FF took a s want something for summer and winter

[Uncle Al]

When I bought my boat it had a Lowrance sonar/gps/chart plotter/yati yati yati, it was old, the boat is a 95 so I'm guessing the unit was that year also. I bought it in 98. It did it's job well until this summer, things started to not work. One day it was the gps, another time the plotter but the depth finder kept working until the end. I need a new one. I'm looking at getting something that I can use on the boat, and on the ice. The unit that was in the boat was as big as the tv's that I have in the house, and don't need anything that big, something I can mount to the dash of the boat, and to a power box in the flipover. I know you guys use stuff year round tell me what you use and why you like it. Thanks in advance............... ........Al

[JaminWI]

I don't own a boat and use a vexilar in the winter, but from all the threads I've read on here, seems a lot of guys like the Humminbird Helix series for dual purpose setups.

Maybe the new G2 with GPS...depending on your budget and what features you want for summer use, you could upgrade to the DI or SI models. 

Start here and then add the "ice kit" for winter use:
https://www.humminbird.com/Products/HELIX-7-CHIRP-GPS-G2/

[bshirtd]

I have a G2 helix 5 GPS SI on my boat. I love that thing(though I wish I could have afforded the 7") haven't tried it for ice fishing cause I bought it this spring but it does have an iceducer available and I was contemplating hooking it to my sled to use the GPS. I don't think you will  be disappointed if you chose to go this direction.

[3300]

my take on sonar is i don't need nor use one in open water because i cast towards shore and never troll fish. trolling is way too slow of a method and boring to me. this is the only time a sonar would be of any use to me.

ice on the other hand is a vertical cast sort of speak, so it is important (to me ) to know where my bait is and where (if any) the fish are and how close to bottom they are.

my marcum lx9 was purchased with open water capabilities, but never needed to use it on open water. they sell a high speed transducer for it and the lx6 and lx9 and i think the rt9. you can mount the stock (ice) transducer inside of some boats like kayaks and canoes if you really want to use them in open water.

also, it seems open water sonar is not as good at IR as ice sonars are and target separation and the cone angles are too big on many of the open water sonars. ice sonar is better built for ice and soft water sonar is better built for soft water. yes, you can use them in both environments, but i don't.
if it were me, and all i needed was a sonar for the boat and get out of it on the cheap would be to look into garmins line up and look at marcum digital for ice. since you know how to use digital sonar, i would stay with them for both types of fishing.

[mjmeyer]

I use an 899ci SI in summer and winter. Not much of a flasher guy although I have used a Vexilar on a guided trip. I'm able to use my homemade portable setup in my canoe and kayak in the summer and often mark spots (Rock piles, Brush piles, drop offs and holes) on the Lakemaster map. Then I can walk there in winter. The newer Helix units would be my next choice, but similar technology to what I own.

[ice dawg]

I have a Helix 9 Chirp with GPS and mapping system in one boat and a Helix 7 Chirp with GPS and mapping system in the other. I use the Helix 7 mapping system on my side by side in winter for navigation. I may get an iceducer for it this winter as it should be great for ice fishing. I love being able to mark structure on the maps in summer and return to it in winter. To me the maps are very important and with these units I have the capability to make my own maps during summer on some of the unmapped waters that I fish.

[jbird68]

Last year I bought the Lowrance ice kit so I could use the Lowrance Elite-5 from my boat. Came with a bag, ice transducer and battery. I worked great. I liked using the flasher mode but took me a bit to get used to it. I only had my Showdown before that. Now my son uses the showdown and I use the Lowrance. I got the kit for $118 on Amazon.

[esox_xtm]

I'll respectfully disagree with previous posters that have no need for sonar open water. I have one at the console and another at the bow where I do most of my work from. No, I am not a troller. They are indispensable for finding and staying on deep or otherwise invisible weed edges, breaklines or suspended fish. They can also reveal cribs, rock piles and other unseen structure. Toward that end both units have integrated GPS so I can get back on those spots when I want/need to.

