DI won't work.

For that reason, I wouldn't want to have a sonar that's DI only (IE: Lowrance Mark 5x DSI)

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Thanks fishrdan, AC I don't mean to hijack your thread, just thought we could both learn something from an actual user.
I find that interesting about the DI and a rocking boat, I did not know that .

Thanks Dan! That really helps.

Bonz No worries! Im happy to share the thread as long as we dont start talking about dogs, cats, how pretty the flowers were this spring etc. Last time I was at Cabelas I started looking but thats a lot of info to take in and I can barely use my new phone. So this definitely helps point me where to go and what I should be spending.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

AC, that makes 2 of us. Thanks again fishrdan.

AC do you use the ramps at the Chain State Park? If so do you ever come up river to Wilmot?

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

AC, that makes 2 of us. Thanks again fishrdan.

AC do you use the ramps at the Chain State Park? If so do you ever come up river to Wilmot?

Yes we do launch out of there sometimes, but I have never headed north on the river. If we launch at the park we stay on the lakes mostly or head south. Most of the time I launch at the Broken Oar in Port Barrington and head up to the lakes through the locks. Fishing any good on the upper river?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Last time I was at Cabelas I started looking

Glad to help and it's good that you're looking, before buying blindly.

The bad part about shopping for sonar units is figuring out what options you want and need. To me, DI and GPS were more important than a color screen, so I bought a monochrome unit.

Also, there are probably 100 different models of sonar units available, but no store is going to stock all of those models. My last 3 sonar units have been bought on the internet since the local store didn't stock the model I wanted. They had the model below and above, but not the one I wanted.....

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Glad to help and it's good that you're looking, before buying blindly.

The bad part about shopping for sonar units is figuring out what options you want and need. To me, DI and GPS were more important than a color screen, so I bought a monochrome unit.

Also, there are probably 100 different models of sonar units available, but no store is going to stock all of those models. My last 3 sonar units have been bought on the internet since the local store didn't stock the model I wanted. They had the model below and above, but not the one I wanted.....

I just got so confused and walked away. Im not sure exactly what I need so your input is greatly appreciated! If you watch the Fishing network you start to think you need it all by the number fish they pull out during a show. The other thing is I dont think I ever caught a fish when the locator said there were fish there, so I look at bottom structure and depth and go from there.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Upper part of the River, you name it it's in there. Last Fall a local on Lake-Link.com caught a 38-39" Musky between Wilmot and Silver Lake. Also largemouth, smallmouth, walleye and big cats.

I don't get down to the Chain any more because they charge us Cheezeheads to much money for the stickers.

On the Twin Lakes I don't use my sonar much because most of the time I'm in soup so thick the trolling motor has a hard time getting through it. But it's nice to have.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Were talking electronics now? I like the hds-7 insight. I have two of them and love them. You need to set yourself up with a dash mount and forward bow. You can network everything with nmea2000. Down/sidescan will cost you an extra $500.00 but its cool to have for fishing structure.

Pics of unit running Down scan and side scan next to each other


Depth/fish finder next to down scan.




Radar and chart plotter side by side. This is wonderful at night and in the fog can be a life saver!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

If you watch the Fishing network you start to think you need it all by the number fish they pull out during a show. The other thing is I dont think I ever caught a fish when the locator said there were fish there, so I look at bottom structure and depth and go from there.

LOL, yeah... I used to watch a lot of fishing shows, then most of them turned into a 30 minute commercial and lost me. Gotta have this and that if you're going to have any chance of catching a fish... :facepalm:

I'm 50-50 on using sonar. If I'm fishing the river below Hoover Dam I don't use any electronics as sonar lies too much, bubbles in the water column causing bogus readings and then blind strikes you mentioned, fish coming from no-where. I use sonar on the lakes all the time though, locate structure, suspended fish, keeping a set depth, or going in-out between different depths.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

I called the thing a soap opera. Always saying something is going to happen but it doesn't.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Mighty fine looking rig, AC. I'm jealous. Happy boating.

Upper part of the River, you name it it's in there. Last Fall a local on Lake-Link.com caught a 38-39" Musky between Wilmot and Silver Lake. Also largemouth, smallmouth, walleye and big cats.

I don't get down to the Chain any more because they charge us Cheezeheads to much money for the stickers.

On the Twin Lakes I don't use my sonar much because most of the time I'm in soup so thick the trolling motor has a hard time getting through it. But it's nice to have.

Then next trip I'm going north on the river. On my stretch. It hasn't been great.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

AC, is that your ol Sea Nymph I see posted on CL today?

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Yep, My buddy posted the ad for me and its priced high since you know everyone tries to low ball it there.....or is because I want to keep it???? lol. Anyways Ill sell it much cheaper than the listing says.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Were talking electronics now? I like the hds-7 insight. I have two of them and love them. You need to set yourself up with a dash mount and forward bow. You can network everything with nmea2000. Down/sidescan will cost you an extra $500.00 but its cool to have for fishing structure.

Pics of unit running Down scan and side scan next to each other


Depth/fish finder next to down scan.




Radar and chart plotter side by side. This is wonderful at night and in the fog can be a life saver!

Wow very high tech compared to anything I have used.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Yep, My buddy posted the ad for me and its priced high since you know everyone tries to low ball it there.....or is because I want to keep it???? lol. Anyways Ill sell it much cheaper than the listing says.

Looked like a fair price to me. Someone should find happiness with it.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

Drift socks -- email tom@protackle.com
Electronics-- search thegpsstore.com

 

[izoomie]

Re: Looking at a newer fishing boat. What do you guys think.

You can get some nice fish/ski aluminum boats. I like aluminum cause it's lighter to pull with the truck and push on the water. The newer welded hulls are really smooth.