Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

[flavtfan]

i'm fishing out of destin florida and was wondering which unit do you all feel is going to be more reliable, user friendly, last the longest, and any other pros and cons there may be of the two.

 

[Boydski]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

i'm fishing out of destin florida and was wondering which unit do you all feel is going to be more reliable, user friendly, last the longest, and any other pros and cons there may be of the two.

It just so happens that I have both units in my boat. I find the Humminbird to be a much better fishfinder (the side scan is awesome) and is much more user friendly and easier to use than the Lowrance.

The Lowrance has a little bit larger screen, so makes a better chart plotter than the Humminbird. I tend to leave the LCX38 on as a full screen chart plotter and use the 997 as a fishfinder, locatate, and side scan imager.

YMMV.
Good luck,

 

[flavtfan]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

i don't have that luxury..so if you were to have to pick one of the two....which one would it be...i'm leaning toward the 997 but they usually seem to target the freshwater guys. just wonder if they can take the beating in the gulf. would the 997 be a sufficient GPS and how far have you been able to look down with the sidescan...i know it says 150 but in the gulf where it's salty as hell..is that a realistic number?

 

[Boydski]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

If I had to pick just one, I'd stay with the Humminbird. I find it so much easier to use (especially when underway and the boat is "bouncing" a bit).

The sidescan works well down to 150' in salt water. Deeper than that and I just switch to the fishfinder. In fresh water, I've been able to locate wrecks down to 200' and aircraft down to about 165'. I've also easily been able to find wrecks in saltwater at 300' with the fishfinder. It is a very nice (but pricey) unit.

 

[flavtfan]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

thanks..i'm looking at getting one for around 1850 with the NVB package...is the 3000 ft 50/200 transducer worth the extra or is the standard 1500 ft one just fine?

 

[Boydski]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

thanks..i'm looking at getting one for around 1850 with the NVB package...is the 3000 ft 50/200 transducer worth the extra or is the standard 1500 ft one just fine?

I just have the standard HDSI (high definition side imaging) transducer and I've been quite happy with it, but I'm really not interested in anything deeper than about 300'. If I remember correctly, the "high power", 1000 W tranducer did not support side imaging, but its been a while since I checked.

I also have the NVB and think that the charts are very good.

Good Luck,

 

[haulinbass]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

Another vote for the 997. That is a great unit. We have been selling a bunch of the 797 and 997.

 

[flavtfan]

Re: Which should i get lowrance 38c hd combo or the humminbird 997c combo

think i'm pretty much sold on the 997 with the standard ducer and the NVB package...not sure i can get it any cheaper than 1850