IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Montana => Ice Fishing Montana => Topic started by: Robbi on Jan 02, 2012, 08:25 PM
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While we're waiting for ice to form and sitting on our thumbs (those of us that aren't brave enough for the current ice conditions, LOL) I've started researching new fish finders for my boat. I bought the boat last year and this years upgrade is a new finder. Currently I have an antique Interphase, works ok, but not perfectly. I've been looking at what I want, 1. A finder with GPS, 2. Color (seems like a $200 option but nice to have)3. Would like to have a 7" screen, but really don't want to spend that kind of money. Those of you with 5" screens let me know what you think, is it plenty? 4. Transom transducer with temp and speed 5. Either have installed or equipped for Navionics card
So those with boats and fish finders let me know what you use, why you use it and any other items that you may have that enhance the performance.
I really like the looks of the Lowrance, but the more reviews I read the less I trust I'll be getting a quality product. Many seem to think Hummingbird is the way to go. Then there is Garmin...........
So many options and choices have me totally confused.............. .And oh yeah........I would like to stay within $700.00 if possible.........I just saw a great deal in a Cabela's flyer, but unfortunately I won't be able to buy until late March/April when my construction picks back up again........And actually my finance' and I are talking about buying it for each other for our anniversary on April 7th..........
Thanks for the input, I know there will be alot........
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The Lowrance elite 5 you can use for fishing the hard water and will do all the things you ask for in the boat.
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I'll be watching this thread pretty close robbi, I'm thinking about upgrading as well.
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Whatever one you buy, let me know becasue I have the Navionics Hot Maps Platinum chip I'll sell you...Bought it not realizing it won't work in my "non HDS" Lowrance...
Unless I talk myself into a new unit this year, I'll still have it in Mar/April!
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Sounds Good PA......I'll let you know........
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Hummingbird 788ci gps/sonar.For the price it's a great unit.I love my side view.
BBJ
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Bought an HDS-7 when we bought our boat 3 years ago, and it's absolutely great. Lots of money, I know, but well worth it. We have navionics and use it lots-amazing how many more fish we catch when we know the bottom. Even more amazing in places like Holter where the bottom doesn't follow the shoreline as one would think. Have had 0 problems with it and Lowrance puts out updates to the software as needed. Couldn't be more pleased. They were on sale at Scheels the other day. Don't have Structurescan on ours, whish we did. The new ones with the package are a good deal.
Good luck!!
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HDS-7 on sale at Billings Cabelas for 600.00 200 off there and then there is a 200 rebate also. Was thinking about getting one. Sale goes until the 16th.
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The HDS 7 is actually finder "I want" and really wish I could take advantage of that sale and rebate......just isn't a good time for me to buy. Jerry......we have to get together for coffee so you can tell me about it..........
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BBJ......I like the 640x640 the Humminbird offers........how is the 5" screen? and what does sideview do for you..........
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Bump
Hoping for more feedback........before it gets lost in the archives.........
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Robbi,
It's good and clear,the side veiw I realy like for seeing whats under and beside your boat as far as seeing what strutcher is there,you upload the Navionics card also.It's very cool.
BBJ
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I RESEARCHED AND AGONIZED ON SPENDING THE MONEY BOUGHT THE HUMMINGBIRD 988
WITH DOWN IMAGE AND SIDE SCAN FOR MYSELF FOR CHRISTMAS NOW JUST HAVE TO INSTALL IT
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I just surprised myself with a Humminbird ice 385 ci ;D seems to be a nice unit. It comes with everything needed for 400.00 if you shop a little(nice case, battery, ice transducer, charger and there offering a free portable transducer for your boat right now).I have used it on the ice with the flasher mode a couple times now. It seems to work very well compared to my buds marcum. The nice thing is you pull it out of the portable case and mount it in the boat and its a GPS fishfinder as well with SD card slot for maps (I believe Navionics). find your spots....mark um..... and you know exactly where to go when the ice hits ;D ;D ;D ;D I will keep you all updated through the season when it hits the boat.
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I've got the Humminbird 385 also, and really like it. I still need to get the Navionics card for it, but so far I really like how it works. I did send in for the boat transducer, but haven't seen it yet. My brother has a Lowrance HDS-5 that he bought the ice package for and it works great too. I just have never understood the old school guys and their being stuck to a flasher. These new graphs with GPS's are way more machine, in my opinion. @)
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I haven't seen too many if any bad reviews on Humminbird. What's the 3.5 inch screen like.........I will be mounting the finder in the dash of my boat and most of the time I am in the drivers seat, but I do stand and move around also. This is probably my biggest concern since I want to be able to glance at it from anywhere in the boat and see the depth, speed and of course fish on the screen. When I mount the new one I'm going to move the old one to the front of the boat or in front of the windshield so that anyone fishing up front will be able to see it. I'm even nervous to go with a 5" screen. The old Interphase I've got has a big screen and can be seen from the back of the boat with the exception of the smaller depth numbers I suppose.
