Thread: HB 581i?

What would you like to know about it. You can check the spec’s here as well as download an operations manual from the SUPPORT section of this page:
Humminbird 581i Combo Marine Fishfinder

I am looking for a finder/gps that is functional and easy to use. Not interested in every bell and whistle. It will be a console unit on an 860 war eagle and I dont troll. Primarily would be for finding condos, depth and temp. This unit looked like it would fit the bill and wasnt sure if there would be any feed back since I noticed it was a new model for 2010. If there was some, I was interested in hearing it.

If you want to find fish condos than I would suggest an Side Imaging model unit. There are a lot more expensive though and a little harder to learn to use – but the upside is that you can look at a much wider area of water in one pass with one of these and mark any interesting looking spots without having to run over them.

The 581i replaced the older 580 units so anyone with one of those should be able to give you feedback on what they like/dislike and how well it worked for them. I will point out though that the 581 uses the wider 83kHz 60 degree beam for showing Fish ID Symbols only. This is a restriction in the 500 series units. To see the actual sonar returns from this much wider area you would have to go to a 700 series unit. The 700 series units will allow you to show just the sonar information from the narrower 200kHz 20 degree beam, just the wider 83kHz 60 degree beam, both combined or both side-by-side.

I have one I bought awhile back. I really like this unit. Never ahd a problem with it at all. I primarily Bass fish & definitley don't have a problem findind structure of any kind. Have a 798CI SI on tournament boat & really like it as well. I primarily fish deep rocky lakes & haven't really saw anything from the side imaging units to help me there, but when on lakes that are shallower & have a lot more cover they are simply amazing. I think you'd be happy with either one.