Lowrance HDS-8

[crappiemax]

After quite a few convesations with Crappie Crazed this past winter I decided to update the electronics. What a hoot, this thing is amazing.



Now I'm even more depressed, I only caught 2 of those fish.

[Nightprowler]

Crappiemax, what sold you over the Hbird? Please don't tell me you can see the fish, and still not catch them...lol.

[ezgo]

Did you mount your unit on the console. I have my hds-5 ready to go on and the transducer cable pulled to the console. I just have to find two #10 washers with the rubber on them because the ones I took off of the boat in the rear that held the old transducer on are dry rotted. I guess instead of mounting screws for the transducer tracker marine decided to drill out big holes in the boat.

[crappiemax]

Crappiemax, what sold you over the Hbird? Please don't tell me you can see the fish, and still not catch them...lol.

It's the story of my life. I'm blaming it on a cold front!!!!!!!!

I was totally confinced I was going to get a Bird. I asked Crappie Crazed alot of questions about SI & down scan. He has a Bird and had some pics on here I really found interesting. I spent months researching Low vs Bird and both have pros and cons. But I guess the deciding factor was the picture quality. I read some posts and talked to some folks and I've seen where sun glare can cause some visibility issues with the Birds. A guide at Ky Lake told me he liked Low because he could see the screen even in bright sun. He said some friends of his had Birds and they put sun sheilds on them. I guess that was what convinced me.
I was actually going to buy a HDS-7 and quite a few guys advised me to go bigger, so I took there advice and bought the 8.

On the electronics board there are quite a few discussions about Bird having issuse with the GPS getting confused with direction of travel at slow speeds. It's the donut issue. I'm not convinced all units; Low, Bird and Garmin don't suffer the same fate, Bird is just the only one to admit it and that had no bearing on my decision. Also, I'm very confortable with Lowrance and it's drop down menus. I've had Low or Eagle units for most of the last 30 years.

Honestly, I don't think you could go wrong with either unit.

[crappiemax]

Did you mount your unit on the console. I have my hds-5 ready to go on and the transducer cable pulled to the console. I just have to find two #10 washers with the rubber on them because the ones I took off of the boat in the rear that held the old transducer on are dry rotted. I guess instead of mounting screws for the transducer tracker marine decided to drill out big holes in the boat.

Yes, I mounted it on the console. I can't see why you would want one on the TM. Once you find a spot drop a bouy and go fishing. Here's the real hoot, I still have my 30 year old flasher mounted on the TM that I use while fishing. Unless I'm fishing solo, I'll just leave the HDS facing back to the person in the rear of the boat. I have a Lowrance LMX-15mt I may mount in the front of the boat 1 day or maybe not. I wish I would have bought GPS for that 15 when I bought it.

[AEFISHING]

Looks nice, let me know when you are out on EF so I can follow you around. Good Luck Saturday, trying for number two on Friday.

[Kat-Addict]

Have you tried the green screen? Its the one that I use and I find that it is the easiest to see in most conditions....besides it looks like I'm runnin one of the deadliest catch vessels when I have it on that setting...lol.

[crappiemax]

Have you tried the green screen? Its the one that I use and I find that it is the easiest to see in most conditions....besides it looks like I'm runnin one of the deadliest catch vessels when I have it on that setting...lol.

Not yet. I've only had it out a few times so I still have a lot to learn. What I really need is a kid to teach me how it works.

[crappiemax]

Looks nice, let me know when you are out on EF so I can follow you around. Good Luck Saturday, trying for number two on Friday.

No need to follow, just jump in the boat with me.
A friend called me from Brown-County, I hunt his farm. He said the turkey's have been gobbling their heads off. His sister works from home there and said they are driving her crazy. I hope they keep fired up till the weekend. I'll be hunting Brown County 1 day and Clermont the other day. Good luck to you too, Ky again or Ohio?

[AEFISHING]

No need to follow, just jump in the boat with me.
A friend called me from Brown-County, I hunt his farm. He said the turkey's have been gobbling their heads off. His sister works from home there and said they are driving her crazy. I hope they keep fired up till the weekend. I'll be hunting Brown County 1 day and Clermont the other day. Good luck to you too, Ky again or Ohio?

Sounds good to me. Love to hear the gobble. I will be in KY again. I really don't have any spots in OH but have several in KY. I have seen some good ones driving back to the bantam ramp this spring. Wish I could hunt there:-)