Captain Hooksets Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 What’s everyone using these days? Do you like what you’re using ? Pros vs cons? I’m in the market for a new one. I’m currently running a humminbird 597ci hd di. It’s getting on in age (7ish years old ) and I feel like fish finders are a lot better these days. CHS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
мормышка Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Decide on budget and actual need. Then go from there. I would get something with GPS to mark your hot spot as they can be tough to find again. Fish Farmer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Guelph Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 I like the Helix line but maybe because I am very familiar with them. I run a Helix 7 on my boat and a Helix 5 on my Kayak. Both have GPS and mapping. I fish water that is not always familiar and the ability to find my way back even in the fog is a huge factor. I also like the ability to make my own maps. A smaller body of water I fish I now have mapped out with incredible detail. For ice fishing I use a Lowrance Hook2 4X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hooksets Posted March 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 Steve, thanks for the response. One of the fish finders I was looking at was the helix line. Bass pro has a great deal on them right now and I still have some gift cards to use. GPS is a must, I fish big water and it’s essential for where I fish. Side imaging is also something I would like. Do you have any complaints with the Helix? CHS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verado Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 I will be going in to my third season of using my Lowrance Elite 7TI. All the features and I especially like it for locating perch schools and walleye on Erie. I got mine at Bass Pro as well and at the time it was on sale for about $300 off including free installation. One of the reasons I like it so much is that for the first time I spent many hours playing with it on the lake and I learned how to read the signals better then with any other finder I have ever owned. It is still capable of much more than I know how to use and I think that might be the problem with a lot of us. As with all electronic equipment, it becomes dated very quickly. Brian_b 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Guelph Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 6 hours ago, Captain Hooksets said: I don’t have any complaints with the Helix series. There are many good brands out there so you will get many opinions. Like I said the GPS and live mapping feature work incredible. The down and side imaging is an amazing feature. I was able to see a minivan in the lower Niagara river that went over the side during a construction project and was never recovered. Steve, thanks for the response. One of the fish finders I was looking at was the helix line. Bass pro has a great deal on them right now and I still have some gift cards to use. GPS is a must, I fish big water and it’s essential for where I fish. Side imaging is also something I would like. Do you have any complaints with the Helix? CHS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) I think that the best unit for a particular person, depends on the waters you’re fishing. I’m also shopping, for niagara area I think a good di unit is prob best. Humminbird Helix mega di! Not sure if si is very usefull? Edited March 16, 2020 by tombo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jwl1 Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 I used this for a fish finder yesterday....it worked really well...and easy to adjust according to conditions...structure and depth Captain Hooksets, Fish Farmer, Bubba14 and 1 other 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hooksets Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 Sweeeet bobber ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeman4 Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 i use gamin's new livescope technology. can't be beat hands down. i have the 93sv with the lvs32 transducer. once you use it, everything else seems like caveman technology NiagaraRiverFisher and Captain Hooksets 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 14 hours ago, Jwl1 said: I used this for a fish finder yesterday....it worked really well...and easy to adjust according to conditions...structure and depth Where can I obtain one of those JW ?? If the price is within my budget I'll buy two !! Fish Farmer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jwl1 Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 4 minutes ago, smerchly said: Where can I obtain one of those JW ?? If the price is within my budget I'll buy two !! About 197 bucks....add a decimal point between the 1 and the 9....you dont have to worry about the weather affecting the unit...its good in all weather....very user friendly...you never have to worry about expensive software upgrades...everything is already built in....and its totally portable....no need for any adaptors or extra power supply...you can easily move it from your boat ...to your canoe...works great from shore...and also any hardwater applications ...readily available at most sporting goods stores🎣🎣🎣 smerchly and Fish Farmer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) You forgot to mention the "extra" hardware required to "stop" those floats ! They can be costly ! .................................................................... 🎣 Edited March 17, 2020 by smerchly Fish Farmer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hooksets Posted March 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, snakeman4 said: i use gamin's new livescope technology. can't be beat hands down. i have the 93sv with the lvs32 transducer. once you use it, everything else seems like caveman technology Garmin units are definitely on my “to consider “ list. A friend of mine has the same unit as you and he loves it . Edited March 17, 2020 by Captain Hooksets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genec Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 I use a small Lowrance Elite 4 DSI for mapping, and a Lowrance Hook7 as a fish finder. I find this combo works well as I don’t have to keep switching from mapping mode to fish finder mode like I used to have to do with just one device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Guelph Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 38 minutes ago, genec said: I use a small Lowrance Elite 4 DSI for mapping, and a Lowrance Hook7 as a fish finder. I find this combo works well as I don’t have to keep switching from mapping mode to fish finder mode like I used to have to do with just one device. Can you not split the screen like the Helix or most other brands? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) I don't own a boat and we usually rent an old tinner with a 9.9 when we go cottaging. About 10 years ago we went to a new place on Rice Lake around the middle of July. When the owner saw what I was going to use to go find walleye he laughed and said good luck with that. It's the middle of the summer, 30 degrees and sunny. What I had was a hydro-graphic map and an old fishing rod with 5' sections of line tide together. Find the drop offs on the map and then check the depth with the home made depth finder. By the middle of the week I had people with a big fancy boat with all the electronics wanting to pay me to show them how I was coming back with only walleye every time we went out as they could not catch even 1 !! By the end of our week the owner wasn't laughing anymore and told me I was the best fisherman on Rice Lake because of all the eyes we were catching during hot sunny flat water days. Edited March 17, 2020 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genec Posted March 17, 2020 Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Steve_Guelph said: Can you not split the screen like the Helix or most other brands? Could, but then only half a screen to see fish, and I had the Elite before I got the Hook7. bought the Hook7 to replace the original small fish finder that came w the Legend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hooksets Posted March 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2020 Thanks the responses everyone. Going to do some playing around at bass pro before I make my decision. CHS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrwrm Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 if you can afford it go with a helix 7 at least,the 5 is a great unit but if you are split screen it is too hard to see too small Dave Fish Farmer and Steve_Guelph 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo Posted March 24, 2020 Report Share Posted March 24, 2020 I did a lot of looking, decided to go with a Garmin echomap plus 75sv. Appears to be a good unit for the money. Will give her a test on the river this weekend hopefully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hooksets Posted March 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2020 Report back on that unit. I’m looking at that one as well! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo Posted March 24, 2020 Report Share Posted March 24, 2020 53 minutes ago, Captain Hooksets said: Report back on that unit. I’m looking at that one as well! Thanks Will do. Btw, this unit is 699 at Erie tracker with Canada lakes map card. Captain Hooksets and shoemaker 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Row dog Posted March 24, 2020 Report Share Posted March 24, 2020 with an ipad get navionics app 30.00 gives you all the mapping you need as long as it has gps built in {most do} it uses no data at all .this paired with my lowrancs 9ti is awsome.Lowrance has wifi n bluetooth so the communicate to each other .You can tke your ipad to bow of boat and still control your Lowrance unit.Take ipad in house plot n mark waypoints on your map then back to boat sync via bluetooth and all your homework is on your lowrance also with these units you can sync to each other no more nmea cables everywhere ...its wireless .Tech has come a long way verado 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verado Posted March 24, 2020 Report Share Posted March 24, 2020 Is it just me or did Row dog's post make you feel very old. Bubba14 and RJR 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.