Hey guys I was wanting to know what the best inexpensive fish finder is any opinions any feedback would be helpful
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Hey guys I was wanting to know what the best inexpensive fish finder is any opinions any feedback would be helpful
IMO lowrance elite 5 hdi @ $370 give you alot of options(DI, GPS, MAPS). This was my first DI that I put on boat. Now its up front on TM and run Hds 8 LSS at drivers seat.
Does it come with everything needed to be able to use it out the box?Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgivor13
I would take a real serious look at the garmin striker series. They have the 5 SV for 399.00 and the 7 SV for 499.00. Both the 5 and 7 inch models have chirp sonar along with sideview, down view, sonar and GPS. They don't have lake maps with the GPS but you can still mark waypoints when you find good brush piles. The chirp sonar is a lot more detailed than standard sonar. Garmin has the clearest screen resolutions we have ever seen. Impossible to find a locator that does sideview, downview and sonar with chirp and GPS for under 500.00
Cool thanks i will check that out im unfamiliar with chirp sonar my previous fish finders were eagle brand so this is all new to myQuote:
Originally Posted by TimY
Love my helix 7.
Not familiar with Chirp either.Quote:
Originally Posted by sparky405
Some smart feller splain it to us please.
Ya dont need chirp technology unless you are fishing really deep water, 50'+. I have been told by a Lowrance field staffer that since most of us fish shallower than 35' year round that the chirp is really not needed.
Chirp does make things a little clearer. Kinda like reg tv v HD tv. Do your research and decide what units interest you. Don't be afraid to look for refurbished units either. These are usually sent back to the factory for some flaw and sent to a team of specialists for repairs. I have purchased many refurbished items and every one of them worked great. It can save you money and allow you to upgrade from what your original budget allowed.
Gonna have to disagree with the Lowrance fella. The difference in Chirp and the older sonar units is Chirp sends Multiple sonar frequencies at once where the old units sends one frequency therefore you have much clearer images on the screen. We use them in all water depths from 3 to 50 fow and there's a tremendous difference in screen resolution, fish identification and bottom contrast. The reason we went with Garmin is they are True Chirp sonars and very user friendly, which is important to a lot of us that's not computer genius's. If you are ever in a boat that has Chirp sonar and the contrast and brightness is set right, you will be saving your pocket change to get one. Detail is amazing and is one tool that will actually help you catch more fish.
Definately agree with TimY. I'll start off by saying I'm a long time Lowrance fan BUT, (and I could be wrong) I 'think' Lowrance does not use the same multiple frequencies Garmin uses. It is my understanding L uses the same transducer they always have and I don't know how they can get truly multiple frequencies. I suspect it is a hybrid of some sort where I think Garmin actually has a multiple frequency transducer. I do know for certain, Garmin has a MUCH clearer, cleaner display than anything I've seen from HBird or Lowrance and IF I were buying something new, it would be a Garmin!Quote:
Originally Posted by TimY
Almost sounds like picking a ford or a chevy . But the guy at bass pro says lowrance is made in Oklahoma so if there's and warrany issues theres usually a quicker turnaround on getting your equipment back unlike hummingbird
:popcorn
Unless Lowrance has recently moved their manufacturing back to Tulsa, it is still in Mexico and has been the past 20 years. So, unless the guy at BPS has some new information, he is dead wrong. And, Lowrance is no better and possibly worse in warranty turnaround. Obviously, I prefer Lowrance over HB since I run two HDS 9 Touch units on my own boat, after having run an HB 1198 and 998 before sellling them and going back to Lowrance a couple of years ago. At the time, Garmin wasn't a player or I possibly would have gone with Garmin at that time.Quote:
Originally Posted by sparky405
Is this normal i dont know what it means all the clutter and dots on the left side
I think you died and went to crappie heaven!
Shad. The number of shad this year is astonishing at most lakes I have fished.Quote:
Originally Posted by sparky405
Shad are almost always in a ball, not spread out like the pic. I'm thinking due to the cold water temps you are looking at crappie down deep, where you typically find them this time of year. They are pretty lethargic but, still have to eat, although not nearly as much as in warmer water. They won't move much and you need to really slow down your presentation to get a bite.
I could be all wet but, that is what I'd guess.
All I know is I will tell you what them dots are if you will tell me where you were AT. LOL
Docile fish, shad, clutter, but mainly just fish. I don't know how you would adjust the sensitivity on the Helix, but it looks like it's working fine. Take that unit and follow some creek channels using your GPS and you'll start seeing a lot of new things. Look for trees that have a bunch of bigger white dots grouped in them. Notice the depth of the dots to start your baits out at. Good luck!Quote:
Originally Posted by sparky405
Sparky, I can tell you that on Oologah and Keystone I am seeing monstrous herds of shad that kind of stratify at a certain depth and run for sometimes 50-100 yards. They are so thick that I can just barely make out the brush that I know is there and I don't even drop a jig in those areas cause I have never been bit there. So- what Fishers said X 2.
