Still uncertain...

I posted on here a while back asking for advice about what type of electronics I should consider. Several of you responded with some good recommendations, but I never committed to anything. After thinking about this again, I've come to the conclusion that I'll probably never do any spider rigging. I've always been a bass fisherman at heart and have no plans to completely give it up BUT... I would really like to get serious about crappie in shallower water, so it will be for dual purposes. I like to jig around brush-both submerged and emergent-as well as troll and just cast and retrieve small crankbaits. I'm not opposed to trying minnows on slip bobbers, either. I want to try new waters where I won't have a feel for what I can't see, so I'm thinking that the side scan feature may be the most important part of whatever I end up with. At the same time, I do want to see anything deeper that I might pass over while looking for new spots. I'm fairly sure that 20 feet would be the deepest I'd ever look with 15' a more likely figure. Given that, now what would you recommend that would be under $1,000? Some of you have said that HB seems to hold the edge in si units, but I'm not ruling anything out because of names. If there is something you can recommend that could be added to later I will also take that into consideration. Oh yeah, I am speaking of something for a bow mount tm. I presently have an older MK powerdrive and plan on using it until it croaks, so something with a transducer that mounts on it is what I want...or on a mount that retracts but still mounts up front.

Any of the Humminbird Si units can be bow mounted. Just call the Humminbird Customer Resource folks to get the stock transom mount transducer exchanged for a trolling motor mounted version.

For $1,000 you may be able to get an 899ci HD Si unit but for less you can get the 698ci HD Si. Either will work but the 899 has a larger display which most prefer. You may still find some of the last year model Si units too (597ci HD Si or 898ci HD Si).

PM either Universal Mania or BBG Marine, member sponsors. They can hook you up with an 899 for under $1000. Bigger is better for side scan.