hand held gps suggestions

[boss j]

i am looking to get a good hand held gps and was looking to see which i should get. also which maps system covers the southern ny area the best???   i plan to look into any and all suggestions. thanks guys

[packers]

Whatever u do, do not purchase a lowrance endura of any kind because they are pathetic. If u put a lake maps chip in it u cannot see your location unless u exit out of the mapping system! I repeat... do not purchase the lowrance endura series! They suck!

[FISHFORPIKE]

i am looking to get a good hand held gps and was looking to see which i should get. also which maps system covers the southern ny area the best???   i plan to look into any and all suggestions. thanks guys

So you have to do some research and find the chip that gives you the coverage you are looking for; that will drive the handheld decision.  For instance, you may find that the NAV chip gives you what you are looking for and that Garmin handles that chip.

[degasvegas]

Im going to try the Boating app from Navionics this year with the maps package, if you have a good smartphone it might be the cost effective way to go?

[boss j]

ok fishforpike one question,   how or where should i look to find what lakes are covered by what chips?   i am completely new to gps and dont know much about them at this time but i dont want to just get a starter model. if i am going to invest the money i want the best...


and i dont have nor will i ever get a "smartphone"   the way i see it i have a phone and a computer, at home! when i am not home i am doing something, i dont wanna be bothered. when im home then i can look things up and be bothered...   lol

[FISHFORPIKE]

ok fishforpike one question,   how or where should i look to find what lakes are covered by what chips?   i am completely new to gps and dont know much about them at this time but i dont want to just get a starter model. if i am going to invest the money i want the best...


and i dont have nor will i ever get a "smartphone"   the way i see it i have a phone and a computer, at home! when i am not home i am doing something, i dont wanna be bothered. when im home then i can look things up and be bothered...   lol

Chip producers:  Navionics, Fishing Hotspots, Garmin Bluechart,  --- Do a google search for "gps fishing charts".
Navionics is one of the top guys.  Then start looking for a handheld that will support the app.
I use a Lowrance GPS62s and the fishing hotspots chip.  I fish Black Lake up here in northern NY and the Navionics chip does does not cover that lake in detail.  I like the Lowrance model I have - there are plenty of others.  I can also put a topo map chip in it for trail making in the woods.

[Jc4545]

Navionics on the cell phone

[pmac3]

Navionics on the cell phone

x2. I used it every time out last year.

[boss j]

is the Navionics for a gps unit the same as for the phone? i do not have a cell phone nor will i get one! lol i dont want to be bothered when i am not home...   

[fish-kabob]

is the Navionics for a gps unit the same as for the phone? i do not have a cell phone nor will i get one! lol i dont want to be bothered when i am not home...

yes but dont just go for the miller light is better cause it light beer remarks do research the best you can some gps system do not cover certain lake were others do. and find that perfect gps unit for your self lol's see my points?   also check out ram mounts .com i think is there site google it if any thing see what kind of holder for you hand held you can get may help effect your decisions.  like in the car or on the atv or on the ice you need a handle bar holder for the atv and a car holder etc just a heads up... also once you get it mark the weed edges so you can find them when snow get here same with rock piles wile in the boat etc.. etc..

[boss j]

thanks for the advice fish-kabob. i only walk to where i am going so the ram mounts are not needed. but one of the biggest reasons i want to get the gps is to save the spots where i do find structure. well that and fishing new waters so i can find places to start fishing more productively...

[fish-kabob]

it does help find structure. the gps i got is a garmin venture hc bundle for $120 work on aa battery's also supports Garmin lake which supports the lake i fish with depth contours. if not for those depth contours i would have problems knowing ware to start just like said every year i switch spots so it is needed to get started...  with out it i am lost i did pay the  extra 100 for the disk so i could down loaded it again and again if needed..total i paid $220 but i maid sure the lake chip was right for me be fore i bought any thing....some lowrance stuff did not support my lake it was lake out line only for a few of them were garmin supported them all... but search around you may like another brand or cell phone or what ever.  cell phones i don't like either it how i am but own one not up to date but i own one.   

[boss j]

ok i have tried looking up differant chips to see what lakes they have but cant seem to find a list of lake on any of the sites i have looked. specifically this is what i need help with now. how or where can i find lists of lake coverage from all the differant systems???

[FISHFORPIKE]

For Navionics you can go here  Look around - if you click the buy now button it leads you through a selection process that will match the map to the device - gives you a map that you can click on and explore your lake for detail.

[boss j]

thanks i am going there now to see what i can find!!!

[fish-kabob]

here is a few link for garmin let me know if they dont work? search around i am sure you will find them at better prices like bass pro or even cabelas etc... etc ...



Under maps at this gpses  link seen below

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-water/handhelds-wrist-worn/gpsmap-78/prod63601.html

Are a ton of different maps but this one is available  for sale to buy link below


https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-water/handhelds-wrist-worn/gpsmap-78/maps/on-the-water-maps/lakevu/u-s-lakevu-hd/prod125128.html

Which the above link to lake vu has these lake and more from this link and more too them…
Lake vu is the current product for sale there is also lake vu ultra for$ 200 ware lake vu is 149.99… any see links… 


http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/garmin_lakes/garmin_lakes_list.pdf

[boss j]

OK i looked up the hotmaps lakes and it covers my home terf well. now i also looked up your garmin and like it. i just want to ask so i dint assume, your garmin will take the hotmaps chip? i almost ordered it and started to wonder so i figured i would ask first.

[fish-kabob]

OK i looked up the hotmaps lakes and it covers my home terf well. now i also looked up your garmin and like it. i just want to ask so i dint assume, your garmin will take the hotmaps chip? i almost ordered it and started to wonder so i figured i would ask first.

no it will not hot maps is only for lowrance as far as i know....i will get you a pm later for the info you asked about... 

[FISHFORPIKE]

OK i looked up the hotmaps lakes and it covers my home terf well. now i also looked up your garmin and like it. i just want to ask so i dint assume, your garmin will take the hotmaps chip? i almost ordered it and started to wonder so i figured i would ask first.

no it will not hot maps is only for lowrance as far as i know....i will get you a pm later for the info you asked about...

If you look on that page - there several devices that will take the hotmaps chips.  Magellan, Lowrance, Delorme
If you click on the buy now button you get a list of manufactures, select one and you will get a list of models. 
For instance, I'm looking at the Magellan Explorist 510.  Go mthrough them - write down the makes and models you might be interested in then go to their web sites to get details on the devices - when you find the features you want - go for it.  Some are fancy - some are plain.
In general, Navionics has the best detailed maps.

[boss j]

thanks fish   thats what i need to do

[Reelemin]

Hey Boss

I have an older garmin etrex that does not have map chip capability that gets me back to hotspots or structure without any problems. I paid $ 99 for this unit many years ago.
I also have a Lowrance H2O color GPS with a navionics lake chip. The chips are worthless for the small or private bodies of water we each fish locally. The lake chips are definetely more useful on the larger bodies of water but once again not so great in our neck of the woods. I don't have the smart phone apps but I would like to experiment with them some day. I wish I saw this thread before I headed over to Gander Mtn today because I would have brought you my units to check out.....Give me a call if you need more info or I will see you on the ice and you can check them out then.
KR