Humminbird 385ci Review

[eyestroker]

Your adjustment should be under one of the menu tabs.  Look for "noise filter"   under sonar menu tab maybe.  Don't have one but have used noise filter in the past on humminbirds......

[Indiananimal]

Ok i found it. You have to go to the "setup" tab then change the user mode to "advanced." Then you have to go to the "sonar" tab to hit the noise filter. If your not in advanced mode tha filter isnt shown. Thanx!

[dbike988]

How deep have you guys fished with this unit?  I am in the market for an ice unit but am really hoping for something that will go down to 200'+

[Boulderbronco]

How deep have you guys fished with this unit?  I am in the market for an ice unit but am really hoping for something that will go down to 200'+

200 feet!  What the hell is down there?  Asian fish?
I just picked one of these up today.  Can't wait to try it out.  I've never fished with a flasher type unit before.  Any suggestions for a beginner?  I used my 15 year old Eagle which worked ok until it died last year.  This should be sweet.  I also picked up the Navionics Hotmaps East chip.  Probably a stupid question but with this I will have a full lake map and the GPS will tell me where I am on the map, right?  Thats just downright cool!

[Indiananimal]

your gonna love it Bronco. the only suggestion i have is when changing the sensitivity or surface clutter only move them one notch at a time cause once messed up. it gets a little confusing getting everything back to marking your jig and everything else correctly. Im wondering if i found someone with the Navionics chip for our area if you can just copy it and stick it into my HB.

[Bozeiceman]

What I want to know is does it work in ope neater boat as well l?

[QTeam]

Have used the unit twice - Think its awsome in both flasher & graph mode. My son
even saw fish come up & hit his jig. Still learning the unit. Looking at getting an
East chip - Navionics or Lakemaster??? Any experiences.
Fish small lakes southern NY & PA & occasionally upstate - Hard & Softwater.....

[michlw39]

What I want to know is does it work in ope neater boat as well l?

Yes. But you need to buy the transom-mount transducer for it ($40-$70-ish depending on whether you buy the suction cup or the permanent mount). I plan on doing this for my Lund this summer.

[Hesperus]

Treading water here struggling with info (or lack thereof) overload.  The 385ci is on my short list.  The Ice 55 was also on my list.  So why would a guy want the 385/55 combo that HB ofers?

What can the 55 do or do better than the 385?

I like the idea of GPS and maps.  I would assume that I can pull the chip from my 1197 'bird and swap season to season?   

[michlw39]

Treading water here struggling with info (or lack thereof) overload.  The 385ci is on my short list.  The Ice 55 was also on my list.  So why would a guy want the 385/55 combo that HB ofers?

What can the 55 do or do better than the 385?

I like the idea of GPS and maps.  I would assume that I can pull the chip from my 1197 'bird and swap season to season?   

Well, the 55 is a "true" flasher not just a "simulated flasher"...also a bigger screen. I'd assume the transducer is a different degree as well (probably 19 and 9 versus 60/20). Does all that matter? Depends on the person, I guess.

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Treading water here struggling with info (or lack thereof) overload.  The 385ci is on my short list.  The Ice 55 was also on my list.  So why would a guy want the 385/55 combo that HB ofers?

What can the 55 do or do better than the 385?

I like the idea of GPS and maps.  I would assume that I can pull the chip from my 1197 'bird and swap season to season?   

I have the ICE55 that I bought last season...  Absolutely love it and feel it is the best flasher on the market...great resolution, sensitive, and 6 colors.  I would NOT trade it for a 385 because I live in IDAHO.  Those lake map chips don't have squat for Idaho so the gps would be pretty worthless for me.  Now, if I was back home in Michigan where there was a ton of lakes covered by the chips, I would jump for a trade.  To me, having a gps and maps of where I am fishing on my fish finder would be a huge bonus on the ice.

Jim

[Hesperus]

Thanks guys I picked up a 55 last night.  I'll start another thread.

[markjsolomon]

Has any one bought any additional accessories for their unit?

[Boulderbronco]

Has any one bought any additional accessories for their unit?

I bought the Navionics Hotmaps East chip as well as the optional transducer for use on the boat.  Don't actually have anything in hand yet.

[QTeam]

Have the 385 - also sent in promo for summer ducer - Hesitating on pulling trigger on Navionics/gps. Is the Navionics HotMaps Premium Lake Maps - East ok for the 385? Has anyone had any experence with any of the Navionic/Lakemaster chips with the 385?

[torgesom]

I use the lakemaster MN chip in my 385.  Like it a lot.  Card is accurate, and is easy to look at.  I think I'll like it in the summer with the open water.  Which one you go with is dependent on your area.  Pick which one is best for your area.