Help choosing a DI unit

I'm pretty sure I posted this very thing last year but to make a long story short I never got around to buying a unit. Well, the time is here to start fishing hard again and I know it's time to invest some money into a decent unit. I had my eyes on the Lowrance Elite 7 when Academy had em for 449 but I passed on em like a dummy. Anyway, I'd like a decent DI/GPS unit at an affordable price say $500 or less. I don't fish large lakes, only small oxbows and canals on the lower Pearl River. All recommendations are welcome!

Look at personal classified ads on this site. A guy just posted a down image graph for a HECK of a price. Especially if it has GPS, and I think they do!!! Humminbird 581.

Thanks for the heads up. I checked it out but think I'd rather have something with a wide screen layout and color. After looking a little the Helix 5 DI/GPS looks very interesting. Any insight on it?

Helix 5 DI with GPS and temp......About $350 and a awsum fishfinder

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by "G"

Helix 5 DI with GPS and temp......About $350 and a awsum fishfinder

---

Thanks! Ordered one from Brian@BBGmarine a little while ago.

UPDATE: Thanks for recommending this unit! I've already caught a few fish with it that I would have missed without it. I'm planning on going to the primary spot I bought it for tomorrow. Just hope the water level is high enough!

oh it'll be high enough!

Believe it or not the river I went to today is controlled more by local rainfall than from Jackson like the other river I fish. The other river is waaay too high but the one I went to today will be too low to launch in by this weekend.

Dad and I managed 14 nice ones and 2 smaller ones that were gut hooked. The unit didn't really come in as handy as I'd hoped for as the fish were spread out.