Mapping or side view?

Ok guys, looking for a little advice. Going to upgrade this year from an old eagle to a useable fish finder on my pontoon. Looks like lowrance is much better on my budget. My dilemma is, for the same money, I can get a deal with down imaging only and mapping, or down and side imaging and just basic gps. I typically fish High Rock exclusively, but may take a trip to other lakes occasionally. Would the mapping with contours or the side imaging be of better benefit? I could see the benefits of the side imaging when dock fishing, and of the mapping when visiting other lakes. Which would be your choice?

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I have a lowrance elite 5 ti. I use the side imaging and the chart,/ mapping. When moving from place to place I have the chart up and running. The lakes here get drawn down for winter. With the chart I can stay in the channel away from the skinny water. I am running by sight and marker bouys. The chart helps me keep it in the deepest part of the channel. It does help to look under docks and see if they are any fish there. If down imaging is something you want it can be had as a separate unit. I had down imaging up front mounted to the trolling motor

You can always buy a map card later, get side imaging.

In your case I would get si. You can get download the navionics Webb app to your phone for mapping

Navionics ChartViewer

I do have Navionics on the phone and tablet. The Lowrance is mounted at the console. It is linked wireless to a 9inch tablet that I use on the front deck

Sounds like a the way I will go then!

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