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OK guys going to upgrade my electronics in a couple of months. There are a lot of new stuff out there but I don't want to break the bank... I'm looking for the best workhorse out there for your money. I've heard good things on the elite 7 and the hmb products as well... give your thoughts... any advice would be great
If you slow troll I would go another direction than the Elite 7, GPS is slow.
I mainly try and find cover and pick it apart as much as I can...finding is the hardest part
Let's first determine which technology is going to best suit your preferred fishing style...
*2d will show a "cartoon like" image of stuff under the boat....
*DI will show a "picture like" image of stuff under the boat and out to the sides a few feet...
*SI will show a "picture like" image of stuff under the boat, out to the sides 100+ feet...and which side of the boat...
2d is good for vertical fishing....
DI is good for understanding what the 2d is showing...
SI is good for finding new structure out to the sides of the boat...
Rickie
OK then the SI stuff is what I'm.looking for... I want the best eyes under the water that I can get... the more knowledge I have of what's under or around me the better
Next question...Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
What's your budget...??
SI units range from $500 - $3500...
More $$ will get more bells and whistles and bigger screens...(bigger screen is always better for SI)...
Rickie
Well I think I could swing 1500 pretty easily... I'm not sure I would be smart enough to figure out a lot of toys on that kinda stuff haha. I'm just a blue collar boy ha...
I fish a lot of strip pits in southern Illinois and Egypt and rend a lot as well
A $1500 budget will put you within reach of several different options in features and brands...
Let's look at sonar technologies again (2d/DI/SI/GPS) ...and see if these technology choices can expand into your preferred fishing methods...
Lowrance and Humminbird have great 2d and GPS chartplotting....
Lowrance has the "average Joe consensus" edge in DI ....
Humminbird has the "average Joe consensus" edge in shallow water SI...
Your decision could be based soley in this info...or it can get deeper into unit configure-ability...expand-ability...etc..
Your input needed next...
Rickie
Call Brian at BBG Marine, great guy to deal with and his prices beat the pants off the big box stores.Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
Follow along with Rickie and you will know what you need when you get thru answering his questions.
x2!Quote:
Originally Posted by cray
Well the way I fish is pretty slow both on the bass and crappie side... what information do you need to know to further help me make this choice... I really appreciate all the time and thoughts
Can you foresee any future plans(??)...expanding into networkable multiple units...
Any plans (??) or interest in the new technologies like ....:
Lowrance SpotlightScan...
Terrova/iLink ...
360...
Rickie
To be honest I had never really given that idea much thought.... I'm still really new to this whole electronic thing anyway... never could really afford it until I got up on my feet.. was lucky just to have my boat and some basic gear... the way my boat is set up I really don't know if multiple units would be an option? I have a 1860 tracker grizzly... its my duck boat as much as my fishing rig... its just a basic bones boat... just now wanting to really start upgrading to take the next step..I hope that answers some ?s
Just looked those units up... that would be something that I would be very interested in... my question is will I be able to utilize all if the technology it has to offer... because at first look it seems a bit overwhelming... ?? Thanks again for taking the time to help
What do you have now?
An antique haha.. basicly just a depth finder.. can't think of it for the life of me right now.. I'm at work
This is very reason I asked about possible future plans...to try to get you into units that will be expandable in the future if you foresee possible going that route down the road...Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
Here's some variables to mull over...
Lowrance SpotlightScan works with cable steer TM's only....
HB's 360 works with cable steer TM's only...
HB's iLink works with electric steer TM's only...
Does your choice of TM style rule any of these out...?? (Process of elimination helps sometimes in deciding on the "right" depth finder)...
Rickie
I have had both and prefer cable steer TM... and of those two units which one is the most user friendly??
I should have mentioned that the HB 360 has a TM model and a transom model ....so a cable steer would only be necessary for a TM mount 360....
But you indicate you'd rather have cable steer anyway so that leaves us open for these possible future plans (SpotlightScan, transom mount 360, TM mount 360)...
Next question....
SI is best used as a search tool....searching for new structure...searching for fish...searching for that brushpile you "know is around here somewhere"...
Can you see yourself getting more benefit for searching with SI ...:
While idling around with the big motor...
While fishing from spot to spot at the TM...
??
Rickie
Rickie
"Can you see yourself getting more benefit for searching with SI ...:
While idling around with the big motor...
While fishing from spot to spot at the TM..."
Why not search with the TM while looking at the SI images?
No need to run the big motor when slowly searching
I too am looking for suggestions regarding Makes and Models of nice fish finders
SI sounds like it's a nice to have feature - another tool in the tool bag
How do you think it compares to the 360?
While it is entirely possible to use SI at the TM for a search tool ...not everyone prefers to use the SI technology that way...Quote:
Originally Posted by KJINTF
Some fisherman use SI at the transom to find and mark "fishy" spots ...and then move to the TM to employ 2d or DI technology to fish it...and some simply toss out a buoy and fish the buoy from the TM....
The SI technology requires boat movement to build the SI image ...because the SI beam is a thin slice ...and the SI image is a compilations of these thin slices "stacked" together to build the SI image...
The 360 technology creates it's own movement by having a rotating beam...which means the 360 can be used very effectively sitting absolutely motionless...
Like you said ...another tool ...with certain attributes best suited for different applications...
