Navionics

[SALMONEMIA]

Navionics app question. Who is using the free version vs. 50 dollar upgrade? Gets old paying every year. I like the tight contour lines but prices are insane 

[Ruimachado]

I use it a lot so I do pay every year, in freshwater is useful but not to full potential, it shines in saltwater, currents, depths adjusting with tides, channels always updated and absolutely dead on GPS location with just my phone, I seem to use my phone with navionics more than the garmin charplotter unit in the boat, Winnipesaukee also has bottom hardness, which shows me what I'm fishing over instead of having to drop a camera to check.
You can always use their desktop version, which shows everything, take the coordinates and input them into your phone

[DConICE]

I used to buy it as well, but after my last one expired I have been hesitant to renew because I haven't been out much.  I didn't realize it went up to $50.00... I think I'll stick with what I have for now.

I have use the desktop version to do research - may have to look into transferring the coordinates to the phone... thanks.

[Brownbagger247]

Got sick of repurchasing as I go through a lot of phones, also always killing my phone battery so I updated my Garmin striker 5cv to the one with the lake maps. It is a life changer especially for trolling and exploring new lakes I’m unfamiliar with. Bye bye navionics. I do miss finding peoples tagged spots showing up on my navionics though 

[jigmaster5]

Navionics app question. Who is using the free version vs. 50 dollar upgrade? Gets old paying every year. I like the tight contour lines but prices are insane 

I think this topic came up earlier on the main forum - you might find more replies there. 

General consensus was that it's not worth the $50 (at least in FW).....and ppl had some other suggestions like LakeMaster/Hummingbird app [edit: now called "One Boat Network app"] which I will try when my Navionics expires.

I use it a lot so I do pay every year, in freshwater is useful but not to full potential, it shines in saltwater, currents, depths adjusting with tides, channels always updated

I agree w/ Rui - SW is much better than FW.  That's partly b/c they pay SW guides to map.  Anything that they pay someone to map is 100%.



On the other hand, some FW ponds are pure fiction or copies of old state paper maps (which also contain a good amount of fiction).  If there's no paved ramp for a mapping boat, chances are that the map isn't 100% accurate.  You can also compare to other states (like Mass who has a mapping boat)....the Mass blue maps where they have actually taken the time to map properly are 100% (from my experience).  Sometimes navionics comes close....sometimes dead on....sometimes pure fiction.  Even on large lakes like Winni, I've found a few areas on navionics that weren't accurate....that was a few years ago....they may have updated some spots since.

So, to me, for quality & accuracy of the mapping, it's worth $15-25/yr.  It's not worth $50/yr.  If I used it differently or maybe only fished SW, I'd pay the $50/yr.

[TheCrittaC]

The Navionics charts for where I usually fish aren't terrible, but they're not perfect either. I've found that they're best for finding where the depth changes and not necessarily what the depth is. What I'm doing now is using the same fish finder in my boat and on the ice and charting the water in the boat.

[Rainbow1]

I really like the ability to color code depths with the phone version.  That feature is not on the chart plotter for the fishfinder.  It allows me to get a great overview of areas for trolling.  The other plus is it helps my wife stay in the trolling range if she's driving.  She seems to have a problem with those little lines.  I use both at the same time on the boat.