fish finder help

Hi guys need some help with finding a fish finder, the more i read the more confused im getting
this will be my first fishing boat and fish finder so im starting with FISHING 101 :joyous:

this is what im looking for so far :

4 1/2in - 5in screen
color
good pixel count
depth
speed
temp
gps
eazy to use


looking at :
hummingbird 581 , 587 , 596, 597 HD DI
Garmin 550C
Lowranch Elite 5x DSI

whats this Flasher i keep hearing about???

Re: fish finder help

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Re: fish finder help

im down to
elite 5 DSI
Hb 597 CI HD DI

Re: fish finder help

It depends on how you plan to use it, DSI may not be what you want.

Re: fish finder help

whats this Flasher i keep hearing about???

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A flasher is a popular choice for vertical jigging. I personally use Vexilar brand. It's a real time graph of the water column where you can zoom in on and watch your jig and see if a fish is near and even watch it close in. It is a series of flashing lights which represent the targets which is why it's called a flasher. The best way to understand it is to find someone that uses one and see it being used. I will not go ice fishing without my VEX, and i also use it over the side of my boat in the summer jigging.

As far as a full time boat mounted sonar I still think the best choice is one of the graphs you are looking at above!!!!!

It does get a bit confusing because there isn't one size fits all!!! You have to make your choice by the type of fishing and or boating you do, and of course how much you can spend! If you know how much you can spend that makes it easier because you just get the best unit for the money.

Hope this helps!!!:joyous:

Re: fish finder help

Thanks guys

at this point i think most of my fishing will be in the river, rock fishing and pan fish

also have been told there is a old rock quarry with some good bass fishing


have been talking to some of the local fishermen and it sounds like the HB 597 CI HD DI will work good and something i can grow into.

Re: fish finder help

I just picked up a humminbird 365i for about half of that and I'm very happy - maybe worth looking at.

Re: fish finder help

I bought a really cheap Humminbird PiranhaMAX 150 just to get depths and bottom contour on my canoe when I'm on the river. I t works pretty well, gets a little funky when I get real shallow. What kind of boat are you putting it on?

Re: fish finder help

Augoose said:

I just picked up a humminbird 365i for about half of that and I'm very happy - maybe worth looking at.

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will look in to it..... money just got tight

got some bad news from the doc today have to have neck and elbow surgery.. min 8 -10 weeks down time


this will be put on a pro team 17

Re: fish finder help

That sucks. My buddy got a really nice one on craigslist for less than half of original retail. Not a bad option.

Re: fish finder help

for got about cl will have to check it out