Can't decide on which Fish Finder

Please help to make a choice. Can not decide on which is more important, the maps, or larger screen size. I fish in a couple of small lakes here in Louisiana, but I understand that these lakes are covered only with base maps. I know around the area pretty good, but I do use the maps on my phone at times for navigation.
These are the two that I am looking at.

1. Helix 5 Chirp SI G2 with 5" screen, base maps and autochart. $429.00
2. Garmin Striker 7sv with 7" screen and GPS without maps. $400.00

Thanks for the help.


Sent from my H1711 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

I always say get the largest screen size you can afford but image quality is important as well. I'm sure both units have good points. Go to one of your local big box stores that have these units in stock so you can see them both too see which one fits your needs the best. A 5" screen is really small for side imaniging. With HB Autochart you can make your own map on those small lakes you fish. Have you thought about buying a used unit from someone on here or BBC, I've seen some really nice units with larger screens in that price range that should work well for you. Good hunting!

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Originally Posted by Roy

I always say get the largest screen size you can afford but image quality is important as well. I'm sure both units have good points. Go to one of your local big box stores that have these units in stock so you can see them both too see which one fits your needs the best. A 5" screen is really small for side imaniging. With HB Autochart you can make your own map on those small lakes you fish. Have you thought about buying a used unit from someone on here or BBC, I've seen some really nice units with larger screens in that price range that should work well for you. Good hunting!

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Thanks for the response Roy. Did try a used Humminbird 997 but come to find out the transducer was bad. Did get my money back though. Kind of leery now to try another used unit. I did see that the autochart is good for so many hours but then you have to buy an upgrade?

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That 5" hummingbird screen is tiny, smaller than my phone. I had one and took it back, for that reason and I didn't like the operating system. Got a 7" Garmin and like it a lot better.

I'd call Brian@BBGMarine or send him a PM ... he may even be able to beat those prices, or possibly even have a larger unit for little more than those prices.

I don't really understand Garmin not having a base map in a unit with GPS. :scratchhead I mean, seriously .... my Garmin in the truck shows the "base map" blue area whenever I'm passing close to a body of water, so why not on a unit designed to be used on water. Just don't make much sense to me, and it certainly can't add all that much more $$ to the price. From the ad pics I've seen, it looks like the "base map" is just a empty (white) background, and you're supposed to follow your "tracks" from waypoint to waypoint.

I'll tell ya, though ... if you're dead set on getting a SI unit, a 9" screen is the bare minimum I'd consider. A 5" screen isn't going to show you much unless you have the unit a foot from your face. A 7" screen isn't going to be a whole lot better, but would show you a bit more detail. And by that I'm sure you realize that a larger screen size is the more important factor IMHO.

Any unit, IMHO, that has GPS, should have the capacity for a map card (for contour lines) and at least a blue background base map for even the smallest of lakes.

I agree that the Garmin should have something besides the white screen for navigation, and no it doesn't have capacity for a card or downloading maps. I will check with Brian tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by HERITAGECYCLES

I did see that the autochart is good for so many hours but then you have to buy an upgrade?

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AutoChart Live units have 8hrs of internal memory for saving map data ...

If you need more than 8hrs you will need the Zero Line card ... which can save more AutoChart Live data than you can map in your lifetime ...

Rickie

I have a Helix 9 si mega and Garmin Striker 7 cv on my boat and really like both.The imaging on the Helix is super good and is a impressive unit,but for what I paid for the Garmin I'm also very impressed by it as well The 2d and the map making feature on the Striker are really good,and you can record quite a bit on it without the need for a expensive zeroline card like the Helix.The imaging on the Garmin is not near as good as the Helix in my opinion.

So, it's looking like screen size could be more useful than the maps?

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Originally Posted by HERITAGECYCLES

So, it's looking like screen size could be more useful than the maps?

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In my personal opinion & experience .... absolutely !! And that's especially true when you're talking Side Imaging. I had a Down Imaging unit 5" screen and it was fine for my purposes. Then I broke it .... so I bought a Hook 7 unit. Soon as I take the time to get the settings on it as fine tuned as I had my Elite 5DSI unit set, then it's gonna be REALLY good. I can already see a big difference that 2" of screen makes. True, it's just a longer "history" of what I just ran over ... but, when you're busy watching 4 rods, that extra few seconds of images moving across the screen can make a difference (*especially when the boat is moving at 1+mph).

(*) consider this : when moving at 1mph, that's 1.47ft per second ... so if the image takes 10sec's to go across the screen, you have moved 14.7ft past the front edge of the cover or baitball that showed up on your screen. Even if it only takes 5sec's ... that's still over 7ft. I just use 1mph as a reference, because that's my normal jig Pushing speed.