Ocean fish finder/gps

[vince champion]

Hi i was wondering what is a good and affordable gps/fish finder that will do its job fishing in the sea? I been taking a look at the lowrance lms series is that good enough for ocean? I will need a unit with GPS, and a good fish finder. My budget is around 400 to 600.

A few problem i came accross with other fish finder was with humminbird i cant go over 25mph and the fish finder goes crazy until i slow back down the it starts to pick up the correct depth and fish. Is there a fish finder where i was able to go over 35 mph and still meter fish?

Thanks vince.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

Vince, The problem with your FF not working at speed is likely due to where it is installed. If it is transom-mounted, you might lower it a bit and see if it is better. It should not have the keel or a strake of the boat near it, or the bubbles will destroy it's ability to see bottom. Alsomake sure it is locked into the vertical position, and not flapping around at speed. You might try installing it in the bilge of the boat, if you have a spot near the bottom that is solid glass. It can shoot thru the glass, if it is kept wet.

I am about to purchase a Garmin GPSMap 540S which is a GPS/FF combo. It is a pretty good product and if you shop around, it can be had for less than $550.

 

[GaBoy]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

I looked at a Lowrance 520 and 522. I was told they have more functions and is the best for the buck.

 

[vince champion]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

hmm thanks for your inputs. I was sure i mounted at the right position it was at the flattest and lowest part of the transom/stern. Ill try it again once i get a new gps system.

So a lowrance 520 huh. Aint the 525 better and is only 50 dollars more?

 

[whofan]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

hmm thanks for your inputs. I was sure i mounted at the right position it was at the flattest and lowest part of the transom/stern. Ill try it again once i get a new gps system.

So a lowrance 520 huh. Aint the 525 better and is only 50 dollars more?

I believe the 525c has a dual frequency transducer. If your Ocean using in deep water you want a dual frequency transducer, The LMS 520c is the freshwater version.
People say Furuno is the brand name graph too look at for sea going.
Furuno is highly reconmended for saltwater use.

I myself got a great deal from the Iboats marine store on a Lowrance 5200 GPS and X510 sonar.
Your best deal for shopping is right here.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

I agree with what Chris said but will add that the older hummingbirds all had that problem. In the old days there would 3 or 4 threads all the time about not being able to see bottom and fish above trolling speed.

Important factor in which unit to buy is how deep of salt water will you fish.
The 522 only has 2400 watt PeP power or 300 watts RMS and it is a single frewuency. So I would not expect to see fish deeper than 125 max with the standard 200KHZ 20 degree transducer.

The 525 has 4000 watts PeP power or 500 watts RMS. It is also dual frequency so whould be able to see fish out to about 400 feet with the 200khz 12 degree transducer. The 50KHZ 37 degree transducer will see fish even deeper.

If you fish deeper than 500 feet then go with Furuno.


Bodega Bay Weather on May 2 08 Improving Launch but watch the weather.
Winds NW 310 degrees true at 25.3 knots with gust to 29.2 knots
Seas 6.2 feet with swells every 16 sec and chop every 4.6 sec, Sea Temp 49.1 degrees.
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46013

 

[vince champion]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

Thx for all your help. I doubt ill be fishing past 300 400 ft. My goal is having a good ff to fish around long beach break walls, all the way to catalina. Deepest will probably be rock fish 300ft. So would the garmin 540s or the lowrance lms 525 be better?

The lowrance has better resolution and bigger screen.

but garmin looks alot easier to use. But it wouldnt be any difference once i get use to it.

Vince.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Ocean fish finder/gps

I really like the Lowrance better. The screen is just better. I think the Lowrance is very easy to operate. First everything is automatic unless you set to manual mode for some reason. In automatic mode you can still adjust sensitivity. Every menu iteam has pop up instructions to tell you what it does so you really do not even need the book. Also when turn off and take it inside to store so does not get stollen or over heated by the sun it still remembers how it was set up and when you turn it back on will use the same setting as when you turned it off.

I Started to tell you that you can not fish deeper than 180 feet but then checked the regulations and you are allowed to fish 360 feet.

UP here in the San Francisco area we can only fish 180 feet deep for rock fish. A few years back it was only 20 fathoms or 120 feet. Anyway we can now go to 30 fathoms or 180 feet. Up here they have dammed up every river where the Salmon spon and built tiny haterary. When the Salmon head down river to the ocean they have big delta water pumps pumping water to the farmers down south so they can grow Cotton in the desert. Salmon headed down to the Ocean get sucked up by the pumps. Also the pumps are so strong the river flows upstream to the pumps and Salmon still swim down river until they get caught in the flow an killed in the pumps.

So they have totally closed the Salmon Season for recreational fishermen and the commerical boys. It is closed in the entire North half of California. Striped bass will be next to be closed.


Bodega Bay Weather May 5 2008
Winds NW 320 true 17.5 knots with gust to 21.4 knots, Water temperature 50.0 degrees F
Seas 9.2 foot Swells every 10 seconds, Chop 6.8 seconds Swell steepness = average.
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46013