depthfinder purchase - today

My portable Fishin Buddy bit the dust and I'm wanting to buy a unit today and have it ready today to learn on tomorrow. This is spur of the moment but thats how I've grown to do things. Besides, this unit is for my bucket, small portable boat that I dump into hideaway holes and such. I'm currently looking for a larger boat with trailer in which I will spend more time doing electronics research for later.
My budget is $250 with tax. Would just like to get the most features for the buck, today. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, b/c I've never had a decent unit.

thanks,
Adam

I have a humming bird 525 fish depth finder it has zoom and water temp.

the bottom reading is very clear when looking for brush piles or stumps
the unit draws them out where you can tell just what you are looking at on the lake bottom

you can tell the bait fish balls and the fish that are down there.

the 525 humming bird sells for $129 at bass pro shop. you may be able to search the net and get it cheaper.

I have owned humming birds for 30 years and never had trouble with them.

eagle fishmark 480. it is a great unit for the money. you wont be disappointed.

If color is not a must the Humminbird 565 has the specs that match the $500 color units for just $200.
I use to be a Lowrance man until I went from a x75 to the x510c. I had shallow water issues that I got tired of tring to resolve with Lowrance to no avail.
I replaced my 510 with a Vexilar Edge2.
Monochrome in a sonar is just fine with me.

You can get a HB 718 for $199 as it is easily upgradeable for GPS & quadbeam sonar if you want to add it later or the Eagle 480 or HB 565 would also be a good choices. Get the best you can afford and compare specs and get the most for your money.

Found this HB Matrix 67 in the closeout section which would be an excellent choice for your price range.

Humminbird - Fish Finders

It has built in GPS!

If this was available when I was looking. It would have been on the front of my boat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FroggerZ

Found this HB Matrix 67 in the closeout section which would be an excellent choice for your price range.

Humminbird - Fish Finders

It has built in GPS!

It this was available when I was looking. It would have been on the front of my boat.

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Man, thanks for all the suggestions and research.
Everyone!
I bit the bullet and bought the HB 565 though after some long comparisons, weighed against what I was gonna use it, for with the 718.
Gonna spend some time after fishing tomorrow and seeing how I want to run it on my boat and then try to spend some time on the water with it next week.
Thanks again for all the replies.

Adam