The bow mount unit is a diminutive Lowrance M68 Map that doubles as an ice rig. It has an LCD flasher function but the more I use the graph on the ice the more I like it. The GPS lets me walk out to structure I've identified and put me very (sometime very, very) near the spot on the spot.

So Al, don't shy from getting something good to replace because it can do 4 season duty. And do it very well. Virtually any sonar can be adapted to hard water use with a little ingenuity. My first was a Humminbird Silent 30 in a customized Rubbermaid food tub. Had a nice handle and space for a battery. Basically a knockoff of an early (early) Genz box. Even high speed transducers can serve in an ice hole if rigged right though I do prefer pods for a number of reasons.

2 cents.... Ka-ching!

[prospector]

Helix 7 ice package was built for this situation.

[iceman260]

I have a helix 5 I use in the boat. Great little unit with gps and ice mode haven't tried it on ice yet might get iceducer for it this year. It would be a backup unit as I have a vex fl-18 that I love for ice fishing.

[matzilla]

I've had a Helix 5 DI/GPS since they came out. It pulls double duty on my boat and while ice fishing. Works great for picking off cover/structure items during the summer to fish in the winter. I also use it as a portable on my pond row boat. I would love to have the new 7 G2 with chirp, it takes the Helix to the next level

[ice dawg]

I've had a Helix 5 DI/GPS since they came out. It pulls double duty on my boat and while ice fishing. Works great for picking off cover/structure items during the summer to fish in the winter. I also use it as a portable on my pond row boat. I would love to have the new 7 G2 with chirp, it takes the Helix to the next level

Do you like using DI on the ice?

[matzilla]

DI doesn't work on ice...I use a standard dual beam 2d skimmer on the ice with the cord looped so it hangs level

[ice dawg]

DI doesn't work on ice...I use a standard dual beam 2d skimmer on the ice with the cord looped so it hangs level

I have been thinking of getting an ice ducer for my Helix units, but I have been using my FL18 and LX5 for a long time and they do everything I need. Screen history would be nice, but it's not like I can turn a boat around and go back over structure. I kind of feel that screen history while ice fishing is just history, but would be interesting to watch.

[matzilla]

having that history can be a huge help when judging behavior....it is also very nice when fishing cover

[DaveSS1]

I have the lowrance elite 5 with GPS and its a quick disconnect in late fall and hooks right up into my ice unit.  One suggestion is that I would stick with the 5 series as lowrance has a ice kit that supports this size and you can safely fish with one battery.  I know some guys use the larger 7,9 series or HDS models and you have to bring multiple batteries and in the case of the HDS a small lawn mower size battery or it will not power up in the cold.  Just thought I would throw it out there.
If you have been using an older unit, I will tell you they have come a long ways.  I don't know what I would do without mine as its made my fishing much more enjoyable seeing structure, my lure, and fish on the screen.  Its not for just trolling.  Fishing flats for perch, finding suspended gills, finding baitfish, on top of having a on demand GPS,  getting  an idea on water temperature, etc. can eliminate a lot of unproductive time on the water.

[Uncle Al]

Thanks for all the replys, got lots to think about. I'll stare at the fl18 this winter and think about what to get for next year.

[kayl]

Don't rule out Garmin. The echomaps are great units if you want mapping and the strikers are also if you only want good waypoints without mapping. I've only used mine on my kayak, but from what I hear, they're solid on the ice too.

[mvanhank222]

Just an FYI the lowrance touch units will not work on hard water not enough juice in a 9ah battery to get the capacitive screen to work without putting your other finger on one of the battery terminals

[Figure ate]

having that history can be a huge help when judging behavior....it is also very nice when fishing cover

Being able to go back and look at what you did (jigging aggressively, sitting still, small movements, etc.) to draw the fish in has really helped on days where the bite is tough. I recognize the advantages of flashers, but I'll NEVER go back after using my Helix units.