To owners of 997 SI fishfinder

I'm having a hard time trying to decide if the finder is worth the price so I guess i want to know if your glad you bought yours?

If something happens to mine today, I'd buy another one tomorow.

Dayton

I Love mine. I have just added an 1197 and will be moving the 997 up front.. I would not hesitate to buy again.

Well spoken ranger

I dont have the 997 but I have the 797 and I am saving up for the 1197 or better. I really like mine.jmo

I will not buy another one.

I rarely turn it on as it does not do what I expected it to do, ie, work as advertised.....

It's OK, but with the GPS problems, I would have to think hard before investing in another. I don't don't use SI that often.

I was hoping to replace my Garmin 378 with a GPS and SI all in one but after the first time using it I knew the Garmin would never be left at home.
If you don't make your own spots and are trying to find something to fish then go buy it. After that said and your wanting to go straight to your spot without driving in circles then get a "GOOD" GPS and don't play with the SI.
Good Luck

I wouldn't take anything for mine. The best fishing tool ever invented. It has won me alot of money in tournys. Paid for itself several times. You just got to know how to use it.

possumcom, i need a tutorial on how to properly use si on the 997. Maybe you could start a post on it. What type of settings you use and such.

Overcoming the units adversities is how to use it. I can use it, but not as described in the manual.. I can use it finding structure at random.

I am in search of the ESSEX........Can't search an area thoroughly without a gps that responds properly. Maybe one day...I am running out of time on the bio clock...

It would be nice to see a picture of possumcop's setup as i see he is running 2 520's too. Just wondering how he has it all set up.:confused:

I would be glad to but I do not know how to post pics. on this site. I guess u r from Miss. I would be glad to hook up with u sometime and go fishing and show u what I know. The main thing is zoon your side scan in to 60ft. This will give you a much larger pic of the structure. The speed u need is about 3-5mph. I do not use the sonar for anything. I only use the SI. When you find something on the screen going foward you are already 20-30ft past it. Stop and back up. This time when you see it in your screen it is coming toward you. When you get even with it, throw your buoy over the side and you should be right on your structure. All it takes is practice. I use my 520c's for sonar and GPS features.

I will be at Grizzly's spring sale in MO.

I like my 997.

Good luck to you

Possumcop You Have Private A Message

I'm very glad that I bought mine. Even with the gps problem I have no problem finding the structure that I see on my side imaging sonar.

I have one and wish I knew how to use it. I call customer service alot while on the water trying to navigate to whatever I have marked as a waypoint. It is the most difficult thing I have ever tried to do with any type of electronics. You would think that a company that sells something like this would have the support in place for its customers to learn how to use its products, or if it does not work to fix the problem.

I have an 1197 , very nice. I am still learning to use it. I have found
and marked many brushpiles and log jams. I also use it in hunting
for white bass and hybrids. I can make one pass across a hump or
flat and see any schools of fish or bait fish. It is so nice to look at
120 ft of coverage as opposed to 7 to 10. I can eliminate water
rapidly. this is nice when you don't have all day to fish. Within 4 miles of
my boathouse there are about a dozen likely hangouts for hybrids.
With the SI , the chances of me finding fish increase dramatically.

I also hope to use it this winter to locate deep water schools of crappie.

I will probably buy a smaller unit for the bow soon.

MO