I appreciate everyone's input, because like ninerdan I've researched and agonized and am paralyzed with confusion over all that is out there........LOL
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ninerdan...........the 988 looks like a first class set up.........unfortunate ly I didn't hit the Montana Millionaire drawing on New Years.........so...... ..LOL
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So my fiance' Jules got her taxes figured out and was telling me about it. I never plan anything with her money, so I was listening to her and she says.......I'm getting enough back to use part of it towards our new fish finder.........!!!! Damn I'm a lucky man........I love that woman!!!! :)
I'm pretty set on going with Humminbird now........just gotta find the right one for the right price..........
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I picked up the 385CI for myself this year for ice fishing ;D seems like a very nice unit. I like the fact that you can use it as a flasher or on the boat ;Dfor a reasonable price (400.00 if you shop a little)!!! I have used it for ice fishing and really like the flasher option. can't wait to get the boat out and check out the rest of the features ;D I will post more when I get the boat out
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Sounds good.......there are so many and so much info out there it's confusing and overwhelming to say the least......but, little by little I'm narrowing it down, like going Humminbird........cuz of the many reviews I've seen they come out on top.......now for whittling away at the options I want or need and what I don't need to pay for.........lol
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Thought I'd throw my 2 cents in... I use a Humminbird 898 at the console and a 788 DI at the bow. Last fall I bought the ice kit and ducer for the 788 and LOVE IT!!! Previously I only used a Showdown for ice fishing, but I've since given it to my son who likes watching 'TV' to catch fish. It's a great unit, but with the gps capabilities and the 5" graph showing 'history' I now prefer the 788. Plus it's linked to my 898, so before I pull it from the boat I download my waypoints from summer fishing into the 788 and fish those spots in winter. I'd go with a 5" screen again, but probably not get the DI for the front as the DI doesn't work with the Universal Sonar2 in the Minn Kota. Also the DI doesn't work with the iceducer either, so I spent an extra $100 for something I don't use! Oh well, at least it was on sale! I don't know if this helps or opens up a whole new can of worms, but something to think about waiting to see if the ice holds or not ;). Good fishin' - OH
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Thanks OUTHNTN.........I'm looking at the 788 without DI........or the 597.......besides price is there a big difference? I've got a vexilar FL20, but I would be interested in having the second for ice than we don't have to fight over the vex.......lol.
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Robbi, honestly I'm not sure if there is much of a difference?! Being able to link the 597 to another unit may be though?! - OH
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LOL.........well...... ...over the weekend I took Jules out to look at sonars so she could see more than what's on the computer. She could touch and push buttons etc. etc. We are now trying to figure out how to afford an 898. Jules normally fishes from the rear of the boat while I'm at the console. She's not sure she can see the 5" screen from back there.....LMAOOO So in her opinion we should have a bigger screen. The 898 is a fine unit by the looks of it. So more to come. Everytime I think I have it narrowed down another hitch is thrown in.........Cabela's has a pretty good deal right now for their Club members.......no interest, no payments for a year so that is plenty of time to pay it off especially since the original payment that we thought we'd be paying for a 597 will be made right away........
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TOO MANY CHOICES!!! I know how you feel! 3 summers ago I put a 798 on the console and an old 3" humminbird up front. Decided everything was too small so that winter l upgraded to an 898 at the console and moved the 798 up front. Last summer I sold the 798 to a friend and then put the 788 DI up front as it was on sale and I couldn't use the side imaging on the 798 w/ the ducer in the Minn Kota. Then found out I couldn't use the down imaging in the 788 with the US2 either!! To make it even more frustrating, I purchased a new boat this fall and now must move everything over to it :-\I guess a little research would have helped, but I've used the 788 this winter every trip. One more thing to consider is the 898 is too big to fit into the ice pack kit from Humminbird, so I keep the 898 on the boat and use the 788 off the bow in the ice pack. Makes the 788 a dual season finder and it also has a flasher view built in. Gives you a little more bang for the buck IMO. Anyway, good luck and have fun narrowing down the choices. Can't go wrong with any of the HB units and I absolutely love the down/side imaging on the 898. I've found structure that I never knew existed on lakes I've fished since I was a kid and the 898 down imaging is much better than the 798 is. I found an old sumberged tree lying on the bottom of Fort Peck last fall in 190 fow using the DI and pulled out 2 macs jigging around it! Now for those pesky salmon... - OH
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Robbi, sent you a pm/email... - OH
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On Here?......nothing in my box.......
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Just checked my hotmail........got it......LOL.....anothe r hitch......
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I have a Lowrance HDS 7 - Basemap for sale. LIGHTLY used!!! Less than a year old. Only been used 12 days. Let me know if anybody is interested!!!!
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Sent you a PM GFIceman.........
