Garmin GT8 vs GT10

[nimsoc]

Hello everyone,

I am new to ice fishing and I never owned a sonar before. Last week I ordered the garmin 95 sv sonar and it come with the gt 54 transducer for open water. I am trying to make it ready for ice fishing so I purchased the garmin xl bag, a lithium ion 30 amp battery and now I am looking to get a transducer. I am looking at either GT 8 or the GT 10. Based on some research that i made so far I understand that GT 8 would be better for shallow water while GT 10 would be better for deep water. Since I am new to ice fishing I am not sure how deep I will usually fish. I was wondering which one would be a better all around choice? Also I am wondering if the GT10 can still do a decent job in shallow water or if the GT8 can do decent job in deeper water ?

[RapShack]

I run a GT-8 on my Striker but with your head unit I'd probably go for the GT-10 since it's rated at twice the power.  The only real benefit to the 8 over the 10 for shallow water is a bit wider beam which I personally prefer, but the cone angles on the GT-10 are about the same as every flasher out there and people use those shallow just fine.

[Drift Dodger]

I have both. The GT8 is slimmer, lighter and works perfectly well at depths that I regularly fish ... usually under 30 ft. The GT10 is much wider, heavier and accordingly more cumbersome, although the narrower available beams provides improved 'fish visibility' over steep drop-offs. If I had to choose just one it would be the GT8.