Rickie
Thanks - Great response I learn more everyday reading this forum
A question for you
I have been looking at
HB 598cd HD si and the HB 798ci hd si as interim dash mount finder and wondering what your opinion might be on these two units?
Sure appreciate the help
Answered in your thread...Quote:
Originally Posted by KJINTF
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/showt...ome-to-upgrade
Rickie
I think I would get more use searching with my TM rather then my big motor... I try to make as little impact as possible when I am in a place that I am trying to cover... you said earlier that the si required constant boat movement well that's not really how I go about things... I am more of easing my way in from the outside working my way in and around cover with as little disturbance as possible... I don't like staying on my motor the whole time... I would like a product that gives me my feedback without having to constantly move in or over it... I want my electronics to show me what's in front of me and let me figure out how to advance from there... thanks
Jared
This method might be best suited by 2d and GPS Chartplotting (with an upgrade Heading Sensor GPS puck)...Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
*DI and SI must pass by/over structure because of the thin slice beam...
*2d will show structure in front of the boat a few feet because of the cone shaped beam...
*GPS Chartplotting with Heading Sensor will allow you to maneuver the boat at slower speeds in relation to what you see on the chart map...
This scenario of 2d/GPS Chartplotting with upgrade Heading Sensor opens 2 possible paths...
*Larger screen 2d unit with GPS Chartplotting and upgrade Heading Sensor...
*Smaller screen 2d unit with GPS Chartplotting and upgrade Heading Sensor....with included DI or both DI/SI...
Rickie
OK so of those two choices what exactly are you recommendations.. brand model that kinda thing
I wish there were an easy answer...Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
I still feel you should try and look into the future somewhat...especially if your future plans could possibly include the Lowrance SpotlightScan or the Humminbird 360....
Let's look at some options for units to purchase in your present budget.….keeping in mind the possible future interest in Lowrance SpotlightScan or Humminbird 360....
Units compatible with SpotlightScan ...:
*HDS Gen2...presently available with many bundle options as well as capable of operating as a basic 2d or 2d/GPS....
*HDS Touch...presently available with many bundle options as well as a basic 2d/GPS....
In these Lowrance options...you could possibly get 1 size bigger screen in the HDS GEN 2 for about the same money as 1 size smaller screen HDS Touch....but...(looking forward)...
To (future) upgrade the HDS Gen 2 to DI/SI ...you have to buy the LSS 2 module and the LSS 2 xducer...
Then to (future) upgrade to SpotlightScan...you additionally have to buy the Sonar Hub and the SpotlightScan system....
To (future) upgrade the HDS Touch to DI/SI ...you just have to buy the LSS 2 xducer....
Then to (future) upgrade to SpotlightScan...you additionally have to buy the SpotlightScan system...
So you could either start with a basic larger screen (HDS Gen 2 2d/GPS)...and (future) buy several extra parts for upgrade technologies.....
Or start with smaller screen (HDS Touch 2d/GPS)....and not have to buy as many (future) extra parts for upgrade technologies....
-------------------------------------
Units compatible with HB 360...:
*798ci HD SI Combo..(presently dealers are closing out stock)
*898c HD SI Combo...(presently dealers are closing out stock)
*998c HD SI Combo.....(presently dealers are closing out stock)
*1198c SI Combo.........(presently dealers are closing out stock)
*899ci HD SI Combo....(new for 2014)
*999ci HD SI Combo....(new for 2014)
*1199ci HD SI Combo..(new for 2014)
*ONIX
*ION
Future need for 360 technology would be the added purchase of 360...
There are no "basic" HB units that would be (future) upgradable to use the 360 technology....
Your choices in HB is to get 1 of the x98 series SI Combo units that dealers have greatly discounted...
Or get 1 of the 2014 model x99 series SI Combo units (that have lower MSRP than their comparable x98 series were when at full MSRP before the dealers started the closeout x98 prices)....
(The ONIX and ION are going to be higher than your present budget ....so we won't even delve there)...
So you can see why I stress to sonar shoppers about possible future interests in the high-end technologies....
Decisions now can have a significant impact in your future plans...
So if you decide SpotlightScan might be your future ...call Brian and discuss a larger screen HDS Gen 2 vs a smaller screen HDS Touch....
If you decide HB 360 might be your future...call Brian and discuss the biggest HB screen in your budget as compared in the closeout x98 price units vs the 2014 x99 units...
Rickie
OK do my next ? Is this... if you were me knowing a little about how I fish what route would you go?? Seems like the LW models offer easy upgrades... can I answer anymore questions to help with this ... you have been a great help... really appreciate all the time.. what else can I do to help you help me?
I guess you can look at it this way...Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
The Lowrance path allows a lot of upgrade paths up into (and thru future) SpotlightScan...even starting with a basic 2d/GPS...
The Humminbird path has a "jump start" right into a 2d/DI/SI/GPS ...with just 1 extra upgrade to get into (and thru future) 360...
Now, there is no reason you can't jump right into 2d/DI/SI/GPS in the Lowrance path...but you might have to initially sacrifice to a smaller screen to stay in your budget....(this is where Brian at BBG can help also...he knows the current pricing)..
Rickie
OK so how do I get ahold of Brian?
Quote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08
1 888 570 0916 or you can PM him here on the site. Brian@BBGmarine
1 888 570 0916 or you can PM him here on the site. Brian@BBGmarineQuote:
Originally Posted by rolltide08