Need recomendations for unit under 5 bills

[Crappie Reaper]

Looking at depth finders on a budget.
Ya'll help me with some suggestions so I can research and shop from there.
Thanks

[TapOut64]

This one is right at 5 bills and the price on it has not come down in over a year since I bought mine so I'm thinking that it is selling quite well. I'm very happy with mine.

[Crappie Reaper]

Thanks for the link Tapout. Anyone else like to chime in? I don't feel like spending 100 hours searching the net. I did that on the big screen and it drove me nuts. Here's a unit that caught my eye last night, but would an really wanting something with sidescan. Any cheapo sidescan units around?
LOWRANCE HDS-5X W/O DUCER DUE FEB 09

[Wannabe...]

Don't go with the 510C. If you want the Lowrance, call up 3 Rivers marine and ask for the 520C without the GPS puck. It'll be the same price, have the same functionality of the 510C but you'll have the capability of adding the GPS at a later date if you want or have the budget for it.

In addition, 3 Rivers will swap out the ducer to a trolling motor one from the standard transom mount at no charge, if that's what you need.

Bargain Prices on Marine Electronics!

Wannabe...

[Scrapper]

I agree...for 5 bills either of those lowrance units would be great. I like the lowrance/eagle stuff myself...others the humminbird.

If you want to play with the lowrance eagle stuff you can download emulators of whatever your looking at and actually see what you would be getting....its alot like the simulator function on each of the units but you can play with them on your computer. Then you can compare to the functionabilty and options of what YOU need compared to what you want to spend. Humminbird does not have these but they are neat to play with and will give you a better idea than just screen shots...kind of a try before you buy deal.

Eagle:

Product Emulators | Eagle


Lowrance:

Product Emulators | Lowrance


just download the ones you want to check out...then play with them to your hearts content...change settings, push buttons...look at color vs. b/w...anything you want. Hope this helps...I know how hard it can be sometimes...I just did what you talked about with a washing machine....I will research something to death...lol. good luck!

[Ranger690]

Do you want it with GPS or not? Color screen on not? Cheapest Side Scan is $900. If you really want Side Scan, buy a $125 unit now and continue saving for the SI.

Dayton

[J White]

Hey Reaper ole buddy ole pal - I can fix you up with a Piranha
for $499 incl. shipping WAIT order in the next 15 minutes and it's only $399
and I'll throw in some free lures :D

[speckfinder]

Lowrance coming out with new stuff soon. May be able to get good deals on current units after they do.

[Crappie Reaper]

Hey Reaper ole buddy ole pal - I can fix you up with a Piranha
for $499 incl. shipping WAIT order in the next 15 minutes and it's only $399
and I'll throw in some free lures :D

Guys, thanks for helping.

J White, anotha brotha from a brotha from anotha mother. Never heard of Pirahna, don't need those lures you're offering unless it's your "go to" lures. (In other words, if they have not worked for you, why waste my time testing them) I guess I could also forward them to Rusty. He'd try anything (Mikey Syndrom).

I don't window shop graphs much. My old Eagle ll Ultra I bought new in the 80's took a dump. I picked up a Bottomline Pro off Ebay last year that is just soso. I don't know beans about any of the modern units which is why I started this thread.

I'd be much better off if there was a philanthropist who loved to Crappie fish just ship me one for the betterment of my fishing pleasure, and my freezer. This would allow me to continue paying for the regular stuff like Mortgage and Utilities. The graph would be instituted into the "food fetching" dept.


Keep the suggestions coming. I am going to play with the emulators and pretend it's on my boat.

[Crappie Reaper]

Do you want it with GPS or not? Color screen on not? Cheapest Side Scan is $900. If you really want Side Scan, buy a $125 unit now and continue saving for the SI.

Dayton

Gps really doesn't matter to me. My I finder is sufficient. I do want to find one with Color. I am also looking for another unit to place at the bow of my boat that is fairly accurate or can be tuned to read structure properly.

Thanks Dayton