Thread: Down Imaging question

I was at Cabela's today getting ready to pick up a new down imaging depth finder when I decided to ask the salesman about what the image looked like while sitting still. He quickly told me that Hummingbird recommends a minimum speed of 2.5 mph for the down imaging to work. I decided not to purchase it. I was looking more for the "real picture" of down imaging while sitting still or close to it. He stated that he has never personally used one so I thought I would ask on here. If you have down imaging, what do you think about it, how slow can you go with it, etc. My personal use would be more for sitting on top of brush piles etc. so sonar would be better, right? Do you have any sitting still images from your down imaging depth finder?

Down imaging shoots a thin wire of sonar, over and over, as you move it builds a picture, if you sit still it shoots the same thin line over and over and can't build an accurate picture. Recommended for 1.5 mph at least, and you have to fiddle with the graph to run that slow.

ya, sitting still wont give you a good picture of whats there. but really neither will sonar. but when you cruise up to an area you do want to see, DI takes soooo much guess work out! you will see what is brush and whats fish. your gonna spend around 3-5 hundred bucks on a good graph regardless, and if ya buy one with DI, you will still have regular sonar to fall back on. add a gps to that package and you will soon wonder why you didn't buy one sooner. I bought the 'bird 798 with side, down, sonar and gps. absolutly love it! I do use the SI but honestly I spend more time between down and sonar.

Hence why I have my DSI sitting next to my sonar. I like the comparison.

Awesome! Thank you guys! All I want is an electronic device that will tell me where to catch fish...lol good thing that doesn't exist or it wouldn't be called fishing. I have never used a fish finder really. The one that is on my boat is an Eagle fish mark.....junk. I use it for depth and water temp and that is all. I guess the only reason I hesitate to spend $500 on a graph is becuase I have never used a nice one before and don't know what I'm missing!?!?!

I also have an eagle fishmark on the front of my boat and I get to compare the elcheapo sonar with an "upper end" graph, and I swear that you should at least be using what you have!!! the DI is much clearer as to what is what, but the eagle still marks the same fish and structure, just harder to read what your looking at. after I got my 'bird and DI, so that I can compare the 2 side by side, the eagle always did a great job. I just didnt realize it. and I never would have if it weren't for down Imaging.
you are definatly missing out on the big pic, and lots of stumps and structure are in your fihing area that you never knew were there. I promise.

To be honest with you, the biggest reason I don't use it is because it is on the dash, if not I would pay more attention to it. I am looking to add one to the trolling motor now. I am trying to decide if I should put a nice one on the dash and move the eagle up to the trolling motor. At first I was kind of thinking that I would want the nicer one up front where I do the fishing from, but then get to thinking about how it would also be nice to pull into somewhere and not have to drop the trolling motor in just to check out the area....How is your setup?

Originally Posted by south point

I also have an eagle fishmark on the front of my boat and I get to compare the elcheapo sonar with an "upper end" graph, and I swear that you should at least be using what you have!!! the DI is much clearer as to what is what, but the eagle still marks the same fish and structure, just harder to read what your looking at. after I got my 'bird and DI, so that I can compare the 2 side by side, the eagle always did a great job. I just didnt realize it. and I never would have if it weren't for down Imaging.
you are definatly missing out on the big pic, and lots of stumps and structure are in your fihing area that you never knew were there. I promise.

Originally Posted by Matt

To be honest with you, the biggest reason I don't use it is because it is on the dash, if not I would pay more attention to it. I am looking to add one to the trolling motor now. I am trying to decide if I should put a nice one on the dash and move the eagle up to the trolling motor. At first I was kind of thinking that I would want the nicer one up front where I do the fishing from, but then get to thinking about how it would also be nice to pull into somewhere and not have to drop the trolling motor in just to check out the area....How is your setup?

originaly my eagle was on the console, with the 'ducer on the right rear. then I bought a trolling motor with a built in 'ducer and bought another eagle for the front, running off the 'ducer on the troller. now I have my 'bird at the console, removed the eagle, and the 'ducer for that is on the right rear of the boat. I can spin the bird around and still see it when I am in the front fishing. I would absolutely want to be looking at the nicer graph while on the big motor, but still be able to see both graphs while fishig if possible.

If you want an electronic device that can show you where to catch fish, plug an extension cord into Bob and hang on brother!

Originally Posted by double d

if you want an electronic device that can show you where to catch fish, plug an extension cord into bob and hang on brother!

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