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Robbi. I sent one back ;D
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OK........so the dust has settled. After all the diliberation, research, talking, looking, touching........etc. etc. I went with Lowrance. I was convinced I wanted to go with Humminbird, then I attended the boat show in GF and chatted with a Lowrance Pro Staff member. He set my fears to rest about the after sales service and the durability of the Lowrance units. As it happened, I knew of a good deal on a Lowrance (thanks GFIceman) so that pretty much made the decision. I went with an HDS 7 with structure scan. The screen size of 6.4" was one of the important factors in the decision and the down/side imaging I found is pretty important if you take the time to learn how to use it. So, in a few weeks when I get the boat out I'll be installing the unit and checking it out. Next I'll be looking for a unit for the front that will plug into this unit.......Hmmmmm OR maybe we'll win that HDS 8 that we just bought a raffle ticket for........LOL
Thanks to everyone for their participation in this thread and for all the people I've talked to and explained different things to me. This was a big decision and very overwhelming and confusing at times........I think we made a good choice......
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Glad you got it figured out. I'm sure Dale was a big help. I have a HDS7 and love it, never had a problem, just need to add structurescan to it.
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Thanks Jerry........it was Scott that I actually talked to, but it's almost like talking to "mini Dale"........LMAOOOO, that's for you Scott......I think we're gonna enjoy the 7 with the DI and SI.....
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You'll be happy with it Robbi. I'm getting the HDS 8 this year. I've got the Humminbird 596 on the Terrova motor up front and I think it works great for telling me what's coming up when I'm moving. It really shows the weeds on the screen.
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Robbi, I was glad to help. I'm sure you will really enjoy that HDS 7 and Structure Scan. Thanks for the "mini-Dale" comment. After all, Dale really has these Lowrance electronics dialed in. Please feel free to contact either of us with any further questions and good luck on the raffle. Scott Achilles
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I appreciated all the time you took with Julie and I Scott. It really helped and clarified things for me. I do like the unit and I have time to read the manuals before installing and using it. Alot of info to go thru..........Thanks again......I'll be seeing you soon.....
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Thanks Firetrap.........that 8 will be really nice......we're gonna have to head to the lake together one of these weekends when the water opens.......
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Robbi-I bought a 12v transformer from Radio Shack so I could take mine in the house and play with it-updates, etc-and get familar with it. Worked great!!
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Great idea Montanaguy. That is a great way to familiarize yourself with new electronics. Also fun to look at all your waypoints and pre-fish for this season. Update 4.1 is available for the HDS units now, so you can take care of that too. One last note, Dale Gilbert is having a Lowrance clinic in Great Falls on March 3rd. He has a huge amount of helpful info to share. Enjoy your HDS'S. Scott Achilles
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I'm in the market for a new finder/gps this year. What is the difference between a HDS7 and HDS8 other than the screen size? I would be buying and installing the unit with structure scan. I may upgrade my unit first and then add structure scan later this summer.
Jay
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The 8 offers more options for splitting the screen-for lots more money!!
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I like that idea Montanaguy.......I'll have to try and make it over there this weekend and pick one up.
Jay, probably the biggest difference is that the 8 and larger have "soft buttons". Buttons along the bottom of the screen that are one touch keys for different things. Such as when you're running downscan and change depths the sonar doesn't switch automatically, you have to go into the program and switch the depth manually. With the soft keys you can just hit a button and change it........I'm not positive on all the differences but those buttons are one.
Then of course there is a difference between the Gen 1 and Gen 2. Has to do with capabilities of accepting certain programs such as structuremap.
But the 2" larger screen is nice too..........
Scott, jump in here ...........Jay meet Scott........LOL
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The soft keys are a great feature of the HDS 8 and 10. They relate to the active window on the screen. A quicker way to make adjustments. Also on the 8 and 10 you can break up the screen into four windows. With the HDS 7 you can have three windows. The 8 and 10 also have two sd card slots. That makes it really nice when you are running both Navionics and Lowrance Insight HD cards, or a map card and a blank memory card to save data. If any of you guys will be at the WU banquet tomorrow night, we have raffle tickets for an HDS 8 GEN2 w/Insight. Both Dale and I will be there to answer any of your Lowrance questions also. Scott Achilles
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Thanks for the response. I'd love to go to the banquet but I'm at work in North Dakota until the 8th of March. My boat is at Townsend Marine right now. I'm trying to make up my mind on what I want vs what I really need.
Jay
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Jay........Scott has some raffle tickets for a HDS 8...........or a Terrova 80 lb w/I pilot.........1 in 150 chance.........since only 300 tickets are sold.......well worth the $20.00 bucks for the ticket......and it might make the decision for ya on what to get........LOL. The raffle takes place after all tickets are sold......so need to push em so it's earlier in the year.......LMAOOO
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I could use both of them! How do I get tickets?
Jay
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Scott or Dale........here's their site.....it's got phone numbers on it.......http://montanawalleye.com/scott.php