I kinda thought something was wrong i only noticed that at a certain depth any shallower there was nothing . I seen the same thing for about 100 yards or so like crappie ciller said
I kinda thought something was wrong i only noticed that at a certain depth any shallower there was nothing . I seen the same thing for about 100 yards or so like crappie ciller said hes seen
Attachment 227946 What Reaper said in beautiful Lowrance HD illustration! (pic from last winter on Skiatook) Those are crappie at 15-20 feet deep and those are shad below them down to the bottom. Notice the spacing between the crappie is greater than the shad and that the dots for the crappie are larger. A note about shad this year. You will find many lakes have places in them that are "carpeted" with shad for hundreds of yards, in some lakes it is astonishing. Kaw is one of them. Starting at 15 feet deep down to 20+ feet, just an absolute astounding layer of shad that just keeps going and going over huge areas, A.K.A. - carpet shad. Gonna be some FAT fish going forward!Quote:
Originally Posted by Crappie Reaper
Carpet shad is the perfect term for what we are seeing this winter and if we get a big winter die off it will look like 3' of shag carpet on the bottom!
C2 then it is time to break out the catfish gear and clean house on blues
I just purchased the GARMIN STRIKER 7DV for $399 best locator i have ever used.
Not sure it matters what you get, none of them say fish here!!! (YET), Don't think the top end units probably have much different technology from one brand to the next. The main thing is paying close attention those times you know you are on fish pulling them in the boat and remembering what they are looking like later. Time on the water needs to be maximize with the help of these tools, when you get confidence in what your doing, pieces of the puzzle start coming together quickly, I first bought my hds gen 1 8 or so years ago, when hardly a soul was around to help me, way before having access to the minds of crappie.com members. quickest way to learn confidence in a depth finder is fish with some one who knows what they are doing and pay very close attention, ask every ? you can, and soak up information like a sponge. I love peoples skepticism when I tell them we should be getting bit and they roll their eyes then THUMP Just my 2 cents though.
I'm glad I saw this thread. I wasn't really in the market for a new fishfinder since I already have a HDS unit, but by the time I buy the sidescan unit for it I'm just going to buy the Garmin unit. I'll still use the HDS for the maps and marking waypoints, etc.
Any of you that run the Garmin already, do you have it mounted on your transom or trolling motor?
I'd like to mount it to my trolling motor as long as there's not interference and if the sidescan would work properly at trolling motor speeds.
The garmin striker 7sv has the side vu and the transducer is trolling motor and transom mount real thin transducer comes with both mounting plates and clamp. the DV is down scan only
Bob, I agree with you. Talked to Bird rep who explained they have it because everyone else does. His explanation was both bird and L use some kind of highbreed software, hardware to get different freq. L uses one small band and B uses two different bands one low and one high. You are correct that G is true chirp with true chirp Ducer and ping from a really low Hertz all the way thru to a really High Hertz. And this is just my opinion if I was buying a unit today it would be G.Quote:
Originally Posted by Okie Bob
Cray, I'm glad you verified what I had only suspected.
Curious about your sig, USN/ENC...what is the ENC? I joined up in '61 and was discharged in '66 after serving 5+ years. I was an ET, working on both radar and comm gear mainly on a destroyer and a guided missle destroyer....just curious.
Bob, I was a Engine man Chief E-7 Diesel powered ships, auxiliary power on steam powered ships, A/C and refrigeration.. Gave em 14 years and did not want to go back to sea. Today sure wish I had though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Okie Bob
As a side note, I am originally from McAlester area. Born and raised there. What family I have still lives there.
looking into getting a garmin and wanting to go with si can you mount it on trolling motor and si work? have been told I would have to run motor and have some speed for si to pick up? was told si units not made for trolling motor speed.
People do it. I don't like it. I'd rather and do run with bow mount transducer holder.
most imaging works best at about 3mph. it will still work, may just be distorted. however, on your trolling motor, just the swiveling side to side is enough speed for some imaginary. I learned that this weekend while fishing the tourney with Fishers. the brush piles to the side were very distinct without moving forward. Redge can chime in too. Lots of people are going to Garmin.
thanks for the info.
I wish I had read about the Garmin. I just plunked down 850 for an Elite 7 ti with structure scan and I am very disappointed.