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So guys I'm looking at a buying a new fish finder. I've been looking at the humminbird 698 ci hd si . I know it only has a 5 inch screen . I've been told buy as much screen as you can afford. Has any body used any of the humminbird si before . But I've also been looking at the 899 ci hd si. It's a grand . Being that its my first side imaging unit I don't wanna go over board and not really like it. Do they really help you locate that many more fish.
Go for as big as screen as you can afford. If you can find a used 898 or 998 that might be the way to go. They tell me that the new 899 dosent have the larger transducer but I had a 798 with the smaller transducer and it seemed to work ok. With the larger screen you can see things so much better. My personal opinion is nothing smaller than a 998 for Si. I think you can get by smaller with DI as you are just looking straight down instead of trying to find something 100 feet away and tell what it is.
Check with Brian at BBG marine. He had some left over 898's for a little over 800 the other day. Some guys like the 5 in screen but to me SI on that small screen would be tough. I have a 998 and sometimes with my eye site I have trouble picking out fish. First thing is figure out a budget and stick with it. Fish with someone that has SI and see what it can do for you.
Buy the largest screen Humminbird unit you can afford. The side imaging will help locate structure, brush piles, shad and anything underwater that is different. However you will need to take the time to learn how to use it. Watch the video that comes with the unit and read the book. If you know someone local with a unit willing to give some pointers it would be a great help.
Brad
I treated myself to a 899 for christmas. Am looking forward to getting it installed and working the getting pointers from shockley32 this spring. And Bass Pro Shop in Independence is having a Humminbird Rep in and doing a class on Feb 18th at 6pm.
not sure if posting links to other forums is allowed so if not yell at me and delete it :biggrin
bass boat central has a TON of info on how to set up and interpret your humminbird and Lowrance fish finders. I've seriously spent days reading it all and its helped a bunch in my search for fish (still can't catch them worth a crap).
http://www.bbcboards.net/humminbird-sonar-gps/
http://www.bbcboards.net/humminbird-...nterpretation/
I have not experienced using a SI, however I have a 5 inch screen 597 di. It worked great for me last year because I would use the split screen that has the down scan and the switchfire. As soon as you went through a school of crappie longline trolling and you could see them on the graph, you better get ready to grab poles because you were going to get bit.