Depth Findrs! Gotta Start Looking!

Well guys, my old Lowrance graph is starting to turn the corners black. I'm sure it wont be long before the black takes over and I'll be looking to buy something else. All I have is 2D and maps on a 5" screen and I'm quite used to that. I know there's much. much more offered today. But that said, I'm a longliner and will stay a longliner as that's all I want to do. If I cannot catch 'em longlining then I wont catch any fish. I do mark brush piles so I can stay OFF them when pulling so I like that factor too.

So, with that said, what do you guys recommend? I'm thinking something with maps of course, then 2D and possibly down imaging so I can see if theyre really fish or what! Which make and model? And why? Screen size? Any pother particulars I'm missing? From all you longliners just give me the 'dirty' on what you would recommend, why, and what's a waste of money for my style of fishing.:biggrin

I am partial to Humminbird myself..I have the HB Helix 12 Chirp G3N on my boat..It is Navionics compatible and comes with Side Imaging,Down Imaging and 2D Sonar..of course you can go smaller with the 7 or 9 inch screens that are much more resonable..If ya go that way make sure you go with the G3N over the G2N,lots of improvements as far as Side Imaging..Garmin is making outstanding Units now that of course support the new hot item Livescope..Go to your local Cabelas or BPS and play with them in simulator mode and get the feel of what ya like..Its amazing the technology out there now

FYI...:twocents Bigger is ALWAYS Better

If you want just 2d, Down image and GPS then I would go with below. 5 inch for me is too small but 7 inch is large enough to see 2d maps and down. if you go Side image you would need at least 9 inch.
Humminbird is more user friendly in the menu's.
Humminbird Helix 7 Gen3. for $499.

Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP Mega DI G3

I'm also interested in your thoughts. Looking for new unit to put on bow/TM. Thinking 7"

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Is there any advantages of having livescope or side imaging for a longliner?

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Originally Posted by gabowman

Is there any advantages of having livescope or side imaging for a longliner?

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I have livescope and absolutely love it but I don't see a huge advantage to it for long linning. Honestly I don't do much long linning but I used to pull boards for stripers all the time and it seems very similar to when I have long lined. I'm sure you could spot fish out in front of you and make corrections to go across them, but when you have that many lines out it's hard to turn that quickly. Searching for fish on live scope something else you have to mess with when you already have a lot going on with all those rods and boat control.

For side scan, you need a good size screen to get the real value out of it. If not your images are so compressed that you can't really see those little dots and differentiate bait from a fish the size of crappie. I am using side scan a ton when searching for stripers these days and I have a 12 inch screen with side scan all the way across the bottom half of my screen and I still wish I had the 16 inch unit instead to make the images even bigger. Given what you like to do, I would stick with really good mapping and traditional sonar in a 9 inch screen.

From what you are used to unless you just have money burning a hole in your pocket, that unit Crappikidd posted is what I would recommend. I have the gen1 and like it. The gen 2 or 3 mega are so much better it’s not funny.

More interested in maps, i think Humminbird.
Better DI, cant beat Lowrance

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Butch live scope will not help a longliner. It will help tight lining and jigging brush. I have it on my boat and get no benefit from it longlining. I want to put a 10 in bird on my boat for finding brush and fish. The 9 in Garmin on sale is a good buy for $600.00. Bass pro did have them on sale for that amount.

Gabow I agree livescope won’t be worth the money. I like you almost always am pulling jigs or cranks. I love the hummingbird and would go with at least 7 inch. I do use side imaging at times to find schools beside me to turn around and pull through. Also helps finding the trees to avoid as you stated.

I've ran the Garmin 74SV and my dad has the 73DV Garmin on his offshore boat. I now run a Hummingbird Helix 7 w/ SI on my boat now. The Hummingbird has the better imagery especially when it came to SI and DI. The mapping software (Navionics in the HB vs Garmin) are pretty much a wash. I personally like having SI for longlining. I like trying new lakes and its nice to be able to see what you may have missed just 100' away and mark it and go back to it. However, when I'm fishing areas I know, 9 out of 10 I'm running my Map, 2D, and DI combo for longlining.
I will also note that when I ran my 74 and occasionally with my dad's 73 the transducer loses the bottom when you're on plane. Hummingbird has a smaller transducer and for my boat, never loses the bottom.

I really like the lowrance elite TI2 and the touch screen , I use the 9”


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Originally Posted by sinkermaker

Butch live scope will not help a longliner. It will help tight lining and jigging brush. I have it on my boat and get no benefit from it longlining. I want to put a 10 in bird on my boat for finding brush and fish. The 9 in Garmin on sale is a good buy for $600.00. Bass pro did have them on sale for that amount.

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Don will that 9in Garmin your talking about work on the Livescope?

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Originally Posted by oldgoat188

FYI...:twocents Bigger is ALWAYS Better

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ALWAYS!


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I am partial to hummingbird helix units. I would get as large of a screen as you can budget, you will not regret going bigger. I just got a helix 12 MSI G3 at Christmas and love it! Had a helix 9 G1 for years before that. Definitely get one with DI and SI, SI is very helpful in finding fish even longlining in my opinion especially when they are high in water column.

Mark if is a echo map plus